The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-24
ANDREW AND
 IMOGENE
ELIZABETH GRIFFITH
By ROE FULKERsoN

Deaf oHet said Androw. when that sad day comes to lay my shroud- ed body to its last sad and solemn slrmber with the worms I......'
 "Huh?" questioned Imogene. look ing up suddenly from her book.
 T say when I take a run-out powder and shuttle off this mortal clay and you have so cart me out to the graveyard. Loco"
 What are you talking about?" ask ed Imogene.
 "Oh." said Imogene, with seeming T don't like the way you say it." said Andrew. wrinkling his forehead.
 "oh. I meant nothing" apologized lmogene. Tt is just that I cannot imagine you being dead. It is laugh able"
 T am glad of that" said Andrew. T was going to ask you not to wear mourning when l croak."
 Why. Andrew7" she asked.
 Well, to tell you the truth, do not know" he replied thoughtfully.
 It's sort of this way. honey girl. All my life I have tried to be cheer Iul DcGdub6 I IGtl llkG IL l9 a tfn to be gloomy All my time I have tried to keep your dimple working over time. First. because I love dimples. and second. like the humor which dimple portends.
 This being true. don't want to ever be the cause. even in death. Of making you sad and sorrowful ana there is something so depressing about black clothes that I do not like to think of you wearing them.
 That's one of the reasons that have always been glad that you are not q blonde. You know decided blondes look so well in mourning that there is always the tendency on the part of a blonde woman married to a well-insured man to view hts demise with q fortitude that Is not flatter- Ing.
 But I have always tried to keep cheerful and to keep you cheerful and do not want to think about my dying ever making you otherwise and I believe black clothes help.
 You remember that Dante con- signed to his lowest hell people who In life were melancholy without cause thus profaning and darkening blessed sunshine. and in some of the ways back Christian systems of virtues and vices. melancholy is . vice and cheerfulness Is holy as . virtue.
 Now believe these old timers had the right dope on this stuff, honey, and I want you to grieve. as much as you want to in your heart for mo, but the way we have lived requires no public announcement or advertise ment of the fact that you will miss mo-"
 Aren't you feeling wsllr" sn. asked.
 "Fine as siik,s he said heartily.
 And you always try to keep me cheerfui7"
 Sure" he affirmed.
 And you are trying 1t now by teil- ing mo in tragic tones that you don't want me to wear mourning. Do you think 1t is making me happy to hear you tell of your winding sheet and see you select the quarters with which to weigh your eyelids?
 Let me tell you that if this is your Idea of cheerfulness. wish you would burst . gas bomb of gloom In this room. want to see what it looks like"
 well. to tell you the truth. have not been feeling at all well for the last few days and tonight my stom- ach. ....."
 Listen, Andrew" she interrupted 'If you have no better sense than to drink that stuff hot night like this, I have no objection. Go down stairs and get 1t. But for goodness sakes don't treat me to . detailed descrip- ton of your obsequies before you get around to the real point of your story"
 Yes. ma'am," he said meekly, heading for the dining room. (Copyright. 192. by Twenty-first
 Century Press. Incl