New-York tribune., 1921-09-04

listening look she showed herself charmine
child.
ut strikes me" said Ninian to Lulu, "that
you're going to do something mighty inter-
esting before you die"
It was the clear conversational impulse.
born Of the need to keep something going. but
Lulu was all faith.
She closed the oven door on her pies and
stood brushing -four from her fingers. He
was looking away from her, and she looked
at MN. tie was completely like his picture
She felt as if she were looking at his picture.
and she was abashed and turned away
well, hope So" she said, which had GER
tainly never been true, for her old formless
dreams were no ntenton--nothing but
mush of discomfort 'T hope I can do some
thing that's nice before I quit" she said.
Nor was this hope now independently true.
but only this surprising longing to appear in
teresting in his eyes. To dance before him.
What would the folks think of me, going on
so?" she suddenly said. Her mild sense of
disloyalty delicious. So was his UNDER
standing glance.
you're the stuff" he remarked, absentiy.
She laughed happily.
The door opened. Ina appeared
We'll" said Ina. It was her remotest
tone. She took this man to be a peddler, be-
held her child in his clasp, made quick,
forward step, chin lifted She had time for
a very javein of look at Lulu
"Hello!" said Ninian. He had the one
formula. "I believe Pm your husbands
brother. Amt this Ina?"
1t had not crossed the mind of Lulu 10
present him.
Beautiful it was to see Ina relax, soften,
warm, transform, humanize 1t gave one hops
for the whole species.
"Ninian!" she cried. She lent a faint i'm
preston of the double to the initial vowel
She slurred the rest, until the second souinted
IN. Not Neenyun, but nearly Neenyun.
He kissed her.
ssSINCE Dwight isn't here!" she cried. and
shook her finger at him. Inas concep-
ton OF hostess-ship was definite: volley Of
questlons-was his train on timeg He had
found the house all right? Of coursei Anv
one could direct him, she should hope And
he hadn't seen Dwight? She must telephone
him. But then she arrested herself with a
sharp, curved fling of her starched skirts No!
They would surprise him at tea--she stood
taut, lips compressed. Oh the Plows were
coming to tea. How unfortunate, she thought
How fortunate, she said
The child Monona made her knees and
elbows stiff and danced up and down. She
must, she must participate
Aunt Lulu made three piesr' she screamed.
and shook her straight hair.
Gracious sakes!" said Ninian "I brought
her pup, and if I didn't forget to give It
to her.
They adjourned to the porch--Ninian, Ina,
Monona. The puppy was presented, and
yawned- The party kept on about "the place"
Ina delightedly exhibited the tomatoes, the
two apple trees, the new shed, the bird bath
Ninian said the unspellable "fn-m,' rising
and the II see" prolonging the verb
as expected of him.
She screamed. Dwight was at the gate.
Now the meeting, exclamation banality. guffaw
good will.
And Lulu, peeping through the blind.
WHEN stea" had been experienced that
evening it was found that light rain
vas falling, and the Deacons and their guests,
he Plows, were constrained to remain in the
'arlcr. The Plows were gentle family lus-
rous folk, sketched into life rather lightly,
IS if they were, say, looking in from some
ther level.
'The only thing said Dwight Herbert, "that
econciles ME to rain is that I'm let off Gro
uet." He rolled his RS, favorite device of
is to induce humor. He called it "croquettes 4
lie had never been more irrepressible
Tell you what we'll dot' said Dwight min
nd III reminisce little"
"Don' cried Mr.. Plow
Ninian had uperringly selected a dwarf
ecker, and he was overfiowing it and rock
,g.
Take this chair, -" Ina begged. "a big
hair for a big man. She spoke as if he
ere about the age of Monona
Ninian refused insisted on his refusal.
The child Monona entered the room She
ad been driven down by Di and Jenny PIow.
no had vanished upstairs and through the
entllator, might be heard in a lift and fall
giggling Monona had also been driven
'om the kitchen where Lulu was, for some
'ason, hurrying through the dishes. Monona
'w ran to Mrs. Bett, stood beside her and
ared about resentfully
Qulet, petite" said Ina, eyebrows up. She
ught her lower lip in her teeth.
We'll, SIR said Dwight "you wouldn,t
INK 1T to look at TIC hp+ v,,.+L.~