Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08

tarOI was wont TO say. w
going to be n clinging vine.
Il Helpless women make the best
husbands"
This was said as jest. but Carol
really meant ii. She knew whereof
she spoke. too. for during eight years
before she met Ross. she had played
her game the other way. She had not
had a great deal Of choice in the mat
ter. at the beginning. one doesn't
when one is left an orphan at *. with
a thousa nd dollar life insurance and
a shabby old house for assets and two
Young brothers and a little sister for
liabilities.
Not much in "A challenge like that
10 make a clineing vine out Of the
eldest. Carol at %. was more like n
sturdy little oak that has triumphant
~ weathered the storms.
Tim q bringing up the family" she
used to say when Mortified friends or
relatives protested that a girl Of her
age simply couldn't do some particu-
lar thing take boarders. or care Of
the furnace or chances of one kind
or another.
'Oh. yes. ! can-if | make up my
mind to it,
And in her inevitable BUSINESS and
natural qualification. she didn't real
iza for long time that she was being
altogether too capable. too resource
full. for her family's good-that one
hv one. they were simply laying down
on her capability. Little sister never
learned 10 cook or sew-WhE Shouts
she. when Carol did both so well?
Young brothers. AS they became able
to. never felt the need of putting their
shoulders to the wheel-whN should
they. when Carols kept it rolling so
SUCCESSFULLY
Being so fond of them, Carol never
came To see them as quite the lazy
selfish loaferS that all three of them
really did become. But she saw
enough And being Carol. she turned
the seeing into a joke instead of into
bitterness After the fashion of men
brought up with capable women. both
the brothers. outraseouSlN young.
married helpless little dolls Of girls
N-ho made them feel capable and
rSanly themselves. And Carol saw
Dick who had complacently lei her
stoke their furnace half the time, leap
to fetch Bounce sewing bag for his
wife. And she saw Ted actually
studying nights toward a better job
because his wife wanted a kolinsky
coat-Ted, who not so long ago hadn't
been above borrowing the money his
sister had saved toward a Winter suit.
and losing il at poker.
And they like the girls all the bet
ter for il. too" Carol marveled.
They Just adore the look that says:
ooh, YOU can do il so much better than
7 could, YOU big, strong. wonderful
man I'm just a poor. helpless little
thing-take care Of me oh. it's the
stunt I'm going to try it myself if
I should ever get married.
But this WAS before she met Ross.
when it was easy to thenrlZe.
CARO1. WAS married 10 Ross Just
~ two weeks after the night they
met Carol had told Ross. Of course,
of having been poor and having struE
eled to hiring up "A Family of younger
brothers and sisters. And Ross had
listened with the same rapt alteration
with which he would have listened if
-.ie had talked about Pata9onian
civilization or the Ruhr, And a dis
ruSSlon of either of these others
would have had quite as much effect
upon Ross perfectly natural plans
for taking care of his wife as other
men he knew took care of theirs.
Two of his friends who had married
were living in CloVerdale. one of New
York Smartest suburbs. and he
drove Carol ont on "A Saturday after
noon 10 inspect the little English type
house that they bought the very same
day.
"Its not 50 very big" Ross admitted
apoloeeticaliy both of his friends
had taken houses half again AS
large-''hut | thought maybe for Just
the TWO If us"
81 think it's the dearest house !
ever saw" TO carols eyes. used to
The Inconvenience shabby old Kings
port place this little house WAS
marvel of completeness and charm.
oh Ross. look You can switch
on the upstairs light downstairs
here" And in the kitchen: And
lust see thiS--holh the hot and cold
water out of the same faucet, oh.
Ross. simply adore this house. Are
vou sure that that-We can
really afford it
Ross smiled al the young enthusi-
asm in her eager voice
III you adore IT," he said. that set
ties it, lis up 10 mo I" hustle
around and see than we can afford ii
They covered every inch of the two
floors
Now lets see the attir,'
There was a finished room and bath
in The attic
Maids quarters" said Ross
Maids quarters"" carol echoed.
will we--for mst u.s."
oh sure" said Ross.
"Rut the work in this little house
would he Ike playing. dolls. II
wouldn't he work at all After our
announcement old Kitchen in Kings
roi-t this one why. YOU don't even
y have to empty the pan under the Ice
box For Just rs ii wouldn't really
he any work ~ all, Ross Don't let's
keep any mad
This WAS what Carol Was on the
very breath of saying. the words that
were lowering Just back Of her eager,
nal.ted Inns Rut she never said them.
For she suddenly recoe niZed the look
on Ross face lender indulgent, pro
tactiNe manly. IN a naive. hoNish way
ius, little hi pleased with himself.
Ard il was look that Carol knew.
She suddenly recalled where she had
seen i; before--ou her brothers faces.
on Dicks as he etched the 2-ounce
sewing -hae far his helpless. adorins
little wife On Teds rs he worked
nights while he tried to figure "ut
bow he Was gong To buy Il kolnshN
coat for Phyllis
Carol swaltowed-a> though she
were swallowing down mt" everlast-
Ing nhlivlon the klugsport Carol who
had carried Whole family ON her
sturdy. efficient little shoulders,
1T VIII he fun L. keep \ maid. '
she said.
Thus did Mrs Ross Mackln If
Clov ertiale Irvine the FIRST tendril of q
clnging wire.
And truly in tloNeriale She was
twining il in the right place. II YOU
are looking fur America ; leisure
lass search among the women "f its
,~loxerda les women Who. rhildless
eeep one maid. With child or 81. too
Rich women are busy lay RESPONSE
h!litN. poor by necessity. professional
women hx competition. Ii is in the