The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-29

] 81 <ANlStliAS. AldLleE enough 10 make
me sick of being aLve!"
With that, the markings on his
brows began to emerge again in all
their sharpness; the old pattern re-
appeared. "Oh, my. N.Y. he la
mented. I thought maybe we were
all going to settle down to a little
peace for a while. What's it about
now2"
It's about Alice. Did you think it
was about me or anything for my
self"
Like some ready old machine, al
ways in order. his irritabihty re
sponded Immediately and automa-
tically to her emotion. How in
thunder could think What it's about.
or who it's for? Say it, and get it
overr'
"Oh, I'll say it." she promised,
Ominously. What I've come to ask
you is, How much longer do you ex-
tpect be to put UP with that old man
and his doings?"
Whose doings? What old MANI"
She came at him, f1ercely accusing.
You know we'll enough what old
man, Virgil Adams! That old man
who was here the other night"
Mr.. Lamb?"
Yes; Mister Lamb" She
Knocked his voice What other old
man would I be likely to mean, ex.
cept J. A. LAMB"
What's he been doing now?"
her husband inquired, satirically.
"Where'd you get something new
against him since the last time YOU"
Just thisI'' She cried The other
night when that man was here, If Ia
known how he was golng to make
my child suffer, I'd never have let
him set his foot in my house"
Adams leaned back in his chair as
though her absurdity had eased his
mind. "Oh, I see" he said. You've
Just gone plain crazy. That's the only
explanation Of such talk, and 1t suits
the case"
Hasn't that man made us all suffer
every day Of our nves?" she demand.
ed. I'D like to know why it is that
my life and my children's lives have
to be sacrificed to him?"
How are they Sacrificed to him?"
Because You keep on working for
him. Because YOU keep on letting
him hand out whatever miserable
little pittance he chooses to give YOU:
that's why. It's as II he were some
horrible old JUggernaut and I had to
see my children's father throwing
them under the wheels to keep him
satisfied"
l won [ hear any more such stuff
Lifting his paper, Adams affected to
read.
You'd better listen 10 me-" she adj
monished him. You might be sorry
you didn't, in case he ever tried 10
set foot in my house again, I might
tell him TO his face what I think OF
him"
At this. Adams slapped the news
paper down upon his knee. on the
devil, What's it matter what you
think Of him?'
1T had better matter 10 you sin"
cried. DO you suppose I'm going 90
submit forever TO him and his family
and what they're doing TO my child.
What are he and his family doiur
to your child?'"
Mrs. Adams came out with it
That snippy little Henrietta Lamb
has always snubbed Alice every time
she's ever had the chance. She's
followed the lead Of the other girls:
/ they've always all Of en- been zeal.
Gus Of Alice because she dared to try
and be happy. and because she's
Shower and better-looldng than they
are. even though you do give her
only about thirty-five cents a year
TO do it on They've done everything
on earth they could to drive the young
men away from her and belittle her 10
EN-; and this mean little Henrietta
Lambs been the worst of the whole
crowd to Alice, every time she could
sec a chance"
What fOr?" Adams asked, incredu
lousy. why should she or anybody
else pick on ALICE"
"Why?' What for?'" his wife re.
pcated with a greater vchemence. DO
you ask me such a thing as that?
Do you really want to know"
Yes; I'd want TO know would
if I believed it,"
Then I'll tell you" she said In a
cold fury. It's on account Of you.
Virgil, and nothing else in the world.
He hooted at her. ''Oh. vos, These
S4'Ao NoAi t4AC AiSt 81 lueA PICK on
Alice"
Quit your palavering and evading."
She said "A crowd Of girls like that.
when they get a pretty girl like Alice
among them. they act just Ike wild
beasts. They'll tear her to pieces. or
else they'll chase her and run her
cut, because they know IT, she had
half a chance she'd outshine EN-
They can't do that to a girl like Mil
dIed Palmer because she's got money
and family to back her. Now YOU
listen to me, Virgil Adams; the way
the world is now, money is family
Alice would have Just as much fam
ily' as any of 'em-every single bit
If you hadn't fallen behind in the
race"
How did /"
Yes. you did" she cried Twenty
Eve years ago when we We're starting
and this town was smaller, you land
could have gone with any Of EN-
! IL we'd tried hard enough Look at
the people we knew then that do hold
their heads UP alongside Of anybody
in this town! Why can they? Be
cause the men of those families made
money and gave their children every
thing that makes life worth living,
Why can't we hold our heads up? Be
rcause those men passed you in the
race. They went up the ladder. and