The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-01-26
The Wonderful
Oregon Roses
By LAURA MONTGOMERY


girl. What good will your education
do you when you are marrled?" de-
manded Mayme as she settled her hat
well over the right eye; better spend
that money for some dolly clothes
You'll never get you a Sweetie going
about in that suit. You might be
your own grandmother for all the
style you have"
Lofty went on soberly with her
work. A1ayme had taken advantage
OF her employers absence to stop work
ten minutes before twelve; she al
ways went in and powdered well be-
fore the noon hour so that the instant
the big hands pointed to twelve she
would be ready to shrug into her tight
little coat and vanish. AT shall be
able to earn more when I have taken
that business course" Lofty replied.
''Your mother works. too, doesn't
she?" asked Mayme, who took frank
interest in Lotty's affairs, $50 you
don't have to earn for two"
"Yes, but mother doesn't like Chi
cago very well. You see. our friends
are all out West; we lived near Port
TO go back there. If 1 could earn a
good salary for a year or two, we could
save enough between us to go back
and take the risk OF being out of work
for month or so. What would like
TO do would be to get a small house
and take one or two rOomers. Then
with what could earn we would have
enough so mother would not have TO
go out every day"
Wayne applied her lipStick care
fully before answering: "You sure
talk like an old lady. Don't you ex-
pect to marry? Going to work all
your life?"
Lofty flushed and remained silent.
She knew that she would not marry
now. She had had her dreams and
they had dissolved into the mists of
the past. The man she loved lived
in Oregon and they had gone together
since childhood. She had never known
what had come between them, but
he had stopped writing. That some
one had made trouble she guessed.
but she could do nothing To bridge
over the silence that had Sickened her
world for her.
Tom had, quite evidently, tired of
the sensible plain-faced girl, who had
no spectacular accomplishments. Lofty
was just q nice, average girl. with an
immense capacity for love and for
making her loved ones comfortable.
but as for dressing 10 catch the row
ing eye Of pampered young men, such
a thought had never been entertained
by her and she turned a deaf ear to
the advice Wayne lavlshed upon her.
Wayne was a big, good-natured girl,
who frankly wished to marry and who
was willing to drag Lofty after her
in the pursuit Of a compliant meal
ticket. Mayme intended, in a vague,
inchOate way, TO be a good wife, but
her methods. in LOtty's eyes, were
very crude. Lofty lived in a world of
dreams, where the man who loved her
sought her.
Lofty, l am afraid you will have
too much work if you take up that
course said Mrs Skitch. as her
daughter prepared their little meal
Mrs. Skitch was a frail. dark-eyed
woman. who had had many troubles,
but who had preserved a cheerful spir-
it in spite OF these.
mo" Lofty smiled at her across
the tiny room. II shall enjoy the
course. Three nights a week isn't
much and we are going to have just
a bite downtown those nights and
then I'm going to take you over to the
public library, where you can read the
new magazines until I'm through. Then
home"
The night of the first lesson CHANGED
to be rainy. Lofty established her
mother in the reading room and then
sloshed down through the mud and
rain to her class. She had had a hard
day and her wet feet did not add to
her comfort. The crowds jostled her
and the glaring street lights only
served to intensity her loneliness. 1t
did seem as though there ought to be
some place for her. All she craved
was a tiny home with warmth and
privacy.
The crowded house where they
rented MISUNDERSTANDING rooms was
never STILL The married couple in the
rooms next them wrangled far into the
night. The musical student above
practiced feverishly when she was not
cooking food with strange foreign
Odors- A florists display reminded her
OF the wonderful roses in Oregon.
seven If get through in six months"
she reflected. Keeling as hurrying
man almost knocked her on her feet.
at win be at least a year after that
before wen have enough to pay our
expenses back home.
"If mother could putter about a
garden and see her old friends she
would get stronger. She isn't able
20 hang to a strap night and morning.