The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-01-23

fear kept pressing Hike something
bleak and heavy on her heart.
Five or six years at least.
"Pooh-What about It," Just
what she wanted! She should
go into the dungeon like Mary
did! Any old time: Made 1t fine.
They'd have all these years Of
freedom-walks on the beach
long rides-dancing-.
But all the next day she didn't
once look across the alley. She
had a forlorn. empty feeling that
the window over there was
closed, the shade drawn down.
On her way home she got
off at Mary's. She said to her
self. flippantly, Take a look at
the dungeon" She was suddenly
consumed with interest in Mary.
Was it so bad. Was Mary glad
for, all her sacrifices? Or IN
her secret thoughts, was she en-
vious of Chickie and her free
dom? Would she be delighted
II someone said: well, here's
five or six years-just do as
you merrily please with them.
Take holiday from your life?
Mary at once began to talk of
Jake. Have you come to tell
me. Chickie? Jimmy says the ma
chine is always at the door.
You know. / always fancied you
sweeping grandly along. bird
of paradise In your hair, an
ermine train at your feet. What
about it?"
Nothing. Why should you
wish these things on me, Mary?
You didn't wait for them"
They'd never have come to
me. Besides. if you had them
you'd send limo when l wished
to go shopping, and a maid to
look after my progeny. And /
can do without things better
than you could"
THAT sounds regretful, Mary.
Remember when you said Lucy
would do the very same things
over again?"
Il say it still, Chicllie. OF
course, once in a while I'd ljkel
to have a purse full Of money
I'd like two or three hats. I'd
love to go to all the good shows,
but / wouldn't give up what I've
got If l could stand on top of
IT'S worth as much as that
honestly, is 1t, Mary?
It's northumberland that about
all there's to tat least for me.
A girl that's cold and calculating
mind but l had to let mine run
along after my heart. It's the
richest way but the hardest, per.
haps."
"Well-suppose Edward couldn't
have married you for years and
years?" She began to talk rap
idly, with a little catch in her
voice. "What do You think you
would have done. then? Put your
heart in cold storage, or take
someone else?"
Mary put down the vegetable
knife and wheeled about. facing
Chickie, staring at her for a long
moment. Don't you tell me,
Chickie, that after all you've
shouted from the housetops, you're
going to let yourself fall for the
hard things like poor Lucy did.
And that poor dub Of a Mary! Do
you mean, to say you'd turn down
Jake Munson?"
IS Don't be alarmed. Mary, Jake
isn't at my feet. He'sxsnot the
marrying kind. l was only won
dering about 1T. 1t seems to me
that's about all a girl does. even
you, Mary-wondering about love.
Awfully independent, aren't we?
/ was thinking about that today"
Chickie was hurriedly running to
cover-fearful that Mary would
see her thoughts. You know that
new girl in the office-that Stella
Wilson 1 told you about? She
says she wouldn't give up her job
for the best maon on earth. and
you know she just falls on the
neck of any little. shrimp that
stops to talk to her. Thirty and
beautiful and sour-poor ole Stella!
And all because no man got the
notion to marry her. We don't
amount to much. do we?"
alone - humph-I guess not.
Women are born for love, Chickie.
It's the cord that weaves them
into the chain Of life" Mary
laughed. Mother used to say
we're a handful of beautiful beads
thrown on a bare floor. Then q
little kid comes along with a big
darning needle and picks the beads
onto a bright red string that
brings out all their colors, gives
them meaning 49,. picks them
out any old way, leaving out some
Of the prettiest. And all the beads
want like everything to be a part
of that chain. Because otherwise
what are they? Transparent; mean.
ingless."
81 suppose the red string is
love, then? The beads that get
left may be the luckiest. They're
free-they can roll wherever they
choose
''Yes--on a bare floor-remem-
Der THAR
The baby began to cry. Mary
ran in and took him from the
crib. She stood at the door, hold
ing him on her hip as she babe
good-by to Chickie. She said:
You didn't tell me the truth,
Chickie. I'd like to bet that Jake
has asked you to marry him and
you wanted to find out If money
was worth enough. Is that it?"
"He hasn't asked me, Mary
and I don't believe he has the re-
hottest intention Of It,"
"Oh, yes-well his type always
does marry. And 1t wouldn't put
too much stock in that gossip we
used to hear. He looks good
enough"
Chickie laughed: Mary, you
look just like your mother, stand
inc fhoY.o with tho Hook1y