The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-05

1900
knows perfectly well how to take
care of herself eve worry
| about. Flossie. She has a mighty
sharp little brain!'
That, Of course, was not true. She
did worry about Flossie. She worried
most of the time about her. She was
worrying now, as she climbed the
stairs to her little room and put her
things away in the closet.
She remembered how she had seen
Mr.. Dexter hurrying across the
pavement to his blue car at half
past five that night, and with what
speed it had dashed down the street.
And she was just as sure as if she
had seer it, that, he had met Flossie
Middleton and taken her driving. She
was sure that Flossie was with him
now. And could Flossie really take
care of herself?
What was a little girl of nineteen
compared to a grown mar of the
world like Hilary Dexter? A mere
baby, ignorant and helpless.
Mother, I think you're too easy
with F1ossie,' she said a minute
later as she stood in the kitchen,
turning the fried potatoes into a
vegetable dish and setting them on
the table. Here 1t is after Z o'clock
and we haven't the faintest notion
of where she is. You'll have to set
your foot down"
II have set it down, but it doesn't
do any good" Mrs. Middleton an
swered mildly. You know, your
self, how the girls r nowadays,
Mary Rose. They smoke and they
drink and they run around, and
there's no stopping them. The pap
ers and the ministers and everybody
breaches about them and their ways
but what's the use? They do as
they please, anyway"
She shrugged her stopped Shout
ders and went on as she poured the
tea from a brown stone pot. "Why,
they're even setting the fashions
Dowadays-for the grown women.
Little hats like ~saucpans, short hair,
skirts up above their knees-1apper
fashions. And all of us grown women
are supposed to wear what they wear
and cut our hair short and paint our
faces, or we aren't. in it. 1 declare,
l don't know what the world and
the women are coming tor
She shook her head and looked up
at Mary Rose pathetically with her
gentle blue eyes. 81 can't even get
a size A waist anymore without be-
Ing called a stylish stout" she said.
"All the clothes are made for
skinny little girls. A woman can't
have a decent figure"
Then her eyes; clouded and Mary
Rose saw her look up at the kitchen
clock. 1t was half past seyen and
still no F1ossie.
At s o'clock. while the two of them
were washing up the dishes, the
front doorbell rang. There she is
now suppose she's afraid to come
round to the back of the house this
time Of night" murmured Mrs. Mid
dleton. She laid her dish towel on
the drain board and hurried to the
front door.
But it was not Flossie. 1t was
i only Sam Jessup, and Mary Rose
heard-her mother greet him coldly.
"Flossie's not here, Sam she said.
I'm tell her you stopped in to see
her. when she comes"
The front door closed sharply, but
Mary Rose ran to open it once more.
Sam was halfway down the front
walk, but he turned when he heard
her, and came back.
Maybe you know where Floss is,
~tonight?" he asked, and in the or.
ange fan of light that streamed out
from the hallway, she could see the
puzzled, unhappy laak in his pale
eyes. Everything about him but
that look was gay and debonair-
his wide collegiate" pants. his tie
with broad stripes of red and light
blue, his hat turned down over his
eyes In faithful imitation Of the
Prince Of Wales. He was the glass
Of fashion and the mold of form
The last wild scream in sartoria
splender.
Look here, Mary Rose" he sait
to her, Give me the Iowdown or
this, will you? If she's running
around with some one that she likes
better than she does me, it's only
fair to tell me so. Here, / have
date with her tonight, and where i.
she?"
Mary Rose shook her head. e
wish I knew" she answered, look
ing up and down the street. Blu
1t was deserted. II wish I knew.
I'll bet your mother knows where
she is, but she hates me. Shed
never tell me in a million years.
Sam went on, tossing his cigaret
over the railing.
Mary Rose looked at him in cold
establishment. why, of course,
mother doesn't know where she is or
she'd tell you in a minutei' she said
sharply. And that's no way for
you to speak Of her, Sam Jessupl"
Sorry" Sam mumbled, vaguely.
Then he looked up. But you know
yourself she doesn't exactly love the
idea Of having me marry FIossie,
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