The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-06-17
Business Kisses !"
BIZ BEATRICE BURTON
/, Author of Gloria, The Flapper> Wife,
BIZ BEATRICE BURTON
o be taken as

place or firm.
little room, crying as if her heart
would break.
Her mother came close to hers and
laid her hand on her shaking
shoulder Cant you tell Mother
what it is, Mary Rose?" she asked,
IT feel sure that Mother could help
you"
Mary Rose looked at her, through
her tears, and smiled bitterly.
mo one can help me, Mother"
she said, with long sigh. mo
one"
The little ageing woman was full
of feeling of helplessness that
sometimes swept over her when she
looked at Flossie and Mary Rose.
There was so much Of their lives
that she knew nothing about She
felt exactly like the hen in the fairy.
tale-the hen that Matched ducks.
well, you just run upstairs and
wash your face, dearie," she said.
And superb be ready when you
come down. We've some nice meat
balls, and creamed some potatoes. !"
Mary Rose turned in the doorway.
isn't Flossie coming home for sup
per?" she asked. Mrs. Middleton
shook her head
mo, dearie. Not It'll late. She's
working overtime tonight. 80. She
'phoned a little while ago to tell me
so.''
While Mary Rose and her mother
were doing up the dishes knock
came at the back-door.
When Mrs. Middleton opened it,
their neighbor, Aunt Henry Blair,
stepped into the room, bringing a
gust of wet wind with her.
Good night for ducksv' painted
Aunt Henry. We'll, how are you
folks tonight?"
She looked around the kitchen and
peered into the darkened dining
room. Amt Flossie home a night
like this?" she asked sinking down
into the rocking chair that stood by
the center table.
mo. She's working late," an
swered Mrs Middleton as she rinsed
out her dishcloth and hung it over
the pan.
Mary Rose looked at Aunt Henry
curiously. She knew that never on
a night like this would Aunt Henry
have stepped out of her comfortable
house unless she had some gossip
to tell 81. or had something on
her mind that she wanted to ask
about
For Aunt Henry was the gossip of
the street. She lived all alone with
her only sap, Leonard. who was on
the police force. And she had no
other living relatives. although
everyone in the neighborhood called
her aunt Henry"
1t was plain to Mary Rose that
she was fairly bursting with news.
at the present moment. Every time
Mrs. Middleton's back was turned
she began to make signs at the girl.
Al last, when all the dishes were
put away, Mrs. Middleton left the
room for a minute or two to go up
stairs for her mending basket. II
may as we'll sit here and sew while
I visit" she said. disappearing.
Aunt Henry dragged her rocker
close to Mary Rose. Where did
you say Flossie was?'' she asked in
a stage whisper.
Mother told you she was work
ing late, down at the Office the girl
answered coldly. And I suppose
that's where she is.''
Aunt Henry folded her fat hands
on her mountainous lap. well, she
a1n'tr' she said, nodding her head.
Mary Rose whitened to the lips.
"Where-where is she, then?''
Mrs. Blair rocked for several sec
onds before she answered. well, I
can't say just where she is at this
instant, but I know where she was
while ago. when my Lennie ar
rested her"
Arrested her?'' Mary Rose caught
at the edge of the sink to steady her.
self.
That's what I said, Mary Rose.
You must have heard me the first
2 time I said it loud enough. -
Aunt Henry wagged her head. "She
was tearing along downtown in a
big blue Dexter car, thirty-fl miles
an hour. And my Lennie arrested
her for speeding.'
Mary Rose couldn't find her voice.
She just stood and stared at the
woman.
"Of course, if Lennie had known
it was F1ossie, he would have let her
go but he didn't until it was
too late" Aunt Henry went on,
land even then, he would have let
her go. but he knew he should do
his duty"
WAS she alone?" Mary Rose
asked, scarcely above a whisper.
The woman shook her head. 81
+ guess you know who was with her.
without my telling you, Mary Rose"
she said. II guess you know who's
been bringing her home at all hours
of the day and night in that big
blue carl If you don't know it,
it's because you're more near-sight-
ed than everybody else on the street
Is! Everybody else knows that it's
this Mr.. Dexter Of the works, that's
] tagging around after herr
Mary Rose shrank away from her
as she stood up, and put her shawl
around her broad plump shoulders.
"WeH, I'm going now. / didn't want
to tell your ma all this, knowing
how weak her heart is an all. But I
thought that somebody in this house
Eshould know what F1ossie's up to ;.
tell you, Mary Rose, that
girl may be yotS sister, but she's
a bad eggr'