Evening star., 1925-06-14


luCtant ear to certain intensely per-
sonal comments emanating from Mrs.
Privacy Robson.
There was little heroic about the
cringing figure of the diminutive
negro. His eyes were distended his
jaw dropped, his expression was of
hopeless, helpless resignation not un-
tinged with fear. AS for the wife of
his skinny bosom. she lowered above
him like some dusky Amazon who
had been done wrong. And she deliv-
cred her diatribe in voice which re-
sounded down the street and came
eventually to the ears of Florian
Slappey. That elegant gentleman of
leisure undraped himself from the
veranda railing and delivered casual
comment TO the other boarcers:
Privacy Robson's catchin' it
agin."
No one disputed Florian's state
ment; the sounds flowing from the
Robson homestead were unmistak-
able-and not at all uncommon. But
this particular family controversy
appeared to possess more volume
than usual and so Florian strolled
languidly in the. general direction of
the festivities.
Privacy'S offenSe had been more or
less negligible. the real crux of the
matter being that Clarry Robson was
out of sorts and Privacys position in
the household was that of out of
sortee. She was always safe in
searching for something in which
Privacy might have erred Privacy
had so much to do about the house
that all of 1t couldn't have been done
correctly. This time he had put GER
tain intimate feminine garments be-
longing TO one white lady in the wash
which should have gone to the house
of another. The white lady vented
her irritation on Clarry Robson-and
Clarry promptly conveyed it to Pri-
Sacy-with interest
Mr.. Robson shuffied dlscreetly
through the front door and onto the
veranda which spanned the front of
the little one-story frame house. He
saw the eyes of the neighborhood TO-
cuSed upon him, but Privacy was un-
ashamed. Perhaps there was con-
tempt in some of the glances be-
slowed upon him-but from most of
the neighbors came looks of pity
and Privacy adored pity. 1t
made him feel warm inside and good
all over. He sidled over to a rocker
and was about to seat himself into
its depths when a low whistle at
tracted his attention. He raised in
terested eyes and nodded affirmation
tq Florian's invitation for chat.
Together they shuff1ed off: men of
size-but otherwise as dissimilar as
second hand fiivver and a new, inn
ported limousine Where Privacy
was ramshackle and utterly dilapi-
dated, Florian was a chocolate cream
symphony of the haberdashers art
And once safely out of earshot, Flo
ran let loose commisserating query:
"Clarry busted loose ag'in?"
Amt you heard?"
'Uh-huh. That 'ooman of you'n is
sho the out-talkin'es female"
Il never listens"
But, Privacy-if'n | was YOU"
Amt no sense wishin' bad mouf
on yo'sef.'
Woul'nt be no bad mouf was
ma led to that 'ooman."
Privacy paused abruptly. arms
akimbo, eyes focused directly on
Florian Was you Clarry's husban'
which you had oughter bless heaven
YOU amt him-You know what you d
do?'
"Yeh, I'd
You wouldn't do nothin of the
kin. Yo'd do jes' what | does"
What does you do?'
Nothin'. An yo'd do the same
thing. On account they jes' nachelly
amt no other thing 10 do with that
CONAN
F'lorian turned away. You amt
gwine let nobody hep you out"
Says which,
Says you aint got no desiah to
be the boss in yo' own home"
f-y.you is gotten you a scheme?'
"Uh.huh. But of co'se they amt
no use tellin' 1t to a man like YOU"
They amt no hahn lettin' me
think happy thoughts, is they,
F'loIan?"
Does you promise me, Privacy
4. Robson, that if'n l tells you a scheme
how you en- be boss in yo' own home
YOU is gwine try it?''
''If'n you proves it's Cwine wuk.
Florian Slappey, dropping his voice
to portentous whisper, uttered
single sibilant word
"Divohcer
"Mmmphm'
"Divohce you'self away fun
Clarry"
PRIVACY stepped back, face dec
GRATED with a sneer What you
amt got in yo head, Flo ian is no
brains. Not ary single brain"
How Gomez" resentfully.
They's two reasons why | amt
swine divohce myself fun Clarry.
One 'em is that if'n nebbe she does
Jaw all the time-also she gives me
TN 'ee meals a day. An t'other reason
is-she won't let me-
Florian was disgusted. II never
said nothin' bout divohcin yo'se'f
fun Clarry"
. You did
Didn't. Trouble with you Privacy
-yo' tongue is too loose. 1t slips
quicker'n yo' brain wuks. You don
never let me finish. | want only
begun.
go ahaid, Flo'ian."
Its thisaway, Privacy: You aims
to be boss in yo' own home. You
Graves to gf breakfus' in bed in the
mawnin' an not do no wuk all day
an soht of take things easy at night.
Goy desiahs to have plenty money to
shoot crap an to horn into the kelly
pool game down TO Bud Peaglar's s
place. You is ambitious to quit wuk
an live easy. Amt it a fac'?'
When YOU talks, t'loian, | heahs
the angels sing
Well heah's how you en- do it.
Brother Robson-an' you does it on
g account we knows that even if'n
Clarry lights on you heavy an con
Stant-She loves you a heap I'm
YOU was to suddenly bust loose Garry
would go wild. On account while
YOU amt much man, Privacy, you
is the oniest man which Clarry has
got. an she'd hate to lose you.
SO what I says is this: You goes
down to Lawyer Evans Chew an gifts
him to staht divohce preceedin' s
against Garry. You 'leges CRUELTY
an not on'y you asts TO divohce
but also you asks fo' alimones'
Il asts fo' whiches?''
"Alimonies."
"What them is?"
ic ,,,ona,, ,,,L;ol. H.