The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-25
IN = OF one single word?'
MOI Alice cried. mot
a word, but that's what


to him, but all this urging him to
change, to find something bette. to
go fnto'-it's all been about nothing
on earth but your foolish old glue fac
tory that you know upsets him, and
you gave your solemn word never to
speak to him about it again! You
didn't say 1t. but you meant it-and
he knows that's what you meant!
oh, mama"'
Mrs. Adams, with her hands still
automatically at work in the flooded
Gishpan, turned to face her daughter
Alice" she said. TREMENDOUSLY, what
do 1 ask for myself?'
WHAT"
ct say. What do ask for myself?
Do you suppose I want anything?
Don't you know I'd be perfectly con-
tent on your fathers present income
II were the only person to be con
sidered? What do I care about any
pleasure for msyelf? I'd be willing
never to have a maid again; I don't
mind doing the work. II we didn't
have any chilren I'd be glad to do
your fathers cooking and the house
work and the washing and ironing.
too, for the rest Of my life. wouldn't
care. I'm a poor cook and a poor
housekeeper; I don't do anything
well; but it would be good enough for
just him and me. I wouldn't ever ut
ter one word Of com"
ooh, goodness Alice lamented.
What is it all about?"
It's about this" said Mrs. Adams,
swallowing. You and Walter are a
new generation and you ought to
have the same as the rest Of the new
generation get Poor Walter-asking
you to go to the movies and a Chi
nese restaurant; the best he had TO
offer! Don't you suppose I see how
The poor boy is deteriorating? Don't
you suppose I know what you have
to go through, Alice2 And when I
think of that man upstairs-" The
agitated voice grew louder. When
I think Of him and know that moth
ing in the world but his stubbornness
keeps my children from having all
they want and what they ought to
rave, do you suppose I'm going to
hold myself bound to keep to the alb
solute letter of a silly promise he
got from me by behaving like a crazy
man? can't, I can't DO it, No
mother could sit by and see him lock
up a horn Of plenty ike that in his
closet when the children We're starv-
ing!'
"Oh, goodness. goodness me!' Alice
Nv
starving are we?"
Mrs. Adams began to weep. TITS
Just the same. Didn't see how
flushed and pretty you looked, this
afternoon, after you'd been walking
with this youn man that's come here?
Do you suppose he'd look at a girl
like Mildred Palmer if you had what
you ought to have? Do you suppose
he'd be going into business with her
father if your father"
Good heavens, mama; you're
worse than Walter; just barely know
the man! Don't be so absurd
Yes, I'm always absurd Mrs.
Adams moaned. "AII can do is cry,
while your father sits upstairs, and
his horn Of plenty"
But Alice interrupted with a peal
OF desperate laughter. ooh, that
horn Of plentyr Do come down TO
earth, mama. How can you call a
glue factory. that doesn't exist except
in your mind, a horn Of plenty?' Do
let's be a little rationale
cit could be a horn Of plenty" the
fearful Mrs. Adams insisted. 1T
could You don't understand a thing
about it,
well. I'm willing" Alice said, with
tired skepticism. Make me under
stand, then. Where'd you ever get
The idea?'
Mrs. Adams withdrew her hands
from the water, dried them on a
towel, and then wiped her eyes with
a handkerchief. Your father could
make a fortune if he wanted to-" she
said, quietly. AT least, I don't say
a fortune, but anyhow a great deal
more than he does make"
Yes, I've heard that before, mama,
and you think he could make it out
of a glue factory. What I'm asking
is: How?"
How? Why, by making glue and
selling it. Don't you know how bad
most glue is when you try to mend
anything? a good glue is one of the
rarest things there is; and it would
just sell itself, once it got started.
Well, your father knows how to make
as goOd a glue as there is in the
world"
Alice was not interested. What of
it? I suppose probably anybody could
make it If they wanted to-"
ct said you didn't know anything
about it Nobody else could make it.
Your father knows a formula for
making it."
What of that?"
Its a secret formula It isn't
even down on paper. It's worth any
amount of money"
Amy amount?' Alice said, re
naming incredulous. Why hasn't
papa sold it then?"
Just because he's too stubborn to
do anything with it at allr'
How did papa get it?''
He got it before you were born,
just after we were married. didn t
think much about it then: it wash t
till you were growing up and 1 saw
how much we needed money that /
yes, but how did papa get it?'
Alice began to feel a little more curl
Gus about this possible buried treasure.
did he invent it,"
Partly" Mrs. Adams said, looking
somewhat preoccupied. He and an
other man invented it"