Evening star., 1922-10-22
Learning How to BE
Happy Though Rich
->>%NNe"


writer. The cover was old and
cracked. She had needed q new
ono even longer than she had needed
q new machine.
Julie smoothed her hair neatly un-
der her gray toque. slipped on her
Jacket and fastened the cheap squir-
rel fur piece at the one correct
angle.
Then Don Matthews pushed open
the door from the outer office. In his
sagging Norfolk jacket he looked
shabby and likable and boyish. He
earned perhaps $40 week more than
she did. In fifteen years he might
achieve a reasonable competence.
Fifteen years! Julie" he began.
With a sort Of wistful furtiveness
she avoided him. Don't, Don, sne
whispered. please don't say any
thing this evening. I'm really in a
hurry and my head hurts" Her
caumsiness exasperated her. She in
tended to be kind, to evade him. not
to wound him. I've got to help
mamma tonight. Cally's sick. and OF
course we haven't got any girl We
never do have and it doesn't make
any difference to mamma how many
people blow In for dinner. Bob's al
ways bringing people home and pa
and Gertrude. It's--the limit"
The bitterness of her resentment
cvershadowed even her conscious
ness of Don-Matthews. Il suppose
I'm horrid to blow UP like this. but
sometimes 1t just seems as though ]
couldn't stand it the way the house
is messed up all the time, and we
never have money enough to buy
anything for 1t, and everybody wears
made-over clothes. and goes to bar
gain sales and"
Don Matthews leaned against the
grizzled volumes and smiled down
at her. Gosh. but you wiring the
heart" he jeered. You've got one of
the incest. decentest families in the
country. and you know It,"
Julie Parker shrugged her shoul-
ders with annoyance. "Oh. as indt-
viduals I've nothing against them
They're wonders. good-natured and
clever and-slipshod. They don't
seem to care that we'll never have a
red cent or be able to live easily or
beautifully. They just take things
for granted. I don't. I"
You're tired. Julie" he soothed
"a big family in a small house does
get bit thick. I know. Never even
ooI my
own until 1 went to college"
He jammed his hands deeper into
the pockets of his jacket. But
there's something in being sort OF
fond of the people that push you
downstairs"
For a long moment they looked al
each other, and the girls eyes wav-
ered IT reckon didn't choose a very
opportune moment to ask you to
share the horrors OF a struggling
lawyers establishment" he went on.
"Tve got dern little to offer you. but
I care about you. Julie"
please. Don." she pleaded" to-
morrow or the next day. like you.
you know that, L"
The young man in the Norfolk
Jacket took his medicine. "All right"
He managed a very fair grin. II
reckon you'll be able TO find me in
the adjoining office any day for the
next twenty years"
'Don-
He was a nice boy. The Parkers
liked him and Judge Howells and
every one In town. His background
paralleled hers so closely. perhaps,
that it did not intrigue her imagina-
tion. The Matthews, too. had over
flowed a small house. quarreled with.
and jostled. and liked one another.
Don had put himself through college.
would make a place for himself,
slowly. Slowly.
THE Parkers lived on the corner
in a brown frame house that al
ways looked as II 1t needed painting.
Lights cleaned from the windows.
and Julie noted that the blinds. un-
drawn, all hung at uneven lengths.
Julie slipped past the living room
where Silas Parker sat engulfed in a
day-old Chicago paper. to the bed
room she shared with her sister. Ger
trude. combing her hair. screwed
around, brush in hand, and smiled at
Julie.
Would you mind If I wore your
new blouse this evening? You know"
she explained. I'VE didn't get any
laundry done this week."
( Julie frowned and hung up her
Jacket. "Oh, I suppose not Who are
you going out with?"
Gertrude resumed her brushing.
Harry"
well, I hope he thinks It becom-
ing" Her tone was not cordial.
Gertrude remained unrufied Don't
be touchy. old dear. You've got all
the looks. I ought to get the blouses.
Law of compensation"
Nonsense. There's no compensa-
tion in this family" Julie put on her
last years serge and went down the
back stairs to the kitchen.
Mrs. Parker glanced up as she en-
have to do the roast on the top Of the
stove. Tho ovens temperamental
again"
Julie looked hard at her mother.
Mrs Parker might have been pretty
twenty years ago. She would be nice
looking now. Julie thought. II she
would only take q little time to It.
A faint, smell Of coal gas permeated
tho room and julio smiled scornfully.
ssT hef ve'ra the only family in North