San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-16


, apartment. the room, and the very
moderate rent.
Miss Brooks was eagerly responsive.
Since the death of her aunt she had
been trying TO get Just such a place
in New York.
Helen had hardly hung up the re-
ceiver when Marian came in With the
laundry.
Guess what's happenedy" excited,
ly. Il think I've rented your room! y
"Oh" ecStatically, dropping her
bundle. "That woman who looked at
it Monday night? The one with the
No. better than that-some one
we know all about. Wsrren's secre-
tary-MiSS Brooks. I just called her
up-she's coming tomorrow night 70
see you. I'm sure she'H take it--ani
shes awfully nice.
With breathless interest they talked
it over. Miss Brooks would make an
ideal roomer-Quiet, conscientious,
and painstakinsly neat.
Now we'd better get this room all
, ready tonight" suggested Helen. "IoI
won't have time in the morning. Have
You any furniture oil: Well rub up
those scars on the desk and dresser.
1T seems too good to be true.
Marian was radiant. But you'll never
stay over night with me again-if you
have to work like this"
Il love it. And if you're some stale
bread-we'll try to clean those places
TO fill up those nail holes! How could
- IL, ,,aslz 20 fl,fS u-ol1 ~
Just look in here" Marian had
you see how slovenly she was"
The shelves and floor were Uttered
with torn letters, empty boxes, Old
stockings. a soiled corset, garters and
other unsightly discards. i
We'll get rid of every trace Of her.
But wouldn't you think she'd have
wrapped these up?" Helen was help
ing pile the rubbish in a broken band I,
box. I
And she's taken my hangers. l
covered three with the cretonne had
left from the couch cover. Oh, one Of
my good towels" holding up rum
pied. ink-stained towel. "And here's !
another she cleaned her shoes with"
She's dishonest all through,
famed Helen. ''or she couldn't be so
destructive of other peoples things
She'll never pay you"
I'm afraid not, yet she seemed 50
nice when she came. It's hard to be
so disillusioned-almo as hard as
losing the money. Oh, she's spit
something here-it's all sticky, jelly
bringing out smeary glass. All
these shelves'll have to be washed"
Give me an apron and I'll help. |
I'll wash that mirror and those win
dow sills.'' |
1t was after II before they had the
room in order. Another half hour be
fore they were in bed, and long after
midnight when they stopped talking
of Miss Brooks's ideal qualifications
for a roomer, and settled down to
sleep.
AchingIy tired from the unaccus
toned work, Helen lay looking out
the open window at the unfamiliar
roof tops.
She was thinking of Marian-her
pathetic struggle to keep this apart. !
ment, her passionate longing for
home.
Why should women be given domes
tic, home-loving instincts-and then
be forced 10 lives of starved repres-
sion in boarding houses and offices?
She tried to conceive of her own life
without her home and Warren. Her
mind recoiled from n thought so black
did l tell you about that little kit
ten at the grocer's:" called MariaE
through the darkness. I'm to have 1t
soon as it's big enough. I've always
said I'd have cat if ever had
home of my OWN"
a home of her own Just to be able
to keep this tiny apartment, roomeI
and kitten was all that Marion asked
of life. A mere travesty of a home
yet it was some place of her town.
where she could spend her evenings
and Sundays-making lamp shades.
trying new recipes and ''fussing
around"
Drowsily cuddling down on the pill
low, Helen breathed a vague. wordless
prayer that some day Marian would
have a real home, where all her do
mesticity and her starved maternal In
stincts could find expression.
Copyright, 1928. by Mabel Herbert Harper