Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-11-06
CHAPTER III-Continued
IL

"Oh, this is different thing This
is--well I'm doing something for the
money I've got a right to the money
If / earn it. It's-don't you see how
1t is, mother~
'Of course l do"
"And think of the poor old house."
Jerry finished pathetically. after all
these years of being barn, and blot
on the landscape, just think how it will
feel to wake up some morning and find
1t is pretty, and lovely, and that people
are stopping in the street to exclaim
over It'll Think how you'd feel if you
were house."
Jerrold considered that too much of
a strain on business Imagination like
his, but he finally agreed that 1t was
sound practical proposition, and if
Jerry had made up her mind to It, he
thought it might turn out rather nicely
all around. And he would go with her
the very next day to look 1t over, and
get figures on it, and if 1t seemed all
she said, they would buy 1t and
pitch in.
"Buy it," Jerry repeated, in great
surprise. 1T is bought / bought it
this afternoon. / gave him my five
hundred dollars and l don't have to
make another payment for three
months, and figure that by that time
/ ought to have it looking like pretty
much of a place. What / want the
money from you for, Is to begin tear
ing things down."
When dinner was over, Jerry looked
regretfully at the waning light. She
should have liked to dash her father
and mother out to look at the house
right away, but it was too dark. SO
she pulled out all the old House Beau
tifuls, and spread them over the din
ing room table, and worked feverishly
with a pencil and pad of paper,
sketching out little hooks and corners
as she intended having them in her
finished product.
Lucky thing I studied Art, after
ALL" she said brightly. 81 never thought
I'd find such real practical use for
all that nonsense"
Prudence hung over her with pleased
bOnClluuc, ClidIlnCu Will HCI dNlO
terest. agreeing with every word she
uttered.
II may not make such lot on this
one" Jerry admitted later rather re-
luctantly to Jerrold. Because l don't
know how to figure down the expenses
of it. But with the experience l get
on this one, I'll make a killing of the
next"
"What do you mean, 'the next? Is
this the first of a seriesT
Jerry pulled herself up, surprised.
"That was funny thing to say" she
admitted. II hadn't thought of a next
one" She went on brightly, "But of
course you can see that l must not
waste all this experience, and If can
make a little on the first l can make
heaps more on the second. So when
you come to think of it, of course this
is just the beginning"
AS Jerrold had grown older, had
learned to entrust his affairs to others
in his employ, he had gradually fallen
into a way of going steadily later to
the Office, so that now 1t was customary
In the home to have breakfast at nine
o'clock, after which Jerrold took his
own time about getting off. But on
the morning after Jerry discovered her
passion, he found himself tardy mem
Der of the household. Jerry pounded
on the bathroom door three times while
he was shaving, urging him to make
haste, and when he hurried down at
last, to show her Indignantly that 1t
then wanted ten minutes of the hour,
she said:
"Oh, forgot to tell you. told them
we'd have breakfast at eight-thirty."
That was the beginning of Jerry's
most feverish month. She bargained
with contractors, plumbers and build
ers. She studied designs, she puzzled
over matching colors. And in the end,
the house of dreams that evolved from
her tender thoughts was built on most
engaging lines. Jerry was nothing If
not thorough The stiff steep steps
leading up to her house from the
street had met with destruction first
of all, and in their place developed
as she said, angling up the green ter
race in a most inviting manner, and
then drifted up to the veranda which
was extended around the house to the
left. while the stiff square windows
and the stiff oblong door in front were
torn out for sweep of graceful French
windows.
The awkward square parlor and par
ior bedroom. comprising the left-hand
portion of the first floor, were thrown
together to make broad living room.
with window seats all the way around
and shelves for books and handsome
built-in cabinets The staircase which
had so particularly annoyed her was
completely thrown into the discard,
and very broad one erected In Its