Evening star., 1923-02-25

in Okooche. Okla. you've had
dinner at Pardee's.
The Pardees take" eighteen
diners--no more. This because Mrs.
Pardse has eighteen of everything in
silver. AS for Maxine. you find her a
rather severe-featured Hebe in
white silk blouse.
All this should have been told in
the past tense, because Pardee's is no
more. But Okoochee, Okla, is full
of paradoxes like Pardee's. Before
YOU understand Maxine Pardee and
her mother In the kitchen (dishing
upl you have to know Okoochee. And
before you know Okoochee you have
10 know Sam Pardee. missing.
IL was inevitable that Sam Pardee
should hear of Okoochee: and, hear
ing Of It. drift there. From boom
t'rst stampede always found him
there, deep in blue-prints, engineer
ing sheets. prospectuses.
A swashbuckler, Sam Pardee, in tan
shoes and a brown derby. An 1890
viilon handicapped by home-loving
wife. Milly Pardee's idea OF adven-
ture was testing the recipes Illus
trated in the how to -use-the cheap
circuits" page in the back Of the wom-
ans magazines.
Perversely enough. they had been
drawn together by the very attrac-
ton OF dissimilartiy. She had come
Of good family: he of, seemingly. no
family at all. When the two married,
AIilIy's people went through that alb
lutionary process known as washing
their hands Of her. Thus ideally mis-
mated. they tried to make the best Of
it--and failed. At least, Sam Pardee
failed.
Theirs was feasI-and-famine ex-
!stence. Sometimes Sam Pardee made
sudden thousands. Mrs. Pardee would
buy silver, linen, and other household
furnishings. The furniture was usu-
ally whisked away within a few
weeks or months at the longest. But
Milly Pardee clung stubbornly 20 a
dozen and a half OF everything in sill
YER. For years she carried that sill
yer about wrapped in trunks tun OF
the precious linen. She clung TO II
desperately, as other women cling to
Jewels, knowing that when this is
gone no more will follow.
yHyHEN the child was born Milly
w wanted to name her Myrtle, but
her husband had said. suddenly, NO.
call her Maxine"
After whom" In Mrs. Pardee's
code you named a child after" some
one.
He had seen Maxine Elliott in the
heydey Of her cold. clear beauty, with
her great. slightly protuberant eyes
set so far apart, her exquisitely chis-
e,led white nose. and her black, black
hair She had thrilled him.
After my Uncle Max that lives in
-uh-Australta."
I'VE never heard you talk of any
Uncle Max" said Mrs. Pardee. coldly.
But the name had won. How could
they know that Maxine would grow
up to be a rather bony young woman.
who preferred those high- -collared
white silk blouses and said "eyether.
Maxine had been about twelve when
were living in Chicago at the time
They had a four-room fiat Maxine
was attending a good school. Mrs.
Pardee marketed and cooked content
edly.
In the midst Of creature comforts
such as these Sam Pardee said one
evening, "Oil."
Mrs. Pardee passed it, but not with
out remonstrance. IT'S the same
identical French dressing you had
last night, Sam. I mixed enough for
twice. And you didn't add any oil
last night"
Sam Pardee came out OF his ao-
straction long enough to emit a roar
of laughter and an unsatisfactory ex-
PLANTATION "I was thinking of oil in
wells, not in cruets. Millions Of bar
rels OF oil, not a spoonful. Crude, not
olive"
She saw her child, her peace, her
linen closet threatened. Sam Pardee,
YOU don't mean"
Oklahoma That's what 1 meant by
oil. It's oozing with it,"
Real terror leaped into Milly Par
couldn't stand-'' Suddenly she
stifened with resolve. Maxine's re-
port card had boasted three stars that
rveek. Oklahoma! T won't bring
my child up in Oklahoma. Indians,
that's what! Scalped in our beds"
Above Sam Pardee's roar sounded
Naxine's excited treble. 90, Okla
homa! I'd love It,"
Her mother turned on her, almost
fiercely. You wouldn't
The child had thrown out her arms
IN a wide gesture. "It sounds so far
away and different. / like different
places. I like any place that isn't
here"
Milly Pardee had stared at her. 1t
was the father talking In the child.
Any place that isn't here. Different.
Out OF years of bitter experience
she tried to convince the child of her
error.
places are just the same" she said.
bitterly, and so are people, when you
get to en-
They can't be-" the child argued,
stubbornly. India and China and
Spain and Africa
Milly Pardee had turned accusing
eyes on her amused husband. Il hope
you're satisfied"
He shrugged. well, the kids right.
That's living"
She disputed this fercely. 1T is
not. Living's staying in place and
helping it grow. and growing up with
il, and belonging. Belong. 1t was