The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-14

on an upper foor He sat in an armchair, wrapped in blankets. his rigid gaze rowing a pidfuny restrict ed perspective of street outside the window, an elaborate cough occasion ally racking him. Emeline had gotten a fairly tempt ing dinner under way, She could cook some things well, and at five o'clock she came in from the kitchen | with an appetizng tray. "Gosh. is it dinner timer" asked George,
 After fivet' E1neiine said, fitting home now. sweet and tired and was silently eating slice after slice of bread and Jelly. Eme1ine opened cut 1 the bed lounge, spread sheets and blankets smoothly, and flung a clean little nghtsoWn for Julia across the | foot, Darkness had fallen outside; she lighted the gas and drew the shades,
 | 'I wouldn't mind being sick now and then at this rabe!'' Come ever here and undreas near Pe1s Ssss. I'll tel shaft to Cass, and tell hSaa to send l Henny up to make us 8 nice little
 coal fire here. I'll give Henny quarter
 She's gone into the bathroom to | fix her hair and wash her face," Julia observed, as Emeiine did not answer. i A second later the child jumped up | to answer 8 sharp knock on the door. | To Georges dtSgus 1t was Eme1ine's friend, Mrs. Marvin Povey, who came | in. Mrs. Povey was a tightly cor seted. coarse-votesd, highly ceIoured running up stairs Her sister, Myr- | tie Montague, was an ingenue in the | little stock company at the Central Theatre, and Mrs. Povey kept house | for her and MT. POVey, who spent all ! his waking hours at the racehrack. | The POveys' flat was only a block away from the Pages.
 | George was furious to have this 1 woman. win om he particularly detect- l ed, come in upon him thus informal 1 l9-, and find him at so great dis
 advantage. His neck was better, but he could not move 1t very easily; he was trapped here In blankets like a l baby; he was acutely conscious of | his three days beard, of JuHa's bed made up in the middle of the draw | ing-room, and Of Juha's self, partly disrobed and running about in the general disorder.
 well, how does the other feller look?'' said Mrs Povey. laughing good-naturedly. You look like you'd broke out of San Quentin, George, with that face. Hello, darlin," she added, waylaying Julia. When are you going to come and be Aunt | Names girl, huh? Going to come home with me ton1ght?' 'tEm"' believed George, with only a sickly smile for the guest. "Emi' My God what Is it now?" said Emeltne sweetly, popping in her head "Oh. hello. Mame!" she added, com ing in. Where's the rest of the girls?''
 They've all blew up to the house with Myrt,', said Mrs. Poyey staring l b1anl1Iy, at EmeLne. But say, ain't you going, dear?"
 Wait till I get my dress on, and we'll talk it over while l hook up" Elm cline said, disappearing again She did not glance at George. a of us girls are going to see that she gets a hand,'' Mrs. Povey said. ''We're going to have supper at my house. Mary will have some of the boys | there"
 T guess Eme1ine will have to wait till the next time" George said cool ly ''She wouldn't get much pleas ure out of it, leaving me here as sick as I an!"
 "Oh, I don't know!' Mrs. Povey half sang, half laughed. "Emeline ! likes a, good time, like all the rest of us, George, and it don't do to keep a pretty girl shut up all the time!"
 shut up? She's never here"
 well, we'll see"' Mrs. Povey hum med contentedly. A moment later
 Emeline came in, wrenching the
 hooks of her best gown together. She
 had her hat on. and looked excited
 and resolute.
 T forgot I'd promised to go out
 with the girls, George" she began. !
 had your supper. and ai1 Julia's got to | do is get into bed.
 George looked balefully from one | to the other. Mrs, Povey chanced a quick little wink of approvel and en-
 couragement at Emeline, and he saw | it.
 "A lot you forgot" he said ha.rsGhly
 ready re 5iv for or the last hour. Don't
 either of you think that you l are fooHng me - see through
 it! I could lay here and die, and a
 lot you'd care! You forgot-ha!" The bloow rushed instantly to Elm | enne's face, she turned upon him her l ugliest look, and the hand with which
 she was buttoning her glove trembled.
 ''Now, I'll tell you something, MT. George Page!' said she. in an in
 tense and passionate tone. "there are
 things I'd rather do than set around sick you are! You think I'm a white chip in this family, but let me tell you something - there's plenty of i lovely friends I got who think I'm a go on the stage, not month ago, i from a manager who didn't even know I was married; didn't I. Name? !? And if 1t wasn't for Julie there" You've not got anything on me, En-" George said. breathing hard,
 his face blood red with anger. DO you think that if 1t wasn't for this
 "Oh folks-fo1ks!" Mrs. Povey said l really concerned.
 well, I don't care!" Eme1ine said, panting. She crossed the floor still panting. kissed Julia. and swept from 1 the room. Mrs. Povey, murmuring some confused farewell. followed her. Julia climbed out of her big chair. 1 Like all children, she was frightened by loud voices and domestic scenes: she was glad now that the quarrel
 was over, and anxious, in a small girls fashion. to blot the recent un- frc F., PodI She sat on his knee and talked to | him. she sang. she patted his sore neck with sleek. dirty little fingers.
 And finally she won him. George
 laughed. and entered into her mood | He thought her 8 very smart little
 girl. as indeed she was. She had a | precocious knowledge of the affairs
 of her mothers friends. sordid affairs 1 Il