The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-14

we better not keep you waiting any
longer. VIII you step into our living
! room, please?"
She led the way between the two
small columns, and seated herself in
one Of the plush rocking chairs, Sc
Letting it because Alice had once
pointed out that the chairs, them
selves, were less noticeable when they
had people sitting in them. DO sit
down, Mr.. Russell; It's SO very warm
it's really quite a trial just to
stand upi''
Thank you" he said. as he took
seat Yes It IS quite warm" And
this seemed to be the extent Of his
responsiveness for the moment He
was grave, rather pale; and Mrs.
Adams impression of him, as she
formed it then, was of "a distin-
guished-looking young man, really ele-
CANT in the best sense of the word,
but imid and formal when he first
meets you" She beamed upon him,
and used with everything she said a
continuous accompaniment Of laugh
ter. meaningless except that 1t was
meant to convey cordially. "Of
course, we DO have great deal of
warm weather" she informed him.
I'm glad it's so much cooler in the
house than it is outdoors"
Yes" he said. ut is pleasanter
Indoors. And, stopping with this sin
gle untruth, he permitted himself the
briefest bIance about the room; then
his eyes returned to his smiling host
ess.
Most people make a great fuss
about hot weather" she said. THE
only person know who doesn't mind
the heat the way other people do IS
Alice. She always seems as cool as
if we had a breeze blowing no matter
how hot It is. But then she's so ami
able she never minds anything. It's
lust her character. She's always been
that way since she was a little child;
always the same 10 everybody, high
and low. I think characters the most
important thing in the world, after
all, don't you, Mr.. Russell?"
Yes" he said solemnly; and
touched his believed forehead with
1 handkerchief.
Indeed it is" she agreed with her
/ self, never falling to continue her
murmur of laughter. That's what
! I've always told Alice; but she never
sees anything good in herself. and she
/ just laughs at me when 7 praise her.
/ She sees good in everybody else in the
world, no matter how unworthy they
are or how they behave toward her;
J but she always underesumates herself.
/ From the time she was a little child
she was always that way. When some
other little girl would behave selfish
I " or meanlv toward her. do you think
/ she'd come and tell me? Never a word
TO anybody, The little thing was too
proud, She was the same way about
! school. The teacher had to tell me
when she took a prize; she'd bring it
home and keep it in her room with
out a word about It to her father and
mother. Now. Walter was just the
other way. Walter would" But
here Mrs. Adams checked herself,
/ though she increased the volume Of
her laughter. How silly Of me-"
she exclaimed. Il expect you know
| how mothers are, though, Mr.. Russell.
! Give Us a chance and Wen talk about
our children foreveri Alice would feel
terribly if she knew how I've been
going on about her to you"
In this Mrs. Adams was right.
/ though she did not herself suspect It,
and upon an almost inaudible word
or two from him she went on with
her topic. "Of course my excuse IS
that few mothers have a daughter
ike Alice. suppose we all think
the same way about our children. but
some Of US must be right when we
feel we've got the best. Don't you
think SOP"
YES. Yes, indeed"
I'm sure ami she laughed. I'll
let the others speak for themselves. "
She paused refectively. No; think
"a mother knows when she's got
treasure in her family. IF she hasn't
got one, she'll pretend she has, may
be: but II she has. she kRows It.
certainly know I have. She's always
been what people call the JOY Of the
/ household'-always cheerful no mat
/ ter what went wrong. and always
ready 10 smooth things over with
some bright. witty saying. You must
he sure not to tell we've have this
little chat about her-she'd Just be
furious with me-but she is such a
dear child! You won't tell her, will
you?"
No" he said. and again applied
the handkerchief to his forehead for
an instant. mo. I'll" He paused.
and finished lamely: 'Tu-not tell
her"
Thus treasured, Mrs. Adams set be-
fore him some details of her daugh.
ter's popularity at sixteen, dwelling
upon Alice's impartiality among her
young suitOrs: "She never could
bear to hurt their feelings, and al
ways treated all Of them just alike.
About half a dozen Of them were Just
bound TO marry her, Naturally, her
father and I considered any such
idea ridiculous; she was too young.
of course"
Thus the mother went on with her
biographical sketches, while the pale
young man sat facing her under the
hard overhead light Of a white globe,
set to the ceiling; and listened with
cut interrupting She was glad to
have the chance to tell him a few
things about Alice he might not have
/ guessed for himself. and. indeed, she
had planned to find such an appor-
tunity. IL she could; but this was get