The Glenwood post., 1923-09-06
Florence Bingham
Livingston
eg~usoHr Ay opoaoE H. DORIAN oonsAssf


throwing up her hand In gesture of
quick authority. Don't you tell me
what's In It."
"why not? I'd just as soon you'd
know as not"
Don't yc1l tell me-or anybody else
Mrs. PEG I'D gazed at her in silent
bewildertaMd
"You yaenenber what say. Keep 1t
to yoursssme'
81 dolt see why" said Mrs. Pen
field slowly. ITS just something
worked out. and it's been wonderful
for the childrens dresses. I can keep
gingham as bright as ever-lf 1t oln't
faded 10 begin with. I stumbled on It
first by accident, and then I expert
mented till l got the right ingredients
and proportions and"
"That's Just it" nodded Mrs. Wealth
erstone, land you've worked out
method that Is ahead of the CONNER.
clal methods. You keep your own coun-
sci TIL talk with man I know who
owns chain of laundries. TIL have
rim come to talk with you"
A flash of gratitude lighted Mrs.
penfeld's brown eyes. "Oh, If it could
be worth somethingw she stammered.
II never had thought of that. And l
thank you. I always knew you were
kind"
Mrs. Weatherstone's glance Travelled
briefly around the bare kitchen; rest
ed on tettie, who had followed silent
ly; skipped to Thad. who had padded
In from the yard. :. She bit her lips,
as II an unwelcome conclusion about
her own thoughtfulness had forced Its
way into her mind.
I'm sorry I was impatient, Mrs.
Penfield." she apologized, as they went
back into the living room, "but I never
dreamed you were so skillful." She
was fastening her scarf as she spoke.
"Oh do wait minute, please"
begged Mrs. Penfield. THAT sounds
like Crink's whistle. He'd be so glad
to meet your
Crink came in at the big door, Crink
In the turned overcoat, pulling Off his
shabby cap. Lettie and Thad In their
thin cotton, were dressed according to
the sunshine and the really mild tenn
perature; but Crink, coming In contact
with the outside world, was dressed
according to the calendar month of
January, nominally winter.
"Thls Is Crink," said Mrs Penfeld,
proudly. "Crink, amt it grand to see
Mrs Weatherstone?
II should say" Crink stepped for
ward eagerly. II wanter thank you for
this here overcoat. Gee, it's a dandy /,
1t was pretty good last winter, but
now't Pennies turned 1t, amt nobody
got better"
"You turned Geraldine's coat !" mur-
INJURED Mrs. Weatherstone. "Why. ]
never should imagine 1t wasn't new"
Drawing on her glove, she became grs-
ciously conversational. "Crink, my
dear, Is it possible that you and Lettte
are twins? You're about the sane
size, but your coloring is so different !"
No, ma'aIn, we amt twins. I'm most
ten, but don't know how old Lette Is.
'""s "'oih sou say
Il expect Lettle's younger" smiled
Mrs. Penfield. "Only few months,
likely. And you know we're guessing
more or less bout your age, too. 'Prox-
innate agesll do very well for all three
of you. There's heap Of things more
important"
Mrs. Weatherstone paused with her
fingers on the clasp of the glove she
had been about to fasten. Her dark
eyes were full Of inquiry, but her lips
were polite.
Mrs. Penfield answered her express
sion. "They weren't mine at all origin
ally. II lost my own"
oh. But they are related?'
BLESS you, no. just adopted EN-
Mrs. Penfield waved her hand careless.
ly. In rather correct indication of the
vague beginnings which all three had
had.
"You-adopted-th children" ex.
claimed Mrs. Weatherstone.
why, yes. 1t wasn't nothing.
wanted to. and ! could as wells not"
Mrs. Weatherstone, looking at the
other woman across vast gulf of eco
nomic disparity, smiled gently. "Yes, y
she said. in low voice, you could"
Crink was uneasy. There was some
thing in the interview that he did not
understand. He felt the undercurrent
OF unspoken thoughts and could only
Infer that his beloved Penzie was be
ing criticized. He caught Mrs Wealth.
erstone's glance, keen, swift, dnrting
from the vivid pictures on the wall to
the packing boxes, to the few straight
chairs, to the bare spaces around the
room where furniture most convent.
emily might have been.
YES" repeated Mrs. Weatherstone
softly, you could.'
Crink plunged into defense. "You
don't understand, Mrs. Weatherstone.'
he said earnestly. ut amt bit as
you're thinking. We get along fine
honest, we do. earn some money
now. and lot Of old vegetables and