Evening star., 1922-12-31

|
got up yawny and dazed.
Lucky you brought me out of 1t.
Miss Dodge" says she. ''or I'd stayed
right there until mornin'. Honest. I
didn't know how dog tired I was.
| Yep, 1 think will try a splash in the
tub II you don't mind. Maybe I can
soak some of the ache out Of my
bones"
| X X X X
90 it was after 7:30 before we'd
y finished putting a curl in her
bobbed hair and everything and
nearly when we reached the roof
garden I'd picked out as probably the
place she'd like the best to go to for
dinner. It's one Of the biggest and
noisiest on Broadway. with a Jazz
orchestra that hardly ever stops.
II thought probably you'd like to
watch the people and the dancing"
says I.
YES" says she. Some speed to
| this joint. 1 was here once last win
ter-the week Tommy got his raise
| and before he got fired. Say. be-
lieve I could use little food about
now"
But I noticed that she bluffed
through most of the courses and
didn't even finish her biscuit Tortoni.
The widest bursts from the jazz
artists failed to thrill her. too, and
the eyes which followed some of the
dancers were still tired eyes.
What slews of people there are.
eh?" says she. "1n the stores, on the
streets, everywhere. Just people,
people"
nodded, but said nothing. Gladys
was propping her pointed chin in one
hand and gazing out at the shuffling
feet. Sometimes" says she, Il get
sick of seein' EN-"
Il know" says I. I've felt that
way myself. I'm not sure but
that
DO you know what, Miss Dodge"
she breaks in. I'D like to get clear
of all this just once-'way off. in the
regular country, where there's real
woods, and hills with snow on 'em,
and fields and all that Oh, miles
away. in the honest to goodness coun-
try. was there once-one summer.
| when dad had a ten-day leave and
took US up in the Catskills. I was
about twelve then, and had one gor-
geous time. Yeah-uh, Eat a lot of
green apples and had the tummy
ache. fell in a brook, and got stung
by hornets. Saw 'em milk cows and
feed the little pigs. Say. amt little
pigs the funniest things? Specially
when they kink their little tails up
and grunt and caper off. They're
just screams. Got Charlie Chaplin
beat mile. I'll say. And everything
so still and restful. I can just see
that old hammock out under the apple
trees now, where 1 used to lie on my
back and squint up through the
leaves and listen to the bees hum
until I went to sleep. But nav, she
didn't like it, so we never went there
again. Gosh. 1 wish l could make
break for there right now"
You wouldn't enjoy swinging in a
hammock under the apple trees at
this time of year" I suggested.
That's so, too" she admits. But
I'd like to see what the country looks
like in winter. Just once. I bet it
amt so bad Anyway, you could find
spots where you wasn't jamned in
with a lot OF people. couldn't you?"
stop it, Gladys says I. You're
making me homesick for Chenwick."
What's that?" says she.
Chiefly" says I, its a wide spot
in the road up in New Hampshire
that calls itself a town. And about
a mile out Of Chenwick / own house
and farm. Spent all summer there
and part of the fall. I've just been
buying some presents for the folks
who are taking care of it for me-"
"A farm" says Gladys. "All your
own? Say, that listens pretty grand,
that does. And it's real country.
is it?''
About as real as it comes. says ].
Woods and fields. and some of the
bu1liest hills you ever saw all
around"
"M-m-m-m." says she, shaking her
head and staring at me solemn. "And
you look like you had lotta good
sense. too"
VERY well. then" says I. chuckling.
Lets go up and try it,
HEH?" says Gladys. her mouth COM
L ing open. "Whaddye mean.
try it?''
"On me-" says l. For a week,
if we can stand it that long"
Stand it for week." says she.
! "why 1 could 60 whole month of
that"
"Well. shall we start tomorrow on
the 10 o'clock?" says I.
And once more I had Gladys eye
ing me with suspicion. Say,
what's the josh?" says she.
WAS I kidding about the dinner?"
I asked. well. this is as straight
an invitation as that was. You, with
your beefing about the crowds and
the racket here. and with your pratt
tie about hills and woods and fields.
you've made me. homesick for my
farm. But it wouldn't be much fun
going up there alone, and I'm sure I
couldn't induce any Of my friends to
fleave town just at Christmas. So
there you are. OF course, if you
were just talking
"Mew says Gladys. Say. il you
only knew how much I meant it But
but there's my job"
(Which you expect to lose in few
days anyway" put in. "Of course,
1 shall make up what they dock you,
and buy the tickets and all that
"you would" saws she, "Say,