Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-07-09

hastily, looked shocked ana norrified
Never must anybody dress up in q
brides dress, only to get married. II
brings bad luck." Then, as Selma
stroked the stiff silken folds of the
skirt with slim and caressing fore
singer: 80 you get married to a
High Prairie Dutchman let you wear
it." At this absurdity they both
laughed again. Selma thought that
this schoOl-teac ching venture was start
ing out very WELL She would have
such things to tell her father-theu
she remembered. She shiyered a lit
tie as she stood up now. There surged
over her a great wave of longing for
her father-for the theater treats, for
his humorous philosophical drawt
fer the Chicago streets. and the ugly
Chicago houses; for Julie; for Miss
listers school; for anything and any
one that was accustomed. known. anc
therefore dear. She had horrible
premOnition that she was going to
cry, began to blink very fast, turned
a little blindly In the dim light and
caught sight OF the rooms third ar
resting object A blue-black cylinder
Of tin sheeting. like q stove and yet
unlike. 1t was polished like the
length OF pipe in the sitting-rOOm be-
low. Indeed. it was evidently giant
flower of this stem.
whats that?" demanded Selma
pointing.
Maartie Pool, depositing the lang
on the little wash-stand preparatory
to leaving, smiled pridefully. Drum
Drum"
For heat your room" Selma
touched It, Ii was icy. when there
is fire." Mrs. Pool added. hastily
Selma was to learn that It's heating
powers were mythical. Even when
the slove in the sitting room was
blazing away with a cheerful roar none
of the glow communicated itself to
the drum. 1t remained as cOOlly in
different to the blasts breathed upOr
it as a girl hotly besieged by an un
welcome lover.
"Maartje." rOared voice from
belowstairs. The voice of the hungry
male There was waited up. too.
faint smell of scorching. Then came
sounds % a humping and humping
along the narrow stairway
"Og heden - cried Maartie, in a
panic, her hands high in air. She
was off.
Left alone in her room Selma TN
locked her trunk and took from it two
photographs-One of mild-lOOkins
man with his hat little on one side
the other of woman who might have
been twenty-tive-y Selma
minus the courageous .iawline, Look
ing about for a fitting place on which
to stand these ieather-framed treas
ures she considered the top of the chill.
drum, humOrOusly. then actually place.
them there, for lack of better refuge
from which vantage point they regard
ed her with politely interested eyes
Perhaps they would put up a shelf fol-
her. That would serve for her little
stock of books and for the pictures as
well. She was enjoying that little
flush of exhilaratiOn that comes to
woman unpacking. She took out her
neat pile of warm wooden underwear
her stout shoes. She shook out the
crushed folds Of the wine-colOred cash
mere Now, IL ever. she should have
regretted it's purchase But she didn't
No one, she reflected, as she spread II
rosily on the bed possessing wine-cOl
ored cashmere could be altogether
downcaSt.
From below stairs came the hiss Of
frying Selma washed in the chill wa
ter of the basin, took down her hair
and coiled it again before the swimmy
little mirror over the wash-stand. She
adjusted the stitched white bands Of
the severe collar and patted the cuffs
of the brown lady's- cloth. The tight
basque was fastened with buttons from
throat to waist. Her fine long head
rose above this trying base with such
grace and dignity as to render the stiff
garment beautiful. 1t was day Of
appalling bunchiness and equally ap
palling tightness in dress; of panniers,
all manner of lumpy bedevilment. That
Selma could appear in this disfguring
garment a creature still graceful, slim,
and plant was a sheer triumph Of
spirit over matter.
She blew out the light now and de-
scended the steep wooden stairway to
the unlighted parlor. The door be-
tween parlor and kitchen was closed.
Selma shifted sensltively. There was
pork for supper. She was to learn that
there was always pork for supper.
She hesitated a moment there in the
darkness. Then she opened the kitch-
en- door. There swan out at her a haze
Of smoke, from which emerged round
blue eyes. cultural talk, the smell of
frying grease, of stable, of loan, and
Of wooden wash freshly brought in from
the line. With an thrush of cold air
that sent the blue haze into SwirlS the
outer kitchen door opened. A boy,
his arm piled high with stOve-wOod,
entered; dark, handsome sullen boy
who stared at Selma over the armload
of wood. Selma stared back at him.
There sprang to life between the boy
of twelve and the woman of nineteen
an electric current of feeling.
"Roelf" thought Selma; and even
took a step toward him, inexplicably
drawn.
Hurry then VITA that wood there :"
fretted Maartje at the stove. The boy
flung the armful into the box. brushed
his sleeve and coat-frsnt mechanically
still looking al. Selma.