San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-01
Butterflies IL HeRant BzAudtewSo1for

rows and rows of green corn! He
loved green corn and he loved to
eat it as wise Americans do-hold-
ing the steaming cob in his two
hands and gnawing the buttered
delicacy as a rabbit gnaws a
carrot.
Then out on the veranda, after
the sun was down, with the gramo-
phone playing the late-t records he
had brought from New York. AID,
maybe, a neighbor strolled across
with his wife and daughters and
they'd talk plays or fiction, they'd
read or talk till the stars come out
till it was time to put Up the
MOSQUITO nets around the veranda
and drag out the camp beds they
favor there in Summertime when
the heat waves make the bedrooms
intolerable.
And every morning, Tina drove
him to the railway station to see
him off to business and every
evening she was there again with
her car, along with scores of other
women of simple tastes-simple,
vet restful and beautiful to those
who have become weary of the fit
tings of a butterfly existence. Oh,
Charlton, you would have rocked
with derisive laughter if you could
have seen her-the Tina you knew
before your hateful detection
taught her the truths of life. Tina
Carteret, whose great-grandmother
came over with the Conqueror-
Tina, the elegant, dancing foxtrot
on the veranda to the strains OF
gramophone, or serving hot
mealies'' to her adoring husband.
Two years of it! He didn't tell
her the whole of the truth, but she
knew that the luck had turned, as
it was bound to turn now that they
had freed themselves from the
shackles that hampered them in
England. He was rapidly regain
ing his old financial position; the
brain that had rusted a little
through the folly of early retire
ment, had rubbed itself smooth
and bright again. Yet he did not
offer to take her from the simple
itv oe the life to which she had at
tuned herself. This new Tina that
had been evolved from the old was
more beautiful than he had i'm
agined could be the case. And it
wasn't a form of penance, either.
~ 81 was looking through the Eng
lish papers, today, Tina"
They were lying in deck chairs
on the veranda; from the direction
of the river, now deep blue in the
dusk, came the sound of splashing
oars and the thrum and tinkle of
a ukulele
England! Where's England,
John?"
Little apostate! The Lon
don season is going to be the best
ever: Ascot, Goodwood, Cowes-"
"Ah! But say 1.-THE round red
head turned lazily so that she
might smile at him. DO, they
don't have any green corn in that
country-not the sort of corn you
pick straight from the garden"
"Some very big weddings are am
nounced to take place"
'T'm so selfish, 'Hick', I've got
room in my memory for only one.
Hand me that box of candies you
brought from the store today"
He handed over the chocolates,
leaning towards her and studying
E., ~ o1ocoF ,.anna
"You are really happy here,
Tina? In these simple surround
ings?"
'Trl tell the world, Hick.'"
drop the slang, little woman
and tell me-tell me right from
the heart" i
She reached for his hand and
grasped it tig' tly.
do you need to ask me if Pm
happy, John. Can't you see it in
my eyes?"
"You've been splendid, Tina" he
said in a gentle, adulatory whisper.
at didn't seem possible that the
Tina | knew in the beginning
could"
could drop her butterfly wings
for blue overalls and reckon up
cents as though they were drops Of
life blood and bully dago garden
ers-"
"Tina, you've been wonde. full
and I'm beginning to feel rather
guilty"
"What's that?" She struggled
quickly into an upright position.
mo, no, 'Hick.' No confession
from you! ! just couldn't stand it.
Honest to goodness, ! couldn't"
He patted her reassuringly.
equity because ] haven't kept
YOU fully informed of the progress
made, financially"
care you going to increase my
Housekeeping allowance"
He leaned back and laughed.
OTIS amusing to hear you talk
Of a housekeeping allowance"
"Why should it be amusing,
John" There was moments
silence. Then, you've let me
have two thousand dollars a year
since we arrived" she said;
"roughly eight hundred pounds for
the two years."