The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-08-10
Chickie Goes To Janina, Who
Offers to Give Her a
Helping Hand

Never mind regretting. Stop it
now! She was going. The promise
was made.
She tried to steel herself in this
way; tried to shut down the sick,
warm excitement.
That night when Jennie and iona.
than were asleep she sat at her
desk in the sun room, the crumpled
letter of recommendation before her.
She smoothed it again and again.
rubbing her fist gently back and
forth.
She pasted the sharply torn strips
together. Janina said to do that.
Then press it between the leaves
Of the old Britannica Encyclopedia
Jonathan's first anniversary gift to
his bride. Ho-Jennie began to read
the cumbersome volumes before
Chickie, was born, hoping that her
child would be a genius-brilliant
and nobleI
Chickie had often heard the tale.
She thought of II and reread as
though she craved it's pain, the fato-
full ragraph-"Helena Bryce,
then and since unmarried, became
mother-the child died-there was
an inquest"
Well-true, wasn't it,
So Janina could accept it; could
badly say: us it crime to love? To
have child? How are you tainted?"
Chickie shut her eyes now in
mute recoil from Janina's facile ex.
oneration. On a chair in the corner
was Jennie's work basket. Across
the back of the chair We're many
stockings. They were mated and
now waited to be darned. Years and
years Chickie had seen a chair
draped in this wise.
Jennie would take up the mend
ing with a fervor. Then Jonathan
would come in. She would stand
up, one sock over her hand and
wait while the old fellow kissed
her. Then the smile on her face as
she settled again in the roomy chair,
and tn tender way she drew the
needle across the hole.
This was her life-these thou
sand drab monotonies turned into
holy things because they meant a
thousand loyalties. And how these
two had stood to each other in all
the little things and then in big
Why, they expected always the
best and finest in each other. That
time when Chickie lay half dazed
and the sheriff had come to make
her go away-that time even Jona-
than had said: "Stay, mother! 1t
is for you to stayv'
For this their marriage meant
measure up. So they rode the tide
Of life.
Chickie's eyes filled. Something
heroic about it. Call this love-but
what Janina meant was shoddy
enough and cheap enough and faint
ing enough before the strong, endur-
ing faith Of this.
She put the letter in the book and
put three heavy volumes on top Of
it. Oh, by Monday, perhaps, the
wrinkles would be gone. And, she
would take the letter quietly and
show it--not fiounce- It down, and
laugh in Mrs. Ellis face.
For sho didn't feel so about tt
not quite. But what was done was
| done. She would admit. She would
say simply that it was past-she
was not chained to it-nor would
be-
Sunday she kept repeating such
thoughts and stealing in to see how
the letter looked.
Once, 1t occurred to her like q
revelation that David Ramm couldn
know of this letter. He would be
shamed to the soul to have recon-
mended her and then have her come
to his friend with such flaming
record behind her.
His eyes would flash with anger.
She answered this: HE must
know! He can't be stupid. Every
one hears
ITO Be Continued
Copyright. King Feature Syndicate)