The Press., 1922-06-01
The Old Fashioned
 Way
By MARGARET M. LUKEs
E%XWKWXWA~G N 1922 by MnCInra NeMapapar {

back and forth as she waited for her daughter to come back from the tele- phone.
 'WhO was that?" she asked sharply when Jerry finally came from the front hall and slid with half sigh into the rocking chair on the other side of the c0zy open fire SnOwflakes were fly ing in great beautiful swirls and making fantastic patterns on the living room window. For a minute Jerry watched as if she had not heard what her mother said. Then, bending her pretty blonde head over the blue silk stockings she was mending, she an swered:
 Tt was Jack, mother"
 "What'd he have to say about the danceT
 Said he wasn't sure. Said all along he was thinking it was another night and now he doesn't know what to do because some folks in Albany asked him in to a party You see, mother, it does put him in a fix. l."
 Keep stin!" Mrs. Higgins voice rang sharply through the living room. "HOw long are you going to sit there making excuses for Jack Crawford? How many times does that make now he's tried to disappOint you at the last minute? Albany. FiddleSticks You're good enough for him to come around here every lasting Sunday night when there's nothing else going on, notice"
 But, mother" Jerry's voice, small and meek, tried to interrupt, 'yOu don't understand"
 Understand! I understand some things all right. I understand he's been hanging around here three years now taking up all your time and keep ing all the other boys away. It's Albany now, is it? I'll tell you, when I was a girl there was none of your dawdling around like that. Humph- party in the cityv' Mrs. Higgins sewed viciOusly.
 Tears were very near the surface of Jerry's sweet, blue eyes. She had to swallow hard before she spoke. But, mother, it was different when you were a girl. That was the old fashioned way. Jack likes me, I know he does. only"
 "Only! Thinks he's so fine" Mrs. Higgins poised her needle in midair> "There's other folks have friends in Albany" she said.
 Just then a light step crunched on the snow that lay in small drifts on the front porch. There was pull at the bell and in a second Minnie Cooper, rosy and vigorous with the cold, burst in on them.
 "Oh, Mrs. Higgins" she cried, "the hall for the dance looks beautiful. It's all those shiny kind of icicles and we've got a moon to hang over the chandelier. I think we'll have the best time tomorrow night. It's the incest dance the Knitting club ever gave" She drew a new breath. "Whv weren't you down helping to decorate, Jerry? I'll tell you what, come down tonight. There's still lots to be done. You and Jack come down tonight"
 For a moment there was perfect silence in the room. Then Mrs. Hig gins cleared her throat and spoke in offhand fashion.
 "Jerry's not going to the dance with Jack"
 Why, mother" Jerry put in with astonishment while Minnie Cooper stood there, wide-mOuthed and speech less in her surprise. Mrs. Higgins might as we'll have said she and Father Higgins were going to get divorce. For three long years the fiOurishing little town of Bristol had never seen dainty, piQuant Jerry in the company of any boy but the big, gOod-lOoking Jack Crawford.
 Now, then" Mrs. Higgins quickly added. "Fm not going to give away your little secret. Least not all of it. I'll just tell one part. Jerry's going to have new evening dress, Minnie. I've decided she can't wear this old blue thing I've been fixing up." She paused. "Jerry's going to have that rose one with the silver lace you may have seen in Sherack's window"
 Now Minnie Cooper was not spite ful; she was not even a scandal mOnger: but 15 minutes after she: walked slowly, thOughtfully down the steps of the Higgins front porch half the young folks in Bristol knew what Mrs. Higgins had told her.
 In the meantime back in the dining room, as she went methOdically about setting the table for supper, this ener- getic little woman was dealing with the speeches. Jerry. In all of Jerry's twenty-One years she had let other people have their way. Perhaps that Is the reason Jack Crawford, good natured but pampered son of the silk mill CrawfOrds, had never had a quar- rel with her. Perhaps that was the reason now that the twinkly eyed | mother was able to keep her plans from l her. She said mysteriously You've heard tell that your mother has friends in Albany, haven't you ? Well, maybe the friends have sons. | Nothing strange about that, is there?" Then shaking her head at any further questioning from poor bewildered Jerry | she started to talk enthusiastically | about the rose dress.
 The next morning after a goOd-na- tured session with Mfr. Higgins they |
  down town. to buy it. NOdding this way and that to the clerks. they pro- cPeded to the second floor of SheracE'.. and had the dress taken out. Of the window. What lovely thing it, was l A skirt that went out in billOwly puffs, B little bodice with puff sleeves and a band of silver lace around the neck | that was finished off with tinV rose buds.
 Ten minutes later in the fitting room the interested saleswoman was fiuttering about, dressing Jerry as if she were bride.
 Tt fits perfect" she cried, when the last final pat was given and a rose wreath brought from the millinery department caught in her soft, curly hair. ''Is'nt she lovely" she exclaimed to Mrs. Higgins, whose faded blue eyes were now as eager as a girls. And -sn.~ l. IL |