The Washington herald., 1920-10-21
p1|WOMAN'S AFFAIRS: :WASINGTONA AND Ell SEWFIERE}
The Marriage Mill
ANOTHER CLASH.
BY Mildred X, barbour
tCopyright. 1929. BY TIE Wheeisr
eyndicste. Iae.l

sOh HEN SLAsn.
Alison went out to the curb where
Larry's family awaited her. con-
scious that Barbara wales had
stalked into the mouse without a
sign of greeting.
We stopped Of at the apartment.
but found you out-as usual" said
Jane, as soon as Alison was within
conversational distance. How do
you ever manage to look after
things? Your maid must be a
treasure"
Il have no maid" returned ALI
son shortly. Hello. Myra, haven't
seen you for an age"
My child, I've been raising funds
to help starving Armenia, or is IL
; Serbia-Ive forgotten which. 1t
really doesn't matter, does IL? Some
thing is always starving to give
us poor spinsters a chance to dab
BILE in charities. / started a cam
paign for starving alley cats in
June. Now it's Europe. What a
| life"
Jane cut in on Myra with the
honey-sweet apology:
Did you and Laurie forgive US
for disturbing you last night? II
| WAS one of my cats after all, al
! though Fanny declares she saw a
I policeman going down the avenue
with a man who was evidently in
4 toxicated. ! think she must have
dreamed IT. We were all dreadfully
frightened, anyway. Why didn't
Laurie come over? You told me he
was on his way"
Il tried te tell you. but you left
/ the receiver down and couldn't
I ring you" explained Alison YEARLY.
oh. yes. that was when Timmy
the grew cat you know-knocked
over a vase in the library. and we
thought a burglar was breaking
down a door"
"A Ming vase. too" put in Myrs.
grimly, and Jane had the nerve
to be reproachful this morning be-
cause that darncd cat cut its toe
| on the broken fragments"
Alison laughed.
| oh. well. aside from the vase,
no damage was done" went on Myra,
"and we women had the thrill OF a
/ Lifetime"
! Alison was silent No damage
was done, she thought, except the
breaking up OF a home and the es-
/ arrangement OF two young people.
7 thought Laurie would surely
come round to US" complained Mrs.
| Osborne. 1T was most unlike him
. TO ignore our cry for help"
Alison realized the futility OF at
| tempting an explanation. but II
was almost than she could endure
when her mother-in-law added:
He said you were afraid to be
left alone when I questioned him
this morning. I didn't know you
were nervous. Alison"
Sometimes" mUrmured Alison,
rage in her heart. She hated being
loyal to Larry. who hadn't the
courage to tell his mother the truth.
AS Myra says. no harm was done
can't we forget it?''
But it was unlike Laurie" per-
sisted Mrs. Osborne.
Alison shrugged and looked down
the avenue. impatiently. hoping for
some means OF terminating the in
terview.
Can we drive you home?" sug-
gested Myra.
Thank you. am not going
home" replied her niece by mar
, riage with frigid politeness. In
wardly. she was raging at the sug-
! gestion that she should be invited
to ride in her own car.
Il really think you ought TO keep
a more watChful eye on that maid
( Of yours. Alison" advised Jane.
Il have told you that I have no
maid"
! There was a dangerous CLINT in
: Alison's eyes, which Jane failed to
see. for she persisted:
What do you mean? Has she
left? Are you getting another
Alison's self-control gave away
completely
Il don't know don't care, What
business is IL OF yours, anyway .
Oh. why can't you leave me alone
/ She turned and ran up the path
to the house. leaving Lsrry's family
staring stupidity after her.
CTo he Continued Tomorrow