Evening star., 1925-03-08


For Is years since Fred and
A% Henry Port had died leaving
their wives penniless Katy
town had watched the struggles of
the TWO women to hold the tiny mort
gagged white house in which all four
mad lived. Katytown had helped all
mat IL could-had given work and
sent in food and paid taxes and even
made a benef1t-but now the two
aging women could bear the burden
no longer, and the first of the new
year the house was to be sold for
debt
And darling" said Foxhall Phelps
It's exactly what well want-that
little house. Knock out a partition
or two, throw up a chimney outside,
build in some bookcases and swing
IN a few easement windows-can't
YOU see 1t? With period paper on
he wall?"
Yes" said Marcia, Il can see it,"
They went together to see the
house the week before it was to be
sold and two months before they
were to be married. Four small
rooms and passage. good doorway
and two sloping chambers filed them
with delight. But this was all the
delight that they had.
Liz Henry received them. In a
village sufficiently sophisticated to
have indignations and yet rarely to
know ennui, Liz Henry was a bore.
For 80 years she had bored Katy
town to tears. She always told it
about her relatives and her mala-
dies-they were all that she had, so
this was natural but it was tiring.
"Evenin', Marcia; evenin', Foxhal."
Liz Henry said. Pretty good, l guess.
Only m feet been troublin' me some.
NJ feet" She was off.
Liz Fred came in. She was young
er-hardly more than 60. She was
really younger because she was more
detached-could hear herself speak
ing, could laugh at herself.
do shut up about your feet" she
said kindly to her sister-in-law.
They'd rather hear about my back-I
know they would" She had a gen.
tie twisted smile.
They told her that they had come
TO look at the house.
Instantly over both women there
settled something like a fine white
ASH dimming expression, even fea-
lures.
"Ill show you over" said Liz Fred
x x x
I II HENRY began to talk, I'VE
- both come here brides she said.
we each had and lost two little
children here. Don't it seem funny
if those four little things had been
spared, we might not be going
where we're going"
''Shucks. They might all have been
In JAIL said Liz Fred.
Two of them were girls" Liz
Henry reminded her with dignity, as
If jails were for gentlemen.
Well, they might have inherited
your feet" said Liz Fred, "and my
back" she added.
Il wouldn't be sacrilegious," said
Liz Henry sharply.
Il would" said Liz Fred, that
much"
This room in blue and that one in
yellow" Marcia said softly.
with Aunt Julia's old mahogany"
Foxhall added in deep content.
And this adorable stairway hung
with the Japanese prints
Ashamed, she turned to the women
to admire a fuchsia.
Wen give you that when we CO."
Liz Fred said graciously.
There was a knocking as they
reached the lower floor. and in the
doorway bulked Luther Falk, the
katytown drayman.
Come for the stuff" said he.
Liz Henry cried, "Oh-oh-" long
and quavering, like an owls cry. Liz
Fred said sharply: "Tonight?"
Il thought-you wasn't to come for
that till after New Years." Liz Henry
faltered.
I'm goin' upstate for Moo Years"
said Luther Falk stolidly, 80 they
said to take 'em now. I'm to cart 'em
to a rummage sale in town. The
stoves and beds 1 can get when 1 come
back after you're" he paused deli
cately.
Liz Henry continued to cry like an
owl and clung to Marcia. The fare
well night was going to be bad
enough" Liz Henry said Now it'll
last the week"
From that room Luther Falk took
the table, the three cane-seated
chairs, the plush couch, the braided
rugs and the rocker with the strata
of shawls. "Anythin' more?" said he
"Tll take the dinin' room duffel out
the back door"
Sure you can" said Liz Fred, and
slosed the door upon him. Shut up,
Liz" she observed. I'm glad to see
the old truck GO"
But what will you do" Marcia de-
manded, ''all the rest of this week."
Eat on the Iamp-shelf," said Liz
Fred. Bad on the feet and on the
back-but grand for the digestion"
I'VE like it very much-the house."
Marcia said hurriedly. We've talked
with Ben Tilson-we'll let him know
what we decide.
And If we do take it," Marcia went
on, Il hope you'll both come and
spend Sunday with us som etimes-''
Her words dwindled before the
tragedy in Liz Fred's eyes.
Il couldn't bear remembering" she
said. And abruptly she, too, began
to cry-cTuel, choking sobs. without
a word she opened the door for them,
one work-worn hand covering her
eyes. But when Liz Henry height
ened her owl-like wailing, Liz Freds
sobs were cut off as if they had been
turned off.
For mercy sake, shut up, Liz
Henry" they heard her say as she
closed the door.
Out in the white street, silent save
~ for d brush of icy branches in a
signing wind, Marcia had Foxhalls
arm in both her own.
'I can't do it, she said: II can't
live in that house. Those two poor
old ghosts would face US every day,
Foxhall."
Mighty tough" Foxhall muttered
Mighty blamed tough! But don't
know whether we ought to give up
the house-somebody' going to live
in it," he argued.
Dearest, i can't bear it, she said.
THE waste-and the cruelty. Those
two have worked hard all their lives.
They've done the best they could with
their equipment-and the handicap of
tho mortgage. They've had children
and lost them. What kind of a coun-
try do we live in that can let its old
people end their days like that?"
II know" said Foxhall. 81 always