Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-24

His wife, forty-one. Careful
EHii e.. .dodger, absorbed In her mar
rtus n,rban society and In preserv-
~ hsr beauty.
.rpy tTHE IMP)--Thirty-two,
tkIs,,ss, in spirit. Holding the key
~ n,.srday and tomorrow. Called a
ysra .natcher" by the neighbors.
49,. entry on rne suburban scene
Han,snce pulsing again In Charles
n"s stirs resentment In Bertha
W .oadling OF Charles develops the
,sst he had known her In the long
- MOVED ponderously toward her
and stopped to touch the scar on
~ forehead. ,, e,v,
II AZ nodded. -.-
sIised TO live around the corner from
Imty Debs."
ahs nodded again.
%nd "a I chased you around that big
\ chen YOU teased me about the
Man twins and yelled. Wouldn't
~ either Of 'em, not IL they were
Queen of Sheba,' and down you
M NV wasn't your fault" she assured
,ssionately. "It really didn't
,.,.r Al all. I really liked wearing
h.ndore. 1t made me feel dis
ni.hed. And it was the very next
y sfter that you let me go along
Sk you caught the big bass down
4 Foiey's. You let me carry him
sWbat a whopper he was!" his eyes
y. glistening. 'You looked such a
u carrying him"
SHad most awful crush on
Sei-----"
|sYou couldn't have had. You were
Ms and years younger.
urifteen," she answered succinctly.
4 don't Just recall how much older
sneelot was than Elaine, but her feel
4 must have been like mine. You
n, 80 good to me You were the
N, person who made life endurable.
"A never known Aunty Debs II you
x,dn't taken me in for her to bandage.
Ian hear her yet saying, My stars.
Mat a lofty brow! And what a
1uuy one"
XSWhatever became of you all these
Mr?" he asked her eagerly. "We
~ TO wonder and wonder, Aunt Debs
E /. Whatever made you go off,
EyIng that silly note, and however did
~ hide yourself?'
i She shook her head.
1T doesn't matter. 1t was awfully
kU, And most of the time l had
an. In fact, I've had fun most of
IL time since the day you first spoke
me.
"You couldn't possibly remember
bat III have to tell you. The Rob-
,sons had just moved in the house
round the corner from yours and l
as hanging out their dish towels. I
us that forlorn! Hated everything
I'd everybody! And you walked by
boxing like the kind Of person who'd
\ sorry for anybody who was in hard
uth. So sighed awfully.
''You stopped and said:
"'Lo, Cinderella! Didn't the
)since show up last night?'
"'I don't believe in princes l
blyeled.
"You beckoned for me to come over
y the fence. You just jollied me for
he next five minutes and in the end
ou- said, Even il you don't believe in
princes believe in Bill Shakespeare.
Hes the boy that said, "All the worlds
stage" All you have to do is to re-
hember you're an actor, and just this
hinute I'd say you were acting pretty
Nd. You've got to stop acting that
Fay or | won't take you fishing with
pc tomorrow. I won't take you any
oy unless you dig all the worms"
You certainly were stingy little
hing. Aunty Debs thought" he
Popped embarrassed.
"Aunty Debs thought the Robinsons
dnt give me enough to eat she fin
he'd for him. well, they didn't.
iey gave me enough meat and bread,
Ut they didn't understand that thir-
Hwn.year'old poor relations need hy-
tshths to feast their souls. You did.
oa gave me lots of hyacinths."
He shook his head stupidity.
unt remembe sending you any
ild Of flowers"
You called me Madge and Margery
naead of Maggie. You taught me to
w ,eroquet. You promised me string
white corals with pink streaks in 'em
I'd learn to swim"
And teetotally forgot TO give them
y y0u---b
u. didn't learn to swim very we'll.
lever have learned we'll enough thnt
given myself any white corals.
sl look 80 worried about it. Think
pout the time you took me out to your
suHn AIS farm haying. I'm, I can
rtll that yet !"
ae leaned forward laughing like a
You were such fierce, scrappy lit
ma na! All keyed up all the time
All longing--" her voice was ten
En We'll. you played with ne
tnat summer. Right up to the day
tAe slocums' lawn party. And after
ass .s,iS you never played with me again"
~ mat funny he calculated.
new did that happen? Oh, let's see
~ was the fall ! went to Havnna-
y, you skipped out yourself before l
Fent to Havana-"
YES" she agreed quietly. II
Mpped out just about week after that
.cum party. l helped pass the ice
sm and wash the dishes for that
NV, And all the while was wash
E dishes you were out on the side
wa talking to Bertha. She looked so
EW | hated her! She had a big
Raorn hat with pink roses and a
wv deSprit dress and she laughed all
Ine--you called me over and intro
sS'a Inc to her and she laughed at the
v my hair was tied. And the next
w you said:
Zee; that girl that's visiting the
~Ias has got the prettiest laugh I
INV beard went up in my room and
XIV ior hours and hours to make my
5@,ldnn, n,avs pretty laugh-but
As,h hre crumbled on the hearth.
I9gWet OF them spoke for a long time.
nv twell; Bertha's never lost her
ESH, ne commented dryly. Laugh
SUI the best thing Bertha does.
| nugh is on me most of the time"
kas.a'sery thumped her fist against her
kw Don't stare at the fire that
Ina. LOOK at me while l explain some.
kg kmg.,tto 70 you. It's about Bertha. It's
Ik.'Iihg you don't understand, and
|NS Ultle hard to nut in wordg You