New Britain herald., 1926-07-22
THE PETER s s'., s:::; i:;; s ::ss'
HER MAN"

way followed by-Jlnny! jimmy,
all alone, and looking like any.
thing but a blushing bride.
An Eddie Cantor cap was pulled
down over her eyes and her yell
low slicker was covered with mud.
So were her shoes, and so was one
side of her little face.
Hail to the bride of Lammer-
Merry greeted her with a
giggle, and she scowled darkly In
return.
Bride of Lammermoor, your
self" she snapped, angrily. I'm
no bride. Where do you get that
stuff"
Jimmy, I've told you not to say,
Where do you get that stuff" her
mother reprimanded her. 60 out
into the kitchen and take off those
shoes and that coat. You're get
ting the carpet all covered with
mud"
jimmy kicked the kitchen door
open and slammed it behind her
Don't say word to her." Mons
to Merry. Let her do
the talking"
She leaned closer and added:
"She came home in a taXicab."
jimmy was in a much more cheer
full and laxative mood by the time
she had eaten a mountain of baked
hash and mashed potato, not to
a roll and a piece of devils
food cake.
Jinny's appetite was source of
constant wonder to Merry. She ate
like a farm hand, and the more
she ate, the thinner she seemed to
become.
"If I put away the food that she
does, I'd look like the fat woman
in a circus" Merry thought, as she
watched her polish off her devils
food cake and her second cup of
coffee.
well! l feel like myself again. -
she said to her mother, as she
set down the cup. That's the first
food I've eaten since twelve o'clock
today"
Suddenly he smile flashed out.
Did you get that wild note ] left
in the mail box?" she asked, with
a laugh. II noticed it was gone"
Mons took it out of her apron
pocket and laid it on the table.
1--WE were going to get married,
right enough" jimmy said. but the
fool marriage license clerk wouldn't
believe that ] was twenty-one-"
II shouldn't say he was fool.
I should say he was pretty clever"
Mons interrupted her dryly. Too
,lever for you, at any rate, wasn't
le?"
jimmy shrugged her little should
RS.
well, clever or not, he wouldn't
rive us a license" she went on
With her story. 80 we thought
we'd go for drive, anyway, before
We came home. And while we
we're in the country it began to
ain, and we blew tire, and got
covered with mud"
She leaned over to look at her
hoes and stockings.
"Where's Derrick" Mons asked
Iuietly.
Hes in Jail out in Brockton,"
-inny answered calmly, her eyes
till on her muddy stockings. we
Ixidded on the way in and nit
mother car. 1t was a police car
md the bird in 1t arrested Derrick
nd made him go back to Brock
on with him. Derrick tried to brlpe
i'm, and that made matters worse
'ou see."
81 don't see how you could be
.rrested for skidding," Merry re-
marked amiably. She could tell
hat jimmy was keeping part OIL the
tory to herself, nm
eve we're speeding a little
-innv confessed. I'VE didn't know
hat this other car was ponce
ar and we were racing with 1t.
euess we were going fifty miles
n hour part of the time. IL was
ots of fun while it lasted"
She got up and shook her red
,air out of her eyes. We'll
nose I'd better go over to the
onses and break the bad news 10
,ona and Momma, don't YOU
Mons did not answer. she pc
anne frozen with dignity, all at
nee She and Derrick Jones
nother had not spoken TO each
ther since last New Years Day
md whenever Mrs. Jones was.
mentioned in her hearing she tired
n act as if she had never heard OF
.er before.
The first week in May, Lime
,ale came to live in the Lockes'
habby, comfortable, old house.
She took the sunny front bed
DOM that had belonged to Cassie
he paid Mons eight dollars
,eek for it, and that included her
reakfasts and suppers, too.
81 hate the thought of having
err in my house" Mons told
ferry frankly, when she moved
\. For one thing, / hate having
woman fussing around, washlng
ut pair of stockings IN the
athroom, or coming down into my
itchen to press a dress. And for
mother thing, ] don't like her'
he may be as nice as you say
he is. But she she doesn't look re-
pectable."
1t was true that Lille did not
ook respectable.
What she did look like was
roken-down burlesque queen, with
err dyed hair, her loud clothes ana
.er string of imitation pearls that
,ere as big as white cherries.
But she was cheerful and kind
earted. And after she had been IN
he house a week, even Mons had
o admit that she was nice wom-
n.
you look tired. Let me get
upper" she would say at the end
4 Mons ironing day, perhaps.
oh lftNsr