The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-22

casual as If her fiance were twenty
five instead of sixty-eight. ushered
the impeccably dressed Mr., Cluny
into the newly decorated Lane living
room, which. seemed to shrink and
grow tawdry in the shining light
of his perfection.
"a gardenia in your buttonhole n
everything Cherry rippled on, en-
tirely unembarrassed or making a
brave effort to seem so. Mother
isn't bit well. Mr.. Cluny, but she
got UP and dressed specially to meet
you" With her tiny. rose-tipped
hand futtering to alight on his black
coat sleeve, she led him to where
Mrs. Lane sat, vast, red-faced
hustered, the accelerated beat OF her
heart causing bosom to rise and fall
in agitated waves.
Il am indeed ,honored," the tall
spare man clicked the heels OF his
shining patent leather pumps TO-
gether and bowed stiffly from the
waist, as he raised Mrs. Lanes
puffed hand to the barest contact
with the bristles of his clipped white
mustache
I'm real pleased to meet you, Mr.
| Cluny," Mrs. Lanes vast body wrig
gled with embarrassed pleasure
My daughter, Cherry, has been talk
ing n powerful-lot about you. It's
Mr.. Cluny says this and MIR. Cluny
! thinks that, until we've all got SC
we think Mr. Cluny must be q
mighty great man. Take that chair,
she waved toward the newly-painted
wicker chair. with its ~parrot-and
| tropical flower cretonne cushion
land make yourself at home" She
tucked her head coyly and smiled up
at the white-haired, distinguished
old man with the last futter OF CO
quetry which must have charmed
/ Jim Lane in his flaming twenties.
But Mr.. Cluny had not finished
with his prfnctilious greetings.
lie turned with soldierly stiffness
and abruptness to offer a thin, blue
veined hand to Jim Lane.
'Howdy." Jim stuck out 4
gnarled, thick jointed hand reluc
| family.
And this is Miss Faith" Mr.
Cluny, apparently unconscious OF
Lanes hostility. turned toward the
silent girl on the piano bench. and
bowed deeply. I'VE have met be
fore-under circumstances which l
bona 7 oo, ,o,,r ~, nIofn l,a Sp,flad
at his reference to the love scene
between himself and Cherry which
Faith had interrupted on her visit
to the lawyers office.
Yes, Cherry has told us the
news" Faith said bluntly. feeling
that she and her father could not
bear to have the visit prolonged 10y
polite exchanges of compliments and
weather opinions.
"I-ah-hope we understand each
other then" Mr.. Cluny smiled ur-
banely. THE truth of the matter
Mrs. Lane" he bowed again, with
Chesterfieldian courtesy. toward
CT errys mother land Mr.. Lane,
is that 1 have asked you charming
little daughter to be my wife. | have
--ah-anticipated that the-ah-not
negligible difference in our ages
ght-ah-predispose you to look
with--ah-dIsfavor upon my pro
posal.'' He paused, as II courteous
ly giving his audience a chance TO
register a protest, II any.
You're mighty right it does" Jim
Lane brought a knotted fist down
heavily upon the arm Of his chair.
You're damn right It does"
z"Now. Jim Laner' Mrs. Lane
struggled to keep the company
politeness in her voice. but failed
Don't mind Mr.. Lane. Mr.. Cluny
He's just naturally a little upset
of course Cherry is the apple Of our
eye. and what we wrnt is her
happiness. It's goin' to be a terrible
wrench to us to lose her. even to a
man like you. Mr.. Cluny. but il she
loves you and you love her" Her
voice trailed rather piteously, as II
in spite of the many things that
/ Cherry had said to her, her mother
heart told her differently.
ITO make your daughter happy
will be the chief aim Of my life. .
the white-haired suitor said
pompoasly. "She has assured me
/ that she-ah-loves me. and my
emotion for her certainly could not
be described by any word short Of
sh-adoration. From the-ah-finan
cial standpoint, l am looking for
ward to--ah-compensa you. hei
parents, handsomely for the loss OF
her-ah-income as business
woman"
II don't guess you'd better finish
what you're tryin' to say" jim
Lane Interrupted harshly. THE
Lanes amt on charity yet, and never
will be, as long as my strength holds
out. AS far as Cherry's salary.s
concerned, she's spent every penny
of it on her back. amt paid a cent OF
board since she's been workin', and
didn't ask her to. I'm n self-sup
portin' and n family-supportin' man
Mr.. Cluny. and I refuse to listen tc
insults. 1 don't care a damn how
much money you've got!'
The red of anger and embarrass
ment crept up the waxen. almost
transparent cheeks OF the old man
but he kept admirable control oi
his voice. II accept the rebuke, Mr.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Observation-Disclosures
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Y