Evening star., 1921-07-17

Wellbys prunery late that
night after the lady boss
of our Greenwich village joint Dad
announced that she meant to sell out
and go back to Michigan with the
druggist hubby I'd discovered for her.
'See who's waiting for you on the
front steps,
Huh says Inez. who's been drag
ging her heels all the way from the
L station. That newspaper feller?'
None other" says l. Barry
Platt. the constant knight of the
clicking Corona. And he's waiting
patiently. poor chap. for few kind
words from you"
"Poo7 boob" says Inez. lin
sleepy"
So, while the lady of his hearts
desire yawned her way past him.
had to park myself alongside OF Bar
ry and be as comforting as l knew
even il nobody else tells yo". Course
j could do better with the stage set
ting little more romantic thah .ne
b.ownstone steps of west 2I'h
Street boarding house. But at tnat.
with Ruby giggling at, at the he oaSemsas aha has =
fallen for her dusky charms; anu
Miss Smithers, the old maid stenog,
stretching an ear from the seconu
floor hall bedroom just above; ana an
audience of maybe half nunuIee ,nniee
across the street-well, don't get
stage fright. anyway: ,
You're late tonight. Trilby May.
says Barry.
.Oh, / keep track of-of you both.
saws he. Must Gave been big even
ing at The Cave of the White Cod
dess?"
Not SO much big" says !. as
lemme see, what's the word? I got
"Wbaddye mean, crucial:" asks
Barry.
Another crossroads" says l.
. Looks like our career in the Niiiage
had come to a full stop: IN ae o.ner
words, Barry. I'm afraid were over.
board again.
rHEN 1 sketched out for him how
Mrs. Tremaine. after year OF
wandering up and down and trying
ont various schemes for self express
sion, had decided to quit and go back
with her moon-faced Oscar to Main
street. Michigan.
"Just when the place was making
n big hit" says l. and we were ES.-
ting the hang Of the business. Inc
worst of 1t is. l shall always teei .na'
! ] talked myself out of 1t. You see.
if I hadn't allowed this tank-town
druggist to get chatty and tell me
the story of his life he'd never found~
out that 1t was his dear Gwendolyn
who cooked the spaghetti. But l
sether So the ship Is scuttled."
"But what will she do with the
). placer" demands Barry.
"Oh, most likely she'll sell out at
a bargain to some third cousin of
Caruso." says I, "or else call In a
Either way we're thrown for loss
'Now don't you worry. says Barry
Platt. smoothing the back Of my right
hand cheerful. -
Go on. hold it if you feel that
way" says !. Il promise not to wake
do. Attaboy. Comes easier when
You can't see me so plain. doesn't it?
No. don't mind a bit. It's good for
my shy nature to get jolt like that
once in a while. And as for worry
ing. That's the seldomest thing I do.
Barry. Inez and I haven't any sched-
ule to make. We're just on our way,
fitting from job to job like pair Of
rare-free' humming birds who have
forgotten which bush they started to
build a; nest in last. That's us. And
before we get to the hunger point
times will have to be SO hard that
therell be free soup kitchens I'M
every block.
At that Barry actually squeezed
my hand. You're a great team, you
and Inez." Says he.
, Yes" says l. "Inez is the sleep
ing partner. Good night, Barry"
He's a nice, ir-haAred youth,
Barry; I like the polite little tricks
he pulls. showing that he's been
brought up in a real home by a real
mother: and I'm strong for the hesi-
tating way he springs that chummy
smile of his when he's about to say
or do something that would be fresh
in any one else. Also 1 suspect
there's lot Of real thinking goes on
back of those sunny blue eyes of his
But why should 1 waste perfectly