The Washington times., 1922-12-25
BY Lily Wandel.

ment present., Mathfioa
u Jennings said very
gravely and placed . heavy
package. suspiciously like q book,
in Fritzie's silken lap.
Fritzie gave . polite little cry
Of Joy and declared. IT hope it's
. book because I've Just finished
this one" holding up a gay little
volume; have you read 1t, Ma
thilda? 'F1uffy's F1ivver" I'm
Just aching for a new book! She
united the wrappinss and thought.
Gracious. what a heavy big
book" And then exclaimed polite
ly. What q pretty binding!
What's the title?' IAN Apprecia-
ton Of Ola and Modern Artr'
Fritzie looked at Mathflda in be-
wilderment.
Mathilda took one Of Fritzie's
pretty little hands in her own
capable ones. "Fritzie, have you
thought that this life isn't all
lightness and pleasure. that 1t
isn't one continual eating Of des-
sert? Have you ever considered
seriously the man you are soon
to marry? A wonderful man, an
exceptional man, a connoisseur of
art, a collector of rare paintings,
a lecturer on art whose eloquencs
holds great audiences"
And isn't 1t wonderful that
I'm going to marry him" thrilled
Fritzie.
you are very pretty It didn /
sound like a compliment, more
like a scanty catalogue of her at
fractions. "Fritzie. prepare your
self. Dip into this book and par
take Of some Of its knowledge
some day you'll be glad. A man
may tire Of sweets"
oh. but it's SO tiresome."
Fritzie frowned at the heavy vol
ume.
Your line Of talk is very nice
for dessert, but some day a girl
may come along whose CONVEX
sation has real meat in It. those
rare bits that appeal to an in.
teilectual man like your Oswald
When Mathilda had gone Frit-
zie allowed the heavy book to
slip from her lap. What on
earth does an old maid like Ma
thilda know about men?" she
asked herself. Nothing" she
yowned. Let's see. what1l
wear for dinner tonight? Oswald
Is coming. Oh, and mammals in
vited some old thing for herself,
a Mrs. What's.her.name."
Mrs. What's-her-name proved to
be q Mrs. Berry and a very beau
tiful red. ripe berry she was. As
soon as Fritzie saw her she said
to herself, "She's the kind thatu
try to monopolize the converse
ton" And Fritzie was right.
She proved to be a portrait
painter and q very brilliant con.
versationalist. Fritzie felt a little
out Of things and had the morti-
flying feeling that Oswald was
doing his best to include her in
the dinner conversation.
Directly after the coffee Fritzie
excused herself-she must run
over to Matilda for a moment tshe
lived next door,; II would not take
a minute. But instead she raced
through the moonlit garden to the
old arbor where Oswald had pro-
posed and flung herself down,
trembling with anger and morti-
fication. Was Mathilda right,
after all?
Then after awhile a smile Of
relief curled on her little mouth.
She knew Oswald better than
Mathilda did. He was the kind
whose brilliancy needed q good
iistener-not a parallel talker like
Mrs. Berry. He did not need
advice and understanding, but ad-
miration and alteration. And this
Mrs. Berry. she was exactly like
him.
without her, Fritzie to be the
listener, she was very sure that
their brilliant conversation wouli
not be nearly as satisfying. Trit-
zie laughed happily. Oh, II MAIN
ma would only be called to a CON-
mittee meeting 90 that Oswald
and Mrs. Berry would have to en-
tertain each other! How thcy
would weary each other-in less
than ten minutes the conversation
would lose all that fine anis,~
ton! Perhaps Mathilda would help
her to get rid Of mamma for q
half hour.
Twenty minutes later Fritxie
tiptoed around the house to the