The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-24
THE FIFTH WHEEL


 WHEN Charlie Tucker died sudden ly. Ellen Tucker found that she must go back home to live. Charlie had left her nothing save a few hun .dred dollars and the furnishings of their tiny flat. He had never earned much, scarcely more than was needed for the two of them to live upon with care full economy. Ellen had been the best of mahagers, too.
 Ellen had married Charlie Tucker when she was IS, not because she loved him, but because it had been so disagreeable at home. She had dis appointed her mother by being plain when sho should have been pretty, and dull when she should have been bril- liant. The younger girls were com ing up more to her mothers taste. Yet though Ellen had apparently been fit for nothing save an early marriage. Mrs. Boyd and indeed the whole fam fly, had chosen to make a great fuss about her being carried off by Charlie Tucker. Only twice had Mrs. Boyd even condescended to visit her daugh- ter's home, only once had Ellen visited at her mothers. As for the younger girls they paid not the least heed to their sister.
 this unfriendly household. She wept bitterly as her precious housekeeping things were carted away to the auction rooms, for she realized that they had been symbols of freedom and happi- ness such as she might, never know again.
 She reached her old home on wet April afternoon having a cab at the station. There had of course been no one to meet her. Her mother opened the door and kissed her perfunctorily.
 Come upstairs and I'll show you your room," Mrs. Boyd said. You can't have your old room, because it has been done over for Hazel. Malda and Edna have each a room of her own. Of course, sleep downstairs"
 Ellen had been given fiie small room over the kitchen. It was slightly dingy, just as it had been left after the occupation of the last maid, when the girls were small. She thanked her mother and proceeded to put away hef things.
 At dinner, which she helped prepare, she met her younger sisters, Hazel, the youngest was fancy blonde, with bobbed hair; she had a small art studio downtown. Malda( also blond and dashing, was private secretary to Mrs. Dentor. She owned smart roadster club Edna, the eldest of the three, also blonde and distinctly handsome, was business woman, with flair for finance. She wore clothes with straight lines and netted her hair close to her head. Ellen looked and felt shabby and as much out of place as the proyerbial fifth wheel. She kept silent and tried to eat what she could.
 Two or three weeks at home con vinced her that one thing was expected of her-to make herself useful and un- ostentatious. She could cook and she was left to cook. She did not mind, because she was full of vitality and needed employment.
 What she hated was the way her sis ters ignored her and the way her moth CT treated her. But this she could no tchange. The one thing she could do was to endure and she determined to be patient.
 One morning at breakfast, Malda planned dinner that night because a guest was coming, a Dr. Gordon. It seemed that all three girls were inter ested in him. Hazel painted favors and Edna ordered expensive flowers.
 The work fell to Ellen. She took extra pains with real desire to please. At the table she saw the others enjoy ing the food she had prepared, but they gave her no praise for it. Dr. Gordon complimented Mrs. Boyd on the chicken and she received it pleasantly.
 He was not a young man, this Dr. Gordon, but Mrs. Boyd said that she was willing that he should have any one of her three daughters whom he might choose. She told Ellen much about him. He was successful, rich of course, able to give his wife everything