The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-13

and she carried them upstairs to her
/ husbands room before increasing
blindness forced her to grope for the
nearest chair. Then trying to rise and
walk, without having sufficiently re
covered, she had to sit down again;
| hut after a little while she was able
| to get upon her feet; and, keeping her
/ hand against the wall moved sue
/ cessfully to the door of her own room.
/ Here she wavered; might have gone
down, had she not been stimulated
/ by the thought of how much depended
upon her;-she made a final great eff
/ fort, and f1oundered across the room
/ to her bureau, where she kept some
simple restoratives. They served her
need, or her faith in them did; and
/ she returned to her work.
/ She went down the stairs, keeping
+ a still tremulous hand upon the rail;
but she smiled brightly when Alice
/ locked up from below, where the
woodwork was again being tormented
with superfiuous attentions
Alice. don'tr' her mother said com
miseratingly. you did all that this
morning and It looks lovely. What's
the use of wearing yourself out on
it? You ought to be lying down, SOS
to look fresh for tonight"
Hadn't you better lie down your
seslf?" the daughter returned. Are
you il. mama:"
Certainly not. What in the world
makes you think SOP"
You look pretty pale" Alice said,
and sighed heavily. 1T makes me
ashamed. having you work so hard
for me"
How foolish! think it's fun, get
ting ready to entertain a little again,
like this I only wish it hadn't
turned so hot; I'm afraid your poor
fatheru suffer-hIs things are pretty
heavy. 7 noticed. Well, It'll do him
good to bear something for styles
sake this once, anyhow She laughed,
and coming TO Alice, bent down and
kissed her "Dearie." she said, ten
derry. wouldn't you please slip up
stairs now and take just a little teeny
nap to please your MOTHER
But Alice responded only by moving
heI head slowly, in token of refusal
DO" Mrs. Adams urged. You
don't want to look worn out, do YOU"
sTu look all right" Alice said
huskily. 10 you like the way I've
arranged the furniture now? I've
tried all the different ways itu GO"
ITS lovely" her mother said. admir-
inglv. Il thought the last way you
had it was pretty. too. But you know
best: I never knew anybody with so
much taste If you'd only just quit
now. and take a little rest
'There'd hardly be time, even if
wanted TO; it's after 5-but couldn't;
really. 1 couldn't. How do you think
we can manage about Walter-to sec
that he wears his evening things, I
mean?"
Mrs. Adams pondered. I'm afraid
he'll make a lot Of objections, on &C.
count Of the weather and everything.
I wish we'd had a chance to tell him
| last night or this morning. I'd have
/ telephoned TO him this afternoon eX-
cept-wel. I scarcely like to call him
up at that place since your father
NO. Of course not. mama"
IF Walter gets home late" Mrs.
Adams went on, I'll just slip out and
speak to him, in case Mr.. Russells
here before he comes. III just teli
him he's got to hurry and get his
things on
Maybe he won't come home to din
ner." Alice suggested. rather hopeful
I ". Sometimes he doesn't"
NO; I think he'll be here. When
he doesn't come he usually telephones
by this time to say not to wait for
him: he's very thoughtful about that.
Well. It really IS getting late; 1 must
go and tell her she ought to be pre-
pairing her fllet. Dearie, do rest a
little"
You'd much better do that your
self" Alice called after her. but Mrs
| Adams shook her head cheerily, not
pausing on her way to the fiery
kitchen.
Alice continued her useless labors
for a time; then carried her bucket
to the head of the cellar stairway,
where she left It upon the top step;
and, closing the door. returned to the
! living room" Again she changed
/ the positions of the old plush rock
/ ing chairs. moving them into the cor
| ners where she thought they might
! be least noticeable; and while thus
| engaged she was startled by a loud
/ ringing of the door-ben. For a mo-
ment her face was panic-stricken, and
] she stood staring; then she realized
/ that Russell would not arrive for an
| other hour, at the earliest, and re-
| covering her equipoise. went to the
door.
| Waiting there. in a languid atti-
tude, was a young colored woman,
/ with a small bundle under her arm
and something malleable in her
mouth. Listen" she said. ''You
folks expectin' a colored lady?"
NO" said Alice Especially not
at the front door"
Listen" the colored woman said
again. Listen. Say. listen. Amt
they another colored lady already
here by the day? Listen. Amt Miz
Malena Burns here by the day this
evenin'? Say, listen. This the num-
| Der house she give me-"
Are you the waitress?" Alice asked
dismally.
! 'Yes'm, If Malena here"
| ''Malena is here" Alice said, and
| hesitated; but she decided not to send
the waitress to the back door; It might
/ be a risk She let her in whats