Evening star., 1925-03-08


or declined with a thud.
The arrival of the bab, ELECTED the
thud.
Il can't be bothered with it," she
affirmed with decision. I'm the morn
ing Marcia, we'll take it back"
There isn't any back" Marcia ex-
planned, and I'll take care of 1t, ma
ma"
Foxhall hardly heard the plants OF
Mrs. Banks which went on for some
time. He merely sat and watched
| Marcia. And Marcia didn't forget
him-she was too deeply in love ever
| TO be unconscious of him for a mo-
ment-but she was excludingly alb
sorbed in the baby. She had found
| some small night garments of the
younger children and she overode
her mother with lovely conscious
ness of being in the simple right
Mrs. Banks might have some good
sense. but she had not always a
| deeper wisdom.
The news that Liz Fred and Liz
| Henry had been left in a bare house
| for their final week in Katytown
made katytown indignant.
| Bart, the drayman, claimed to act
on instructions from Ben Tllson, who
was local poor commissioner.
The situation seized on the imagi-
nation of the Kattytown women, and
! they hurriedly arranged matters. A
chair was spared from here, a rug
| from there. table from somewhere
| else. BY noon of the day following
Luther Falk's onslaught the sitting
room and dining room of the old
| house were again habita BILE.
Its only for the week." everybody
said. Let's make 'em as comfortable
as we can for their last week. And
| let's carry them in all the food We
| can"
So not only the plain, nourishins
food with which katytown had been
wont to sustain these two now found
its way to their doors. but cakes and
| pastry and odorous casseroles. The
| little pantry overfowed and the deal
| table in the kitchen was laden. Those
who dropped in to call were carried
| off to the kitchen to admire. Every
| dish was known to Liz Fred and Liz
Henry by the name of the giver and
was SO told off in the display.
ITS almost like having wedding
presents" Liz Fred said, with her
| twisted smile.
Under this unaccustomed sun Liz
Fred and Liz Henry themselves took
| on a Wintry bloom. Every morning
having now no work to do and not
! knowing who might drop in to bring
| an offering, the two put on their
decent best-merinos with white lace
| fronts.
Because we won't have no place
to wear them when we get-where
we're goin'." said Liz Fred, sagely,
80 we might as well fam out in
them now"
CITTING thus one evening. in their
~ black merinos, upon all the bor-
rowed furniture, it was Liz Henry
who brought forth first a groan and
then an idea.
-Four days left" she said. "I
keep thinkin' of the things L meant
to do for folks"
Liz Fred said nothing. She was
moving her shoulders in little
rocking motion as if she was hurt
all over.
81 spose," Liz Henry continued.
its some like dying-you're never
quite ready. l was thinking about
the poppyseed l promised Mis- Spate.
Now ] can't take it to her.
There's Mis- Walker 1 promised
to go in and set with and read to a
WHILE Liz Fred said. Il amt done
it."
AN 1 never showed Mis- Plant
that new lace stitch. Nor helped
Lyddy with her sewing for the little
girl she took in
What's the use now?" said Liz
Fred, harshfy. NO use raking up
all that now"
Liz Henry began to cry "I feel
like I'd died and been buried" she
said, with all my sensations in me-"
Suddenly Liz Fred said. Say"
Liz Henry looked up. startled and
shifting.
I'VE got our four days left why
not get such things done anyway ?"
said her sister.
Liz Henry continued to cry for
lornly. I'VE couldn't" she said.
Not with the snow so deep and all"
They amt got our galoshes." said
Liz Fred. Not yet they amt. Come
along-let's do some of 'em anyway.
Let's make list and start out now"
Liz Henry was apathetic, but as
the list began to grow under Liz
Fred's fingers, she Joined in:
I'VE promised Marcia Banks our
fuchsia, but she could get that after
we're gone"
why not have the fun of taking
it to her ourselves?" said Liz Fred.
The snow was falling gently and
beautifully when the two set out next
day. They were passably well dressed
"a stranger seeing them would have
layers. carrying well-wrapped
plant to friend. When they opened
the gate to Marcias comfortable
home they looked like any of her
mothers visitors. Indeed. until a
month ago, when the poor-farm had
been decided on. that was what they
were. 1t was as if that decision. at
one blow had robbed them of station
and consideration. Now they seemed
to have no identity aside from that
day, four days hence.
When Liz Henry and Liz Fred ar
rived Marcia was sitting by the fire
with the baby.
Say, that's the baby amt it?"
said Liz Henry. I'VE heard all about
it."
Liz Fred said nothing. but with
her thumb and fingers she touched
the babys arm. She looked at Mar
cia shyly: Kitten" she said, "ain't
it?"
We brought you our fuchsia." said
Liz Henry, and unwrapped 1T. I'VE
had it five years-we raised 1t. Amt