The Jasper news., 1922-11-09
Miss Lulu Bett
By ZONAaGAL
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sion.
Il had TO make them stop, so
teased you. III never wanted to-"
Again the upward look.
"WellI" Bobby stared at her. "T
never thought II was anything like
that"
"Of course you didn't She tossed
back her bright hair. met his eyes full.
"And you never come, where l could
tell you. wanted 10 tell you"
She ran into the house.
Lulu lowered her eyes. II was as
II she had witnessed the exercise of
some secret gift, had seen a cocoon
open or an egg hatch. She was think
ing:
How easy she done IT, Got him
right over. But how did she do that7"
busting the Dwight-llke piano. Lulu
looked over-shOuldef. with a manner OF
speculation, at the photograph Of
Ninian.
Bobby moved and pondered. The
magnificent conceit of the male In his
understanding of the female character
was sufficiently developed to cause
him TO welcome the Improvisation
which he had Just heard. Perhaps
that was the way II had been. OF
course that was the way II had been.
What n fool he had been not to un-
derstand. He cast his eyes repeatedly
toward the house. He managed to
make the job last over 80 that he could
return In the afternoon. He was not
conscious Of planning this, but 1t was
in some manner oontrived for him by
forces Of his own with which he
seemed to be cooperating without his
conscious will. Continually he glanced
toward the house.
These glances Lulu saw. She was
woman OF thIrty-four and Dl and
Bobby were eighteen, but Lulu felt for
them no adult indulgence. She felt
that sweetness OF attention which we
bestow upon May robins. She felt
more.
She cut fresh cake, filled a plate.
called to Di, saying: Take some out
to that Bobby Larkin. why don't your"
1t was Lulu's way Of participating.
II was her vicarious thrill.
After supper Dwight and Ina took
| their books and departed to the Chau-
tauqua circle. To these meetings Lulu
never went. The reason seemed to be
that she never went anywhere.
When they were gone Lulu felt an
instant liberation. She turned aim
lessly to the garden and dug round
things with her finger. And she
thought about the brightness of that
Chautauqua scene to which Ina and
Dwight had gone. Lulu thought about
such gatherings in somewhat the way
that a futurlst receives the subjects
Of his art-formg not vague. hut
heightened to intolerable definiteness,
acute color, and always motlOn-mo-
tion as an integral part of the desir-
able. But n factor of all was that
Lulu herself was the participant, not
the OnloOker. The perfection of her
dream was not impaired by any long
Ing. She had her dream as a saint her
sense of heaven.
'Lullew her mother called. "You
come out Of that damp"
She obeyed, as she had obeyed that
voice all her life. But she took one
last look down the dim street. She
had not known II, but superimposed
on her ChautauQua thoughts had been
her faint hope that 1t would be to-
night, while she was In the garden
alone. that Ninian Deacon would ar
i rive. And she had on her wool chally,
her coral beads. her cameo pin.
She went into the lighted dining
room. MonOna was In bed. Dl was
not there. Mrs. Bett was In Dwight
Herbert's leather chair and she lOlled
at her ease. 1t was strange to see this
woman. usually so erect and tense
now actually lOlling. as II lolllng were
the positive, ;he vital, and her Ordi'
nary rigidity a negatlOn of her In
some corresponding orgy of leisure
and liberation. Lulu sat down with nc
needle.
"Inie ought to make over her de
laine," Mrs Bett comfortably began
They talked of this, devised a mode
recalled other delaines. "Dear, dear
said Mrs. Bett, II had on delaine
when met your father" She de
scTibed IT, Both women talked freely
with ant lion. They were lndividuali
and alive. To the two pallid beings
accessory to the Deacnns' presence
Mrs. Bett and her daughter Lulu now
bore no relationship. They emerged
had opinions, contradicted. their eyei
were bright.
Toward nine O'Clock Mrs. Bett an
nounced that she thought she should
have a lunch. This was debauchery
She brought in bread and butter. ant
dish Of cold canned peas. She wal