Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-07
May


table which was of Ina's choosing, and
looked like Ina. shining, complacent.
abundantly curved. The leather rocker,
too, looked like Ina, brown, plumply
upholstered, tipping back n bit. Real
ly, the davenport looked like Ina, for
its chintz pattern seemed To bear de
sign Of lifted eyebrows and arch re-
proachful eyes.
Lulu busted the upright piano, and
that was like Dwight-in perpet-
ual attitude Of rearing back, with paws
out, playful, but capable, too, of roar
ing ready bass.
And the black firepace-there was
Mrs. Bett to the life COlorless, fire
less, and with n dust of ashes.
In the midst Of all was Lulu herself
reflected in the narrow pier glass,
Notwithstanding in her blue Bingham
gown, but somehow alive-natural.
This pier glass Lulu approached
with expectation, not because of her
self but because of the photograph on
its low marble shelf A large photo
graph on a little shelf-easel. 4 photo
graph OF man with evident eyes, evil
dent lips, evident cheels-and each Of
the six were rounded and convex. You
could construct the rest of him. Down
there under the glass you could imagine
him extending. rounded and convex,
with plump hands and curly thumbs
and snug clothes II was Ninian
Deacon, Dwight's brother.
Every day since his coming had
been announced Lulu, busting the par
lor, had seen the photograph looking
at her with its eyes somehow new. Or
were her own eyes new? She busted
this photograph with difference lift
ed, busted, set it back, less as process
than rs an experience. AS she busted
the mirror and saw his trim sem
blance over against her own bodiless
reflection, she hurried away. But the
eyes of the picture followed her, and
she liked ii.
She busted the south window sill
and saw Bobby Larkin come round the
house and go 10 the woodshed for the
lawn mower. She heard the smooth
Bobby traversed the lawn when Lulu
saw hi emerge from the house. III
had been caring for her canary and
she carried her bird bath and went to
the well. and Lulu OWNED that hi had
deliberately disregarded the handy
kitchen taps. Lulu busted the south
window and watched, and in her
watching was no quality on spying or
of criticism. Rather, she looked out
on something in which she had never
shared could not by any chance i'm
agine herself sharing.
The south windows were open. Airs
Of May bore the soft talking.
"Oh Bobby. will you pump while l
hold thisf' And again: Now wait
till | rinse" And again: You needn't
he so glum'-th village salutation sig
nifying kindly attention.
Bobby now first spoke: "Who's
glum?' he countered, gloomily.
The iron Of those days when she had
laughed at him was deep within him,
and this she now OWNED, and said alb
sently:
II used to think you were pretty
nice. But | don't like you any more"
Eyes, you used tor Bobby repeat
ed derislvely. as that why you made
fun Of me all the timer
At this Dl colored and tapped her
foot on the well-curb. He seemed to
have her now, and enjoyed his tvi-
umph. But Di looked up at him shyly
and looked down. 81 had to- she adj
mitted. "They were all teasing me
about you
"They weref This was a new
thought to him. Teasing her about
him, were they? He Strengthened.
"Huh :" he said In magnificent eva
sion.
II had to make them stop, so
leased you. IL never wanted to-"
Again the upward look.
"Well!" Bobby stared at her. II
never thought 1t was anything like
that"
"Of course you didn't She tossed
back her bright hair, met his eyes full.
And you never came where l could
tell YOU. wanted TO tell YOU"
She ran into the house.
Lulu lowered her eyes. IL was as
II she had witnessed the exercise of
some secret gift, had seen cocoon
open or an egg hatch. She was think
ing:
"How easy she done 1t. Got hin
right over But how did she do thatT
busting the Dwght-like piano, Lult
looked over-shoulder, with a manner OF
speculation, at the photograph Of
Ninian.
Bobby moved and pondered. Th'
magnificent cOnceit of the male In hi
understanding of the female characte
was sufficiently developed to cause
him to welcome the improvisation
which he had just heard. Perhaps
that was the way ii had been. o
course that was the way II had been
What n fool he had been not to un
derstand. He cast his eyes repeated.
toward the house. He managed &
make the job last over so that he coul'
return I'm the afternoon. lie was no
conscious of planning this, but IL wa