The Washington times., 1924-01-12
THE STORY OF "CfCKIE" n Sz By ELENORE MEIIER
CONTINUED from First Page.)

WOuIAHuSu IrOm TASI Ed8SJ
Whether we like It or not we
dance to their tunes! Sooner or
later!
Chickie dashed the water from
her hands: "That for you and
your pointers, Miss Knowlesv'
She wanted to push Janina--
give her good shove, get out
into the sun, let the clean air
sweep about her. Janina often
made her feel like that.
: Chickie had never caught life
naked as Janina had. To her
It appeared always vague and
beautiful dream form, gar
mented in silver, passing with
music.
She wanted to see 1t so. Now.
when Janina tore at the nebulous
robe, swinging back with a laugh
rs the blemishes lay bare, Chickie
covered her eyes. She chung
passionateiy-with the grim pa
thos of youth-to her ardent .illu-
0ions.
Oh, she wanted to believe the
world a glad, happy place, where
women sing and children laugh;
where tall. kingly fellows like Jake
Munson go about doing only great
and noble things. No viciousness
behind that flashing smile
Yet Janina's voice hooted In her
ears.
At 5 o'clock she met Mary
coming from work. Mary had
some shopping to do-she was
looking for a lace vest-someth1ng
dainty and ever so fetching-easy
to find il Mary didn't also require
that it be cheap.
The girl behind the counter took
down the long green boxes
'Here's a pretty thing" 1t was
q combination of Irish lace and
hand embroidery, with a little
round collar-just what Mary
wanted. She tried eagerly to see
the price tag, but with its usual
perversity the card was wrong
side up. The girl noted this, turned
the tag with "a breezy sixteen and
q hawlf!"
Mary frowned with annoyance.
Sixteen and a hawlf!" she
snapped Indignantly to Chickie as
they walked out. did you notice
that vest Of hers and the S. stock
ings and the $40 shoes? How do
they do it?"
Chickie's lip went up with a
breezy Good PETERS, dare sayl"
She felt Mary stiffen. A flash
of angry silence. Then with a
sneering drawl: 1T wouldn't be so
glib quoting that one If I were
you, Chickie!"
you mean Janina?"
Mary's eyes faced clear ahead.
She walked on swiftly-silent.
Abruptly she said: "She makes me
furious! / think we ought to cut
her out completely
Chickie had a sharp. sudden
Tightening in her throat.
"She's an empty, shallow thing!
I wouldn't listen to a word she
says. Why, what does she know
of love or anything?"
Mary's voice softened; her face
became suddenly intent and flushed.
Chickie thought with a shock of
amazemept. Mary! Well-of all
things! Why-look at her-she's
getting pretty"
Aloud she said: "You used to be
rather glad to hear what Janina
had to say"
"Yes-well-it's all right for ia
nina to have those views. She can
get away with that kind of stuff,
but you and never could"
''How do you figure that?"
Don't act stupid. Chickie! You
know as well as I that Janina
Knowles is as hard and selfish as
though she were made Of steel.
She can do things and laugh that
would make you cry forever"
Just the same, Mary, she lives
In the same world as we do and
the men she meets are no different,
whether we believe it or not"
Don't you ever think that,
Chickie. There are men that
Janina knows nothing about"
The color went sweeping into
Mary's face. She stopped sud
denly before a shop window, point.
ing to a string of beads. stun
ming, aren't they? Look-here
comes Ethel Bird-don't talk long,
/ want to hurry home :"
That evening when Chickie saun-
tered down to the Blakes Mary
was plucking roses in the old
dilapidated garden.
Let's take a walk" Chickie said.
81 want to buy some ribbon"
II can't"
Going out?"
mo"
Chickie came close and whisper
Cd: For heavens sakes! What's
up, Mary?"
Snip, snip, snip-Mary's scis-
were all over the bush, her face
pink to the line of her soft brown
hair. Nothing! What are you