Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-07-09
Mary Bellies
Journey
By II. oxLEY STENCIL


i Brown could hardly believe 1t was
not dream after all the years she
had planned for this very trip.
AS art teacher in. Center high, Cen
tertown, Mary Belle had not received
a salary In keeping with her faithful
service. OF course, 1t had not been
easy to save enough money.
But the train was moving eastward
Mary Belle fought back the tears as
she thought of the westbound 1t was
carrying her parents for visit In the
next state with Tom and Mollie. See
ing the grandchildren would soften
the parting both with Mary Belle and
the farm. To think that after all
these hard years-when Mary Belle
had worked early and late to help with
the unendlng tasks before and after
her long ride to Center high school
her father had actually sold the farm
to a nelghbor who had wanted 1t ever
since Tom went to the city and urged
his parents to move into town for
Mary Bellies sake Oh, we'll They
would all enjoy the pretty bungalow
anyway and perhaps her secret plan
would work out some day and they
would visit Mary Belle, tool
Mary Belle removed her hat, put 1t
on the rack above her and cast a FUR
tive look about at her fellow passen-
gers in the pullman. A newsboy was
holding up a literary review for her
inspection. She shook her head and
almost guilty selected an all-story
magazine gaudily dressed in brilliant
red with NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ing girl" adding further color to the
exterior. Mary Belle was well aware
that the pages of the monthly would
prove quite as highly colored. Mary
Belle wanted color-she yearned for
It as only one whose life has long been
exceedingly drab can yearn. She
turned the pages hungrily. Amazing
Maize, a story of Greenwich Village
life"
So completely absorbed had Mary
Belle Brown been In the gay career
of the fascinating little creature who
smoked as many cigarettes In a day
as she broke hearts in q month, that
she lost all track of time. She fol-
lowed Maize from one ball to anoth-
err; from one love AFFAIR with poor
fellow artist to the next with q brain
less millionaire, until on the last page
poor MaZies career was punctured
like n gay-colored balloon which has
been stuck with a pin and she crum'
- hnr fait Il
from Midtown.
Mary Belle came to with start. A
glance at her watch astonlshed her
The diner would be closed II she didn't
hurry, and she had INDUCED in neither
sandwiches nor chocolate. She meant
to really travel. 1t was all figured out
in the budget for her trip. Meals In
diners would be part of the fun.
The diner was filled except for one
vacant seat Howard Weston. return
ing to New York from hurried bust
ness trip to the Far West, watched the
head waiter pilot to his table the tall,
pleasant faced woman who had just
entered The picture she presented
pleased the man. What contrast
this simply dressed woman who wore
her slightly gray hair drawn plainly
back from her forehead presented
from the usual Observation-Disclosures
celled middle age that-attempts-slx-
teen type he was accustomed to see
ing.
"She might almost restore my faith
in women" he thought to himself.
Mary Belle Brown noted the clean
cut, broad-shOuldered man as she sat
down. She wondered II he thought her
Country" looking. Somehow she
hoped not. She liked his voice when
he spoke pleasantly and offered her
the bill of fare.
"The fruit salad is excellent" Yves
ton ventured. He was glad he had
Just begun his. Mary Belle ordered
one with tea
When they had finished luncheon,
Mary did not hesitate to accept his
Invitation to go out on the observa-
ton platform. once there she again
forgot there was such a thing as time
in listening to Weston's tales Of his
travels. 1t seemed the most natural
thing in the world that she should tell
him her simple life story, to which he
listened with sympathetic understand
ing.
$50 you have never visited New
York before" Weston asked
mo"
MAY help you to see III might
make fair guide"
Perhaps" Mary Bellies heart beat
like a girls. my dream :" she
began.
"What is your dreamp
But Mary Belle refused to tell. He
might laugh at her.
Three weeks later over dinner at
the Green Thorn, in Greenwich vii
lage, Weston again pressed Mary
Belle for her dream.
"will you tell II first tell miner
he asked.
She nodded, smiling.
"My dream Is to marry a sensible
woman like you. VIII you, can you
make II come truef" Weston seized
Mary Bellies hand.
But | am such a silly woman"
Sensible, you meant"
"Walt. My dream was to have a
studio here"
as 1t nowT