Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-14
Mr.. Jones.
RyILLA CHANDLER answered
che dnorhall with Sn0ozef. the

Il -
Junior, her daughter Bessie's
youngest, in her arms. 1t was
Saturday morning and she had been
up since putting the wash a-soak,
getting the breakfasts, bathing the
Il three young Masons. Bessie had been
UP late the night before and had
arisen late--too late to be of much
service. Besides, she was cross, and
as her husband, George, supported
E the whole establishment. including
& Arvilla, she must be placated. So
Arvilla had ignored the intense heat
: and q growing sense of WEAKNESS and
accomplished her many tasks, includ-
ing that Of seeing that Mrs. Snyder.
the weekly helper, got the clothes
: clean. Mrs. Snyder. 1t may be added,
was long on soap and extremely short
on elbow grease. Therefore for Ar
villa the peal Of the doorbell had
come as nuisance, to. say the least.
At the instant she opened the door
Junior had taken the notion to- turn
bottom side flp in her arms and as
he was very strong, fat baby of z
months and Arvilla a very small,
slender woman of so, she was no
match for him. AS well as she could
for her armful of sprawling legs and
arms she greeted her visitor.
''oh, it's Mr.. Jonesr' she exclaimed
!, and flushed with girlish perturbation.
Mr.. Jones smiled. He was slightly
taller than Arvilla and q microscop-1
ically correct man of 55, beautifully
/ groomed and tailored, with a square
1y cut little gray mustache, gray hair,
gray eyes and a smile that made all
this grayness particularly attractive.
A sunbeam shooting through q gray
/ cloud-that was Mr.. Jones smile,
| Aryilla had always thought.
Dear mer' said Mr.. Jones. And
/ in some gentle, unobtrusive way, he
fighted the baby, stopped his bowls
, by giving him something out Of his
| pocket and pressed Arvilla's hands.
Won't you sit down, Mr.. Jones?"
/ Arvilla asked. She directed him to
the easiest porch chair, slipped the
! baby into q corner OF the porch ham
| mock and sank down herself. 1t is
d very warm morning" she said.
I'D ask you in only Mrs. Snyder Is
washing and Teddy is coming down
with something; he's all over rash.
I'm afraid it's measles" She might
disagreeable, that Lewis, her Oldest
boy, had just bumped his forehead
and that there was an early dinner
! to be got; George had ordered it.
1T is very nice morning" said
: Mr.. Jones. "I thought I'd take q
stroll this way and see how You
were getting on. l. don't want to
bother you, Arvilla, nor keep you
from your work If it is pressing"
'.Oh, no, you don't,m protested Ar
villa. She added with little catch
in her voice: II am sorry that Anita
is not here. You see, she was called
away this morning to nurse Mrs.
: Hicks
was she?" said Mr.. Jones. He
added ciumsily: 81 expected to find
her here, of course
az know you did and I am sorry
she isn't here" said Arvilla, trying
20 keep Junior from rolling on the
porch hammock.
There was silence during which
,Arvilla became vanquished by the
robust Junior. He began to howl
and Bessie appeared.
'Oh, good morning, Mr.. Jones!
Mother, what are you letting him
cry for?" Bessie demanded. She was
q thin, sunken-eyed young woman
snatched her baby angrily and bore
him away, fully convinced obviously
that Arvilla was to blame for his
howlS. There was an uncomfortable
instant and then Mr.. Jones arose.
'I won't deta!n you longer, Ar
villa he said with his sunny smile.
~ see you have your hands fun and
your arms fun as well"
Arvilla faltered.
I at hope you will come again
when Anita is here" she said.
She stood apparently busy tying e
vine, but in reality watching him as
q a., f11a uff TIL
with wistfuI, longing eyes He had
Come to see Anita, her buxom younger
sister, who was a practical nurse and
lived with Bessie when on duty.
Anita was handsome and hearty and
il was no wonder Mr.. Jones admired
alfer. She would make him a vigorous,
clever wife,. She wished that she
were more like Anita, who could get
her own way even with Bessie. She
had never been able to get her own
way with any one. not with her hus-
hand, who was dead. nor his people,
nor with her daughter, who was SO
much like them and so unlike herself.
IA sob slipped from her dry throat.
Bessie was calling and she went in
Later she found a moment to tele-
phone Anita at Mrs. Hicks.
''Nfr. Jones was here to see you
this morning. He didn't stay a min
ute.''s.
"Why didn't you keep him longer?"
Anita laughed.
That was all. The afternoon wore
AWAY in heat and WEAKNESS. Aryilla
ironed roinpers and things. She got
warmer. She put the babies to bed.
Bessie, recovering from her crossness
at an invitation, dressed and went out
with her husband. She would be In
about IL and tomorrow she would be
cross again. assrs
Arvilia darned stockings as long as
she could see. Then she closed her
work basket and sat staring at the
moon. She wondered how II could
look so calm and peaceful when peo-
pie suffered So
'sI'm just tired. she thought. Yet
she knew that there never would be
any chance for her TO get rested.
The baby cried presently and she
went in to turn him over and soothe
him. Then she had to get the older
children drinks Of water.
When she returned TO the yeranda
she found somebody sitting In the
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