The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-21

returned a little early from ner
downtown work and beheld the
transformed living room, she seized
Long" waiting rather shyly for
her approval, and began to whirl
him around and around in q mad
dance of joy.
Like it? l bought the rug" her
brother broke her clasp and began
to point out Improvements for her
admiration. Thought that plain,
brown velvet with the border of flow
ers and parrots would go swell with
the curtains and davenport. And look
at the side table, and the chair! And
see-I painted the old pier glass
black. Like it? Hey? Watch out
for that piano benchi That varnish
doesn't dry as quick as the lacquer
does. Pretty swell, huh?"
"You said it," she clasped her
hands like a delighted child. New
paper that looks like a million dol
lars, that old wicker chair looking
as If it had come right out of Rob
inson's, at forty-eight smackers. dav-
export looking like the lap of luxury,
in a Cecil de Mile set--oh, boy!
Who'd have thought IT? You and
Faith have been angels, and when
I'm lighting cigarets with ten dollar
bills, I'll not forget you"
'Is pretty nifty, amt it?'' Long"
shuffied his long legs in strange en-
barassment. Say, Kid, Dad'n grad
ually get the old homestead fixed up
coat o. paint next spring, wide new
front porch with swing. Gonna
look pretty good-make a nice fly
trap, If you're stlll-oh, what 1 mean
is, you don't have to marry that old
bozo, that rich geezer. Stick and
land a real guy. Money amt every
thing" he paused, defeated by the
gathering storm in her lovely, sud
denly hard little face.
Mind your own business!" she
commanded him sharply. I'm sick
of being poor! How many chances do
you think n working girl has to land
rich man? And I'd die before I'd
marry a garage mechanic or a coun-
ter-jumper or bookkeeper. may
be young but l wasn't born yester-
day! know when I've got something
good, and I'm not going to let it slip
through my fingers"
Jaw, well, it's your funeral" Long
flushed angrily and swung out of the
room.
The quicksilver temper of the girl
veered suddenly. With a pleased
smile, she went about the room,
touching the new draperies and the
black and red lacquered furniture
with caressing fingers.
mot badY' she murmured. Sweet
old F'aithr'
But her tone changed again to
anger when the insinuating, nostril-
tickling odor of frying onions poured
in increasing waves into the newly
decorated living room. She flew
straight to the kitchen, her eyes
blazing.
Onions! My heavens, Faith
onions! Tonight of all nightsr'
Faith went calmly on stirring the
fragrant brown discs in the frying
pan. dad made a special request
for steak smothered with onions, and
I didn't see that there was any rea-
son to deny him. He. doesn't often
express a wish for any particular
food, and when he does he's going to
get it, as long as 1 am cook on this
ranch. If your Mr.. Cluny's nose is
too aristocratic for good honest fried
onions, he can follow it right out Of
this house, and good radiance"
dad did it on purpose, just to ag-
gravate me!' Cherry stormed futile
ly. "How's Muggy today? 1--we
got to tell her-about Mr.. Cluny, you
know. He's coming at $780,"
"She's had a hot bath and is lying
down, resting up for tonight. She's
as excited as a child over your sur
price I'd hate to have your job,
Cherry. It'll be on your head If this
brings on another heart attack"
"Oh, I'll manage her." Cherry re.
torted airily. Leave it to mel I'll
make her like it."
The rest of the family never knew
what took place between Mrs. Lane
and her favorite daughter, when the
two retired to Mrs. Lanes bedroom
Immediately after supper. But some
how Cherry made good her promise
to make her like it." for Mrs. Lane
dressed herself in her best-the navy
blue. polka-dotted foulard, whose
white collar and cuffs Faith had
found time to launder crisply-and
took her place in the living room
pleasantly excited, to await the aged
suitor's arrival.
Just before $3.50 Cherry emerged
from her room, fragant with French
perfume, almost heart-breakingly
beautiful and childish in a knee
length dress Of crisp white taffeta
her slender, boyish hips defined
with q wide crushed sash of orchid
satin ribbon, a Lovely mauve and
yellow orchid-Mr. C1uny'a gift.