Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-05
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
OREGON ROSES
Bu Lourn Reid Montgomery


0T OTTY, think you are awfully
- foolish TO plan about studying
any more. High school Is enough tor
any girl. What good will your educa,
tlon do you when you are marriedy'
demanded Mnyme ns she settled her hat
well over the right eye; better spend
that money for some dolly clothes.
You'll never get you sweetie going
about in that suit. You might be your
own grandmother for Hll the style you
have"
Lofty went on soberly with her work.
Mayme had taken advantage of her
employers absence to stop work ten
minutes before -; she always went in
and powdered we'll before the noon hour
&c that tho instant the big hands point
cd to Il she would be ready to shrug
into her tight little coat and vanish.
II shall be able TO earn more when
havo taken that business course"
Lofty replied.
"Your mother Torks, too, doesn't
she?" asked Mayme, who took frank
interest in Lottic's affairs, $50 you
don't have to earn for two
eyes. but mother doesn't like Chicago
very we'll. You sec, cur friends are all
out West; we lived near Portland in
Oregon and Sho would be glad TO 60
back there. II l could earn Il good
salary for year or two, we could save
enough between us 10 go back and take
the risk of being out of work for
month or so. What ! would like TO do
would be TO get small house and take
one or two rOOmCrs. Then with what
could earn we would have enough so
mother would not have to 80 out every
day"
Maymc cpplicd her lipstick carefully
before answering: You sure talk like
an old lady. Don't you expect TO
marry? Going to work all your lifct'
| Lofty flushed and remained silent.
She knew that She would not marry
now. Shc had had her dreams and
they had dissolved into the mists of the
past. The man she loved lived in Ore
gCn and they had gone together since
childhood. She had never known what
had come between them, but lie had
stopped writing. That some one had
do nothing to bridge over the silence
that had Sickcncd her world for her.
Tom had, quite evidently, tired Of the
sensible, plain faced girl, who had no
spectacular accomplishments. Lofty
immense capacity for love and for max
ing her loved ones comfortable, but as
for dressing to catch the rowing eye OF
pampered young men, such Il thought
had never been entertained by her and
she turned deaf ear to the advice
Alaymc lavishCd upon her. Mayme was
n big. good naturCd girl, who frankly
wished to marry and who was willing
to drag Lofty after her in the pursuit
of a compliant meal-ticket. Nayme in.
tended, in n vague, inChOate way, to b(
good wife, hut her methods, in Lofty
eyes, were very crude. Lofty lived il
world of dreams. where the man who
loved her sought her.
LOFTY, / am afraid you will have
! too much work if you take up tha
, cturse," said Mrs. Slit'h, rs hru
daughter prepared their little meal. Mrs
Skitch was frail, dark eyed woman
who had had many troubles, hut VIII,
, had preserved cheerful spirit in spitc
of these.
"No," Lofty smiled at her across tho
tiny room, II shall enjoy tho course
: Three nights / week isn't much and w,
arc going to have just bite downtown
those nights and then I'm going to tax,
you over to the public library, where
you can read the now magazines unit