The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-28

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 Rose Martha followed her into q cold room lit dimly by some magni- ficent old mahogany. With a practiced hand she scattered her lace.
 This is the necest lace I have," she explained, this piece of Cluny. It was made by the little cripple girl, who is the fastest worker in. the convent. She always improves upon every pat tern that is given her by adding some little butterfly. You'd hardly notice it unless l called attention to it, would youT
 She went on talking as she saw how eagerly the woman listened. ssfss4.ss
 Even so suppose you find weaving laces pleasanter than selling them to cranky people," Mrs. Variek said.
 ''I don't find cranky people" Rose Martha answered, szniiing quickly.
 Don't you call me scranky? Well, l am. At least I've got the reputation and l mean to live, upsst0 1t. Let me tell you," Mrs. Varick's square jaws finished off her little flushed face with a look of aggressive determination. i've lived in this neighhorhood almost year and only one woman has called on me. What do you think of thatF'
 I think there's something wrong," answered Rose Martha gently.
 'aThere is something wrong. I'm. go- ing to tell you about it, I used to be thought good deal of 'iH the town I came from. guess I've always been little odd, but I never had a bit of trouble with any of my neighhors. I came here to live because I had a lit. tie trouble with my neighbors. I came here to live because T had little trouble with my throat and the doctor said I needed this Kind of air.. I didn't have any one in particular to stay in Princeville for sso I came; we all like to live as long as we can," she ended drily, lIiF
 "Of course" encouraged. Rose
 "Well, I went to a, Ieal estate man and he sold me this house. I'd al- ways wanted big house and this was cheap. I brought my own things and I settled down to get well and be as happy as a woman can who's lost aI- most everybody that belongs to her." Her voice jared a liktles 'I never dreamed that I wouldn't be well re- ceived. But from the very first day everybody began to poke and pry. ! was watched day and night. And I last that Mrs Wilson came to call. She lives next door, you know, and as she had been doing private detective work for about ten days previous, I calculated that she came mainly to fol- low up her investigation with a personal interview. My dear, I vas right She started right in to inventory the furni- ture. Then she asked me about forty personal questions of the kind no self respecting woman is going to answer. Before she left began to see what I was up against and I decided to give her something to carry away that would prevent her bothering me again. did," she smiled. But the rest of them needn't have stayed away, too, unless they were all her kind. When found out that they wouldn't come near me made up my mind they shouldn't for get where I lived anyhow. So I had the house painted the meanest, raw est green I could pick out"
 II don't blame you," cried Rose Martha, gasping with laughter.
 You don't blame meT' t
 "No, l don't. But do, let me tell mistake. It's the women like Mrs.
  conner. The rest aren't all her kind"
 It was a year before Rose Martha came again to Westmore. As she en- tered WestmOre she stopped and stared. The green house had disappeared. Three minutes later she was ringing Mrs. Var ick's bell.
 "oh, Mrs. Varick!" cried Rose Martha, as the door opened. T should not have known you scarcely! You've changed so much. And the house"
 You like the gray paint?'
 Its fine. This is really a lovely house"
 "So the neighbors say"
 "ohi So you've found neighborsT Rose Martha inquired.
 My dear, the whole town iS full of them. And I'm doing my best to de- serve them. It all began just after you were here last spring"