South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-26
Revelations oPAWifo 8YoA aS5:E

Little Mrs. Durkee rushed to Lii
lian's side and sank on a hassock at
her feet.
I'll tell the world I'm all ears"
she said. with the slangy playfulness
which does not seem affected in her
as it so often does In ether women
Of her years.
Lillian smiled down at the eager
little woman, and 1 saw that her
genuine affection for Her FIuffiness
was fast celebrating the anger /
knew she had felt at my neighbours
selfish Observation-Disclosures in the mat
I ter Of Lelia's room decorations.
"The plan is a very simple one
for me- she said deprecatingly.
you see, in my profession, 1 know
more or less intimately. a number
OF clever women who are interior
decorators. There are many occa-
sions when we help each other out
Of difficulties. I'll telephone the best
Of them tonight, tell her what we
want, and arrange to meet her at 9
O'Clock in the morning. You must
give me every measurement tonight.
and descriptions OF everything in
here you want duplicated in the rose
shades. I'll be back with the things
on the noon train. Have your lunch
con before I come, just leave a cup
of tea and a quick bite for me, and
have your sewing machines and
yourselves all ready for work. jim
Will be home by that time, you say.
Madge, then he can move your ma
chine over here. We four ought 20
have everything in here finished long
before the bride arrives. What do
you say?"
"Sayl" little Mrs. Durkee ejacu-
lated. "Sayl If 1 could talk all that
I'm thinking, and if every word were
a dollar, you'd never have to do an
other tap OF work in your lifel But
I never could express myself" she
added, with a doleful air that set
Lillian and me into peals of laugh
ter, for Her Flufiness' is almost a
record holder in the line Of sus-
tanned and lengthy chatter.
Wiping our streaming eyes, we
pity you" Lillian quoted at last.
Our handkerchiefs were really in
use, for our little neighbor's naivete
had suddenly loOsened the tension
under which we had been laboring,
and we had actually laughed until
we cried.
Don't you quote that stuff at
me-" Mrs. Durkee threatened, cor
I won't give you one bit Of dinner.
Alf thinks Lewis Carroll made the
world and then died. I'm sure I
don't see anything so funny in him."
you'll see nothing funny in life"
Lillian retorted dryly, unless you
get busy on these rooms. Isn't
there something we can do to help
you with them? How about your
room? Is It ready to put these
draperies up?"
Little Mrs. Durkee jumped TO her
feet with a movement like a startled
rabbit.
Goodness, no." she cried. I'll
Just run down 10 see that nothings
burning, and then Wen get busy TAX
ing down curtains in my room. One
good thing-it's passably clean"
ItOok hold OF her shoulders and
swung her around facing us.
Something's the matter with her
ego" I said gravely to Lillian. "She's
getting conceited in her old age. This
is the first time ever heard her ac-
knowledge that any room in her
house was fit TO enter"
Lillian laughed merrily, for she
also had heard Mrs. Durkee. most
fastidious OF hcusekeepers, claim
fussily that her rooms looked "a
sight" Ny little neighbor wrenched
herself free indignantly.
you think you're Just too cunning
for anything, don't your" she asked
.scathingly.
But there was a gratifed twinkle
in her eyes as she hurried toward
the stairs that told me she was not
offended by my reference 70 her
careful housekeeping.
As the door closeed behind her
I rushed over 70 lillian and Rugged
her.
You wfzardi" cried.
THE works all 20 do yet" she re-
minded me. "And-don't you think
Il would be advisab BILE 70 give Edith
A tip a. 70 Mrs Durkee's change OF
heart? She was decidedly resentful,
don't you think, and we can't have
her splitting the beans with Her Fluff
fness BY being ofish"
''No-of course" I assented. slow
iy-"but-I wish you'd speak TO her.
I'll be sure 20 make mess OF T."
Lillian looked az me keenly.
yes. you are so tactless." she re-
torted mockfngly. But I'll be the
goat. Only-you must come with
me"