The Glenwood post., 1923-12-27

tney were earnest. she said she was
goin' to see my grampaw and she left
me at home, but my papa catched her
at the pitcher show with Mr.. Grum-
baugh-"
"Whor'
"Mr. Grumbaugh," George repeat
ed, with the air of explaining every
thing amply. $50 my papa made her
come home and he hit her, and she
hit him, too!'
Before you'll" Bella exclaimed, hor-
rified.
"SureW George said, and looked
upon her with some superiority. "They
do 1t all before me. Last week when
they had their big fight"
He would have continued willingly,
but at this point he was interrupted.
Across the street door opened, and
out of 1t came Mrs. Sullender, lead
ing a five-year-old girl by the hand.
She called loudly, though in care
fully sweet and musical tone:
George Jaw-aurge? Oh, Jaw
awr-gie"
George looked across. "Yes'm," he
shouted.
Mrs. Sullender nodded smilingly to
Bella, and called: "Georgie, you dear
little naughty thingl Didn't I tell
you half an hour ago to come indoors
and play with poor dear little Natalie?
She's been waiting and waiting so pa
tiently!"
George looked morose, but began
to move in the desired direction, I'm
COMM" he muttered, and was so
gross as to add, under his breath,
"Doggone your
However, he went across the street;
and then Mrs, Sullender benevolently
leading the two children by the hand,
nodded again to Bella with a sweet
ness that was evident even at a dis
tance, and re-entered the house, TAX
ing George and the tiny Natalie with
her.
Bella remained upon her knees,
staring violently at the "Sullender
home" but her thoughts were cen
tered upon her husband. "Just wait
till he gets homer she thought.
But she saved her triumph until
after dinner when he had made him
self comfortable upon the lounge in
their tiny '1iving-room" and seemed
to be in good content with his briar
pipe.
81 had caller after you left, this
morning" she informed him sunnily.
"Who was it?"
"NIr. George NJ. Sullender."
"So2 That's odd" said Sperry. 81
saw him starting down town in his
car just before 7 did. How did he
happen TO come hack here?"
"He didn't. This was Mr.. George
NJ. Sullender Junior"
"Who's that?"
"Thelr little boy" said Bella.
you've seen him playing in their
yard with the little sister,"
"Oh, yes. Did his mother send him
over on an errand?'
"No. He came in to see If I'd found
any nice worms" Bella said, and
added. in carefully casual tone, but
with flashing little glance from the
corner of her eye: "He said some
worms must be nice because Mrs. Sui
lender is in the habit of calling Mr..
Sullender worm, and George thinks
his father is nice"
Young Mr.. Sperry took his pipe
from his outh and looked at his wife
lncredul ly. What did you say
about Sullender's calling"
"A wo William" said Bella. "She
calls hi : worm, William, because
he doesn't make even more money
than he does, M mani The child
really hates his mother: he never
once spoke of her as mamma" but
he always said my papa when he
mentioned Mr.. Sullender. I think
must have misjudged that poor crea-
ture a little, by the way. OF course
he is pompous, but I think his POM
posity is probably just assumed to
cover up his agony of mind. He has
recent scar that his wife put on his
head, too, to cover up"
Bella I"
YES" she said, reflectively. 81
think he's mainly engaged in cover
ing things up, poor thing. OF course
he does strike his sweet-woman. now
and then, when he finds her at the
movies with gentlemen he doesn't ap-
prove Of, but one can hardly blame
him, considering the life she leads
him. It was last week, though, when
they had their big fight, understand
with the children looking on"
But at this, William rose to his feet
opd confronted bar HNhot 0n on rfh
are you talking about, Bella7'
"The Sullenders," she said. "It was
curious. 1t was like having the front
of their house taken off the way a
curtain rolls up at the theater and
shows you one of those sordid Russian
plays. for instance.
There was the whole sickening ac-
tual life of that dreadful family laid
bare before me; the continual petty
chickering's, that every hour or so grow
into bitter quarrels. with blows and
epithets-and then, when other people