The Washington times., 1925-11-18

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said he hadn't mad such a good
time In years" she said. And
the next day he gave me a little
gold cigaret holder-a souvenir
OF a happy evening" he said.
Mary Rose smiled grimly.
know. I saw it in your handker-
chief box tonight" she remarked.
Ny stars.r cried F'lossie, did
I leave that thing in the drawer?
/ sure thought I'd locked it up
where, mother couldn't find It:
Shed have seventeen fits If she
Know I ever smoked, wouldn,t
sI1e?"
-She,d have seventeen fits IL
she knew you'd been out with Mr..
Dexter-that's certain"
Flossie considered this. sup-
pose she would" she said. But
honestly, Mary Rose, there's
nothing SO awful about its. We
just have an awfully good time
together He calls me his Little
Pal.
She threw out her hands in
sudden appeal oh, Mary Rose,
do get so tired of eating stew
and bread pudding In the kitchen
every night with you and Mother!
Or else going to a serve-self with
Sam Jessup.'- she said pathetic
ally.
"If you only knew what It
means to me to get out and have
= little fun, you wouldn't be so
cross with me about Mr.. Dexter!
If you only knew what it means
TO me to have a gold vanity case
and some OF the nice. things that.
other girls have
sI know what it's going to
mean to you, all rightw Mary
Rose broke in. It's going to
mean lot OF trouble for you,
sooner or later. Prob a bly,
soonerY'
She went on with wisdom Tar
beyond her twenty-five years:
"Just suppose that a certain
girl is running around with
certain married man, and people
find it out? There's sure to be
a big scandal, and the girl loses
her good name. But the man
goes scot-free. He always does
always!
Now promise me that you'll
return those presents from Mr..
Dexter first thing tomorrow
morning." she added. And tell
him you're never going out with
him again."
The younger girl tossed her
fluffy head wilfully. I'll do moth
ing of the kindr' she said bluntly.
'And just you try to start any
thing with me. Mary Rose Middle
ton. and I'll leave home! I'm not
going to have you butting in on
me and my affairs If you do, I'll
go and live with Alice James in
her fiat I'll get a Government
job. I'm getting sick and tired
of being treated like baby in
this house, any way"
She snapped out the lights,
opened the windows and got into
bed.
Mary Rose said nothing more.
Flossie's daily threat to leave
home and go to live with Alice
James, her chum. always sileneed
her. She was dreadfully, afraid
that Flossie would.
For Alice James was not all
that she ought to be, in Mary
Roses opinion, at least. 1t was
she who had taught F'Iossie to
smoke cigarettes and ta paint her
lovely mouth with scarlet ipstick.
Flossie bIindly adored her, copied
her clothes and borrowed her
slang.
Just as Mary Rose was drop
ping off to sleep. Flossie'st voice
reused her.
did Sam Jessup call me up to.
night?" she wanted to know.
Yes. he did. and 1 told him
didn't know where you were"
There was another long silence.
Then Flossie spoke again.
/. Il wish you hadn't told him
that she said "He gets so
peeyed if / go out anywhere ex-
cept with him. And I'm pretty
crazy about Sam Jessup. II any,
body should happen to fall off
freight train and ask you about
itr'
Promptly at Z the next morn.
ing May Rose Middleton yawned,
stretched Land opened her eyes to
q new day. For years she had
been training herself to waken at
this time and she needed no
gnriekifag alarm clock.
Her first thought was Of John
Manners. It was as IL the
thought of him had been in her
mind all night, as she slept.
Il love him.. she said to her.
self as simply as she night have