The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-02-12

Maisie would clasp her pretty, smooth
plump hands under her chin and, tipping
her head to one side, would murmur "Of
course! If I could have studied. They said
1 had great talent"
Geraldine hated ROssi. She grew sullen,
stupid, and did not seem to understand
anything. With a flushed face, pOuting,
she sat as if turned to stone. She noticed
that her mother wore amethyst earrings
when ROssi came. They shook in her ears,
little points Of violet glitter.
And Geraldine, out Of an obscure need to
be understood, went to her father. He was
in his office, stirring something in the
mortar, and whistling. He was so healthy,
so big, so sane, in that room given over
to sick people, against that background
of grewsOme, cOlOred plates! The heart.
Tne liver. Man. Woman. The arteries.
We'll, Gerry?'
Mothers wearing her earrings. And
Her father went on whistling and stir
ring, squirting at the mixture in the
mortar. His face twitched once or twice.
After a while he said: go" and opening
the door, he went quickly across the hall,
just as he was.
Gerry heard him laughing in there, and
Mr.. ROssi said 80, yes, much talent. In
deed - The front door opened and closed.
and her mother and father talked and
talked. Gerry sat in the patients chair,
her eyes on a fascinating picture of a
disembOweled man, and she was lulled by
that murmur of voices. Then her father
80 ~1A 49,
his eyes
Her mothers eyes were red. "You little
beast!" she said. You jealous, hateful
little beast, to tell him that"
But her father said: Don't scold her.
Maisie! It's my fault. I'm not with you as
sorry for 'em. And I neglect you, whom ]
love more than all the world. You and
Gerry. My girls! Ny babies! !"
Gathering them up, he kissed them both
Gerry was eleven when Maisie died.
The winter had been particularly hard, q
winter Of billiards. and implacable winds
and frozen mud. The prairie was no
beautiful; it was bleak, like an empty sea
One night, in February, the doctor haC
been called to a farm ten miles from Paris
where a man lay dying. MaiSie had gone
with him., wrapped in q buffalo coat, hel
hands tucked into a little, absurd sealskiT
muff. And a week later she had died o.
pneumonia.
Gerry was accustomed to her fathers in
difference. Only now it was deepened By
grief and remOrse. 81 shouldn't have le
her go! But she begged So"
And Gerry cried herself to sleep nigh
after night, because Maisie was gone. Blu
at the same time she was glad Maisie wa
out Of danger. Maisie belonged to them
now.
As Gerry grew up. Will bent over AM
crumpled and grew gray. His patient
drove him, harassed and took advantage
OF him. Il guess 1 won't go on with tn
pioneers. It's Nebraska now, and New
Mexico, and California. GOlly, how II
| like to smell the California saSel But Tn
ossified. Grown into Paris, like a dea'
z tree"
After a while he began to notice Gerry
She was seventeen, now, tall, thin, salOW
with a great bun Of black hair at tn
j back Of her neck and sleeves like balloons
Why, dOggOne it, Gerry. you're a yOun
lady, and I never knew 1t! You'll be hayin
Ia beau neXt!"
7 Gerry flushed. She was angry. "I shout
Z say nOti I'm not at all interested in mel
I'm going to be an artist. I'm going {
Faris some day and study. Mother SAID
Wills rambling attention focused, an
Tor a moment he seemed to be in eOntaS
with a world he habitually. avoided. "Di
sne. now? Paris. France. That's a lon
"She promised 1 could go when I wa
sixteen. I'm seventeen"
The doctor rubbed his chin. Wen go
chicago. There's some sort OF fair goin
on there. I reckon you can see as mu6
art In Chicago as you ever could IN Parl
s france. Maybe more"
ana so they vent, the doctor absel
minded and gentle, Gerry stiff with reeoi
milton Of the marvel. The prairie seemed
d roll back upon the horizon, as if spJ
q upon a bObbin, and the plain gave way
4 suburbs, to crowded streets, 20. ngn'
y noise, people, the glamOrOus lobby OF
motel banked with tubbed palms anQ sta
& req with nickle plated spitt0ons. Ihen q
exhibition grounds, the wheel the Jep
= nese gardens, the great, echOing, Whi
o. halls, the plaster fountains and hero
statutes and midways and payillons. :
\ was. afraid OK her emotion, afraid peoI
= might notice &c, laugh at her. Aren't y
2 having a good timer" be father asked.
To- Yes, Yery!'
good timei
Inc sleeves Of her poplin dress were y
y twin balloons and she wore q -taliofe
u straw hat. Her belt was pinned low
1tont with q twisted silver dragon q
she tried 20 badge in the back, to 5000
nike the women Of fashion. For the ~