Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-02


Mrs. Bellew jumped up and ran
to the window and looked out.
Look here!'' she cried, and her
neighbor and visitor, concealed
looked into the street at the woma l
who was passing.
She was a woman as old as they,
and yet she looked fifteen years
Younger. She moved with a quick,
light step, on high-heeled, trim.
gray shoes. Her stockings were oe
gray silk to match the shoes, and
her white skirt showed a great deal
of her slender ankle, with a tanta-
lizing. fiirt of youth. Her green
sweater was in accord with her hat.
She wore wrist watch, and car
ried a snappy little pinseal purse.
She had brilliant gray eyes and smii-
ing lips. Not a gray hair was in
her head. At least none were Wis
ible under the brim of her sport nat,
AS she passed out of view the two
women turned and looked at each
other. Mrs. Bellsw shook her head.
well, that rig settles it for me, =
she said. "I/shall never. go to cali
on her"
Mrs. Keeler sighed. Neither shall
l. I'm sorry. 1 always want to do
the fair thing by my neighbors, but
I shall have to draw the line at
her." she remarked.
She went back to her chair, and
q silence followed. Mrs. Kirbye
name was not again mentioned that
afternoon, but nevertheless her
doom, as far as Green street was
concerned, was effectively sealed.
Mrs. Kirby had come to Green
street two weeks before with a van
load of furniture. Alone and I'LL
aided she had set up h usekeepin :
in the only vacant dwelling in that
neighborhood-a gay little bungalo~
which most of the residents thought
an absurdity and an insult to their
own substantial residences. The
| bungalow had been built by young
couple who had lived in it for &
short time and then moved away
| Mrs. Kirby rented it. That was one
thing against her. The Mrs. Bel
LEWIS of Green street had a prejudice
against renters.
But it was Mrs. Kirby herself who
produced the real impression. Sh>
fitted up and down Green street
| like the very spirit OF youth How
could she be, with a twenty-five
year old son? She had told Mr.
| Hart, the Green street man of al
work, about the boy, and Mr.. Hart
had told Mrs. Bellew and everybody
else.
No. She was not voting, but she
was ridiculous in her gay sweaters
and sport shoes and short skirts
She made Mrs. Bellew shudder. And
of course, Mrs. Keeler shudderet
because Mrs. Bellew did. They ha;
always been close friends.
| So it was that neither Mrs. Bellev
! nor Mrs. Keller paid the slightes
attention to Mrs. Kirby. And be
cause they did not the others dare
not, with the exception of little
Alice Hustled. She went ti7nidIy, be
cause she thought her duty as {
next-docr neighbor should override
distinctions. Besides, Alice wa:
young, and she wore sport clothes
herself.
81 think you ought to go to SET
her." she told Mrs. Bellew. "Really
do. She's nice And her son ::
awfully good looking. He is al
Iecn, JUST finishing, going TO pc al
engineer. Her husband died sis
years ago. She doesn't act as if she
had much money. but then you car
never tell. OF course, she doesn't
say much about herself; she's rather
quiet about her own affairs. Still
I like that. 1 don't think it's best
for a stranger to be be too free"
But Mrs. Be1lew would not go tt
see Mrs. Kirby, and Alice did no;
ask again. She herself would have
gone again only that she went home