Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-28

FOX A MINI
ready for one instead of having to
| hunt for them in little, secret places,
and TO be sure that no one would
want to pass through ones room or
would see one through an open door
way.
It rained steadily for the next three
days, but gra ndma hardly knew it.
She was not accustomed to running
around much any more. And with a
room to herself, going outside for
pleasure seemed superfious. Didn /
she have all the pleasure she could
think of right there at home? Hay
ing a room to herself was even nicer
than she had thought it could pos
sibly be. After ~ years-12 years of
the dining room. of hurrying morn
| ngs to get up. of waiting nights TO
| go to bed. Well. she had her own
room now. 1t was not so much that
| grandma thought of the room as a
| reward; she did not believe in things
| like that. 1t was just pleasant. com
! plete. She was DID, and she had tried
to do the right things. She had had
! hard times, losing grandpa while she
was still young, and after grandpa
| died when the children were little.
hut that did not make any difference
| and David, into good children. good
people. Those hard times were long
ago. why, even the nights on the dav-
export were long ago. This was now,
| and she had her own room, pleasant
| room all to herself, and nice meals.
! David and Mary and Ralph did not
mean to talk unkindly or abruptly to
| her. for that was just their way; and
now that Isabel was gone. things did
rot seem so crowded. -Four people in
| five rooms is not much; one could not
| ask for better than that. better than
! grandma had--a quiet. peaceful life
| with ones own son and his wife and
! their son, and a room to oneself.
At noon on the fifth day after Isa-
hel's wedding Mary received a tele-
gram from Isabel from Atlantic City,
| economically using just all of the al
! lowable 10 words:
Raining here; more fun at home;
| have dinner with you"
Grandma was sorry about Isabel.
| 1t seemed a shame her honeymoon
should be spoiled. Still, Isabel seem
ed far away, of no importance. in
different world. Isabel and Walter
would go to a hotel and then buy
their furniture and get an apartment.
Grandma would even help Isabel fix
up the apartment If they wanted
her to.
| ISABEL and Walter came home,
carrying suitcases and talking all
at once about the rain, the trip, the
! things that had taken place during
| Isabels absence, little things. letters
Of good wishes, a delayed wedding
| gift.
! Dinner was an exciting meal that
night at the Martins Walter. in his
slow, rather stupid way. described the
charms of the hotel room they had
occupied. of the Hobbies and the grill
room. Isabel. too, occasionally volun-
teered a word Of praise of their trip
and of their expenditures.
1--WE got to start saving now" she
said, with Walters salary so small
and the prices what they are. It's
awful. We saw Irene Jennings in
Atlantic City-you know. used 70 be
Irene Scotland she said that they
gave up their apartment on One Hun
bred and Seventeenth street and
simply can't get another one except
for double the price. And when |
think of the novels | saw before l
went away. it's fierce. Ma, did you
see that apartment ] spoke TO YOU
about, the one near the Rohinson's.
on st. Nicholas
Yes. ! was there Tuesday. It's
! gone. and the only one left in the
| building has been raised $50 more
than it used to be.
Gee, / don't know what we'll do.
| Walter grinned For the first time
grandma actually disliked Walters
grin. Until now Walter had been
J some one for Isabel to marry. Now
he became a person. personality
and to grandma an unpleasant one,
too sure of himself. 100 slow and fat
and round and white.
prices are something awful" said
Walter. ut makes person wonder
| whether they ought to of got married
or not. eh, Isabel
1T amt that bad, I guess" said
Isabel. and gave him a glum look
and than a quick smile. which left
/ her face looking more disconnected
than ever.
Rents. rents. rents said David
Martin. solemnly. You bet l was
I smart. | saw what was coming.
! always look ahead. | took a four
/ wears lease here. Now I've got them
where I want them. They can't pull
any monkey shines on me. Some
folks take the biggest apartment they
can pay for. with elevators and q lot
of fancy trimmins. and sassy help in
the hall. Don't give the landlord all
your money always say"
You said it, answered Walter.
After dinner the family went into
the living room. Usually only two
lights were lit. but this was a festive
occasion, so all four lights in the i'm
i mense and hideous central chandelier
were turned on, and both lights in
the equally ugly glass table lamp.
Grandma decided to go to her room
early, but it wouldn't look right, run
ming away, just yet, so she sat stiffly
in a straight chair near the phono-
graph.
Wed better be getting along" Wal
ter said at last. II might as well ring
up from here and find hotel room
| We came right on from the station
and didn't stop to get any. Always
can find a room in some hotel
! though
| He went to the telephone in the hall
only thing they had-room and
bath for two. eight dollars. | turned
that down" he reported. Then added
Seven dollars for room and bath.
| Then. That ones all filled up; moth
Ing doing there Then. THEY want
eigl. dollars too. tpld them moth