New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-04-24
The Visitors the Knock ON the Door
Brought Dicky and Madge


I whirled at the sound OF the
knock which had Just sounded on the
living room door of our tiny apart
ment, and stared at pioky dumbly.
What the old Harry At this time
of night :" he muttered, as he strobe
toward the door,
! caught at his arm as he passed,
Don't open it," I pleaded in a
frantic whisper. You don't know
who it may be or whether----'
He shook off my arm. not In I'M
kindly fashion, but decidedly.
Don't be silly" he commanded
CURLY, and as he turned the key of
the lock and threw open the door ]
watched him with trembling fear
which was tempered with distinct re-
sentiment at his manner. Then he
took a step backward, and |, who had
been ready to fly TO his defence,
turned away in a mighty effort to keep
from exploding into audible laughter
For, advancing into the room, with
exaggerated mincing steps, was the
figure of the woman who occupied
the other suite of housekeeping apart
ments down the ball, the queer neigh
Dor whom I had mentally christened
the woman of the Onion" because of
the bizarre loan she had negotiated
but few hours before.
But what transformed figure she
presented ! This was my first thought
when, after conquering my risibles, /
turned toward her. The vouptuous
body which had appeared distinctly
plump beneath the ripping folds OF
the blue kimono she had worn on her
errand of the afternoon, was now so
competently corseted and brassiered
that she appeared almost slender in
the extremely modish but rather SIM
pie dark blue taffeta gown with scarlet
headings which she wore.
Were Old Pals
A garish string of large beads OF
the same scarlet hue swung nearly to
her knees, and the same tint was car
ried out smartly enough as the only
touch of color in her big picture hat
of black velvet with curled feather
edging, which topped her deliberately
marcelled couture.
With feminine intuition ] glanced
furtively at her stockings. No, ] had
not guessed wrong !. They were of
dark blue silk, with scarlet clocking,
and the fancy buckles which adorned
her smart patent leather pumps had
scarlet as the predominant tint of
their intricate headings.
Diamonds, or good limitations, gilt
tered in her cars. while across the
bodice of her gown stretched an i'm
mense bar brooch of the same stones.
And upon the plump hand which she
stretched out overwhelmingly toward
Dicky were several elaborate and ap-
parently costly rings.
How do you do?' she said, with
her baby blue eyes, at once so naive
and so hard. rowing over Dicky with
patent childish approval.
Never before have I seen my de-
honair husband even momentarily
nonplussed by any social emergency.
but he actually retreated another step
backward toward me, as he murmured
mechanically: -
How do you do?"
He ignored the proffered hand also,
but she was adroit enough quickly to
SnllL Tue ouISIreICneu mana 10 her
dangling chain of beads and swung
them as she talked.
We haven't had the pleasure of
meeting YOU yet | think, Mr. Ora
ham," she went on with an air which
she evidently fondly cherished as real
society stuff
Now me and Mrs Graham, we're
quite old pals now. There's nothing
makes neighbors so quick, I think, as
borrowing often each other--that is,
she cooked contempative eye at
me IF they pay back
'Petey Marks. That's Us"
She was quite out of breath by this
time, but she took a deep inspiration
and began again.
II s'pose you're wondering how we
know your names, but that's easy if
you Just think it out. We looked at
the card over the letter box in the
front hall. Some classy moniker, !
was telling Petey only Just now. Now
ours isn't bit like that. Marks,
Petey Marks, that's U.S. only on the
card we got only r Marks. Oh, u
forgot You haven't met my hus-
band Excuse me, Petey.'
She stepped aside. and from behind