The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1922-12-07
~
July.


When, on warm evening a fort
night later, Lulu descended the stairs
dressed for her Incredible trip to the
city, she wore he white waist which
she had often thought they would
"use" for her II she died. And really,
the waist looked as II II had been
planned for the purpose, and Its wide,
outstanding plated lace at throat and
wrist made her neck look thinner, her
forearm sharp and veined. Her hair
she had "crimped" and parted in the
middle, puffed hight was so that
hair had been worn in Lulu's girlhood.
"Welll" said Ina, when she saw this
couture, and frankly examined 1t,
head we'll back, tongue meditatively
teasing at her lower lip.
For travel Lulu was again wearing
Ina's linen duster-the old one.
Ninian appeared. in a sack coat
and his diamond. His distinctly con-
vex face, its thick, rosy flesh, thick
mouth and cleft chin gave Lulu once
more that bold sense of looking-not
at him, for then she was shy and
averted her eyes--but at his photo
graph at which she could gaze as
much as she would She looked up
at him openly, fell in step beside him.
Was he not taking her to the city,
Ina and Dwight themselves were go
ing because she, Lulu, had brought
about this party.
"Act as good as you look, Lulie,"
Mrs. Bett called after them. She gave
no instructions to Ina, who was mar
II seemed.
Dwight was cross. On the way to
the station he might have been heard
to take 1t up again, whatever II was.
and his Ina Enthusiastically said: swell,
. now, don't keep It going all the way
there; and turned back to the others
with some elaborate comment about
the dust, thus cutting of her so-called
lord from his legitimate retort. A
mean advantage.
The city was two hours distant, and
they were to spend the night On the
train, In the double seat, NInlan be-
side her among the bags, Lulu sat In
the simple consciousness that the
people all knew that she too had been
chosen. A man and a woman were
opposite, with their little boy between
them. Lulu felt this woman's supe-
riority Of experience over her own,
and smiled at her from world of fell
lowship. But the woman lifted her
eyebrows and stared and turned away,
with slow and insolent winking.
Ninlan had a boyish pride In his
knowledge OF places to eat in many
cities-as II he were leading certain
Of the tribe to a deer-run In a strange
wood. Ninian took his party to a
downtown cafe, than popular among
i, business and newspaper men. The
place was below the sidewalk, was
reached by a dozen marble steps. and
the odor of its Rriddle-cakes took the
air of the street. Nlnian made a
great show OF selecting a table,
changed once, called the waiter "my
man" and rubbed soft hands on what
do you sayi Shall II be lobsterY'
He ordered the dinner, instructing the
waiter with painstaking guinness.
"NOt that they can touch your cook
ing here, Miss Lulu" he said, settling
himself to wait. and crumbling a
crust.
Dwight, expanding a bit in the aura
Of the food. observed that Lulu was
4 regular chef. that was what Lulu
was. He stu would not look at his
wife. who now remarked:
-Sheff, Dwightie. Not chen"
This was a mean advantage, which
he pretended not to hear-another
mean advantage.
'.Ina." said Lulu. your hats Just a
little mlte-no. over the other way
''Was there anything 10 prevent
your speaking Of that beforeY' Ina
inquired acidly.
II started TO and then somebody
always said something" said Lulu
humbly.