The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-19

of Mrs. Pingle's existence. At last Mrs. Pingle could stand it no longer.
 Put a napkin over that piece of chicken from last night and take it to the little house next door and say it's with your mistresses' compliments" !" | she ordered Edna Harriet. Don't for get-your mistresses' compliments"
 "Yessun," said Edna Harriet, and straightway forgot.
 "She wouldn't take it nohow," ex- plained Edna Harriet five minutes later. "Theyse going out to done dis ebning and it'd be plump wasted !"
 Out to dine Airs! Wouldn't it keep?" snorted Mrs. Pingle.
 'Ise going to colored picnic to- morrow" insinuated Edna Harriet "If you want to gib dish yere fowl"
 "All right" assented Mrs. Pingle none too graciously.
 Looks like she'd made her garden clothes. out of cretonne curtains" con- plained Mrs. Pingle from her upstairs window. And when she goes out she always wears those straight blue of white or green dresses or maybe a serge suit. I've never seen her wear a shiny silk and I suppose she's eating out her heart for one. I might send her over one of mine. She could cut it down. She is some simmer, conceded Mrs Pingle.
 So Enda Harriet was commissioned to carry shiny purple silk dress, worn at the hem and soiled under the arms to Mrs. Baird.
 Tell her your mistress has half 8 dozen silk dresses and she's welcome to this,r instructed Mrs. Pingle. ''Re' member-your mistress has half dozen more-don't forget it''
 "Yessum," said Edna Harriet, and straightway forgot. She returned speedily.
 "She says she ain't got no nse for it, nohow, and my marnrny'd like il mighty much. Half dozen! Lawd " Edna Harriet rolled her eyes until they were all whites.
 Now Mrs. Pingle was on her metal
 She was determined that the woman in the little moss green house should be patronized by her. But all of hel endeavors continued to be frustrated. One thing. disturbed Mrs. Pingl' vastly. More cars stopped at the littl'
 house in a day than visited the stone
 mansion in a month. Indeed, there wal surprising lack of callers at the bis house-surprising. to Mrs. Pingle, al least. Even her old acquaintances were no longer eager to come, for they haC praised Mrs. Pingle's possessions unti there was no more praise in them. Then at last Mrs. Baird did call unexpectedly and briefly.
 A sudden and terrific storm camt up one day. Mrs. Pingle was not $ . nervous woman and, unafraid, sh' , watched the great black cloud unrol itself and spread over the western sky Even when it began to rain, not il drops but in sheets, she sat placidly al . the west window crocheting some blu, . thread upon the edge of a gargantuar bath towel. Edna Harriet was up in hel room praying loudly. Her "Lawd
 Lawd '" floated down the stairs to hel mistress listening cars. Then a new [ sound broke into the general road o } thunder and the swish of water. Tn, back door opened and closed anC ) brought Mrs. Pingle to her feet. TheT
 the basement door opened and a steJ l flew down the stairs.
 l Robbers on a day like this AnC
 Edna Harriet Lawding!" it up ther' until she can't hear thing w groan l ed Mrs. Pingle.
 l But the light step was returning ant l the neighbor of the little house entered
 the kitchen. Her dark eyes were aligh s with laughter, her hair had loosenet 2 into curls about her forehead, her greer 1 linen gown was soaked and clung t, 5 her girlish outlines.
 f It's an offense to break into I neighbours house like this" she said
 But you see I was sure it was go ing to be a cloudburst and I wa
 afraid you mightn't know about th