The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-08-31


screen star.
"Oh, don't know" and Isabels
twin sister, Bess, shrugged dainty
shoulder You think there's no one
quite so pretty as Billie Bunts, but
there. are others"
Tom, the elder brother, young stu
dent ofstwenty, stirred uneasly but
soon settled back into his accustomed
calm, his mind absorbed in the latest
best seller. Father dozed in his chair,
glasses in perlous juxtaposltlon with
his nodding chin. Only mother was
awake, alert and Interested, intensely
SO ut the mention of the Bunts name.
wei, when you girls begin finding
beauty In Il Bunts It's time for me to
explode"
why, mother, Billie is perfect
peachw
Peach nothing Haven't / known
John and MollIe Bunts all my life2
And II you think they could produce
anything pretty or"
"Oh, splash !" In unison, I'VE aren't,
discussing the Bunts up the street nor
their Billie. We mean the movie star"
Mother relapsed into very, very
rigid silence. But In the hours that
followed and next day, her mind was
not at all rigid, It was making most
unheard-of decision. and the following
evening, about participating time,
found her ordering q well-chosen, II
meager, repast In well-known cafe
terra in the heart Of the city.
Yes, she vowed, she would find out
for herself what 1t was that the girls
liked in these moving pictures, for,
quite frequently, had come the eve
ming message over the wire, Don't
keep supper for me, ma, I'm going to
the movies"
The woman passed quietly into the
darkened auditorium and dropped
nerYously into the nearest vacant seat.
She gazed spell-bound at the screen
and her eyes moistened with sym
pathy as she became familiar with
the vicissitudes Of woman about her
own age who, after a life Of hard
work and struggle, was now facing
The poorhouse.
With mother, the words "poorhouse'
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of
the kind she herself had been guilty
OF, were synonymous. She felt for
her pure. Horrors, II was gone
In fash, sheswas on her feet,
bllndly making her way toward the
exit. 1t did not occur to her to APP
proach an usher or the desk home
was her one thought.
She approached the girl presiding
over the turnstile in the subway.
"rve lost my purse, Miss" meekly.
The girl eyed her suspiclously,
What's that dangling from your
armY The voting woman snapped
out the question as calmly as II abb
sent.minded customers were her spe-
clalty. The distressed woman glanced
at her arm and there swung her
purse as airily as a young imp.
In more composed state of mind
she continued home quietly let herself
in and stepped expectantly to the
kitchen. The usual well-ordered
kitchen was now rather pathetic in
It's array of dishes and pans, piled
high and unwashed, and the air was
reeklng with the extra warmth ~ a
forgotten gas oven In the dining
room the two girls were stretched out
full length on the floor, absorbed in IA
paper pattern Of a coming gown, and
Jimmie the young pride of the house,
slept comfortably. dressed even to the
boots. In his small bed Mother de-
tected the remains Of tears on mis-
grlmy cheeks and her heart re-
preached her
Couldn't you girls put your little
brother to bed one night without leav-
ing him in the state he's in and break
ing his heart besides? And l bet you
forgot hig prayers
The g1rls were aroused. Don't
mention that kid to us, mother; it
took the combined efforts of dad and
TEN and us to get him MS far as we
have. and we nearly had to call on
the neghbors,"
Gee, what a kid" added Bess, In
her more quiet, yet positive voice,
"And where's your father and
TOM
Both gone up to Bunts' for little
game"
Did they have anything to eat or
have they gone TO Bunts for thatY
Anything to eat" Indignantly,
swell we guess we had the best sup
per ever! Beans and frankforts, and
sausages for Tom"
and gnddle cakes Bess inter
posed. I'VE baked them: decided turn
ing them too bothersome, monotO-
nous"
And lots of fun" giggled the beam
ing isabel. "AIl scores are now paid.
You know, mother, when you arc
around we have to behave, but dad
doesn't care
Nov, IL you please, where were
your
Mother laughed neryously,
"Come, do tell"
"Tf You please, your mother has been
TO the movies"