The Indianapolis times., 1926-08-09

lounge, looking at herself in a Flo
rentine mirror Of blue and gilt.
And Mr.. Morrell is nice enough,
too, in@his queer way" Mary Rose
went on thoughtfully. But / can't
stand the way he talks about his
wife"
"All men do thatY F1ossie broke
in, covering yawn with two of
her slim little fingers. Show me
the married man who won't roast
his wife to any good looking girl
he meets and III show you a holy
angelr'
Mrs. Middleton frowned at her.
''Flossie! F1ossie! What are you
saving? You mustn't talk that way
about the angels OF the Lord. My
dear, I've tried to bring you up to
be Godfearing--I just wonder If you
ever say your prayers any more
SO you?i
Flossie looked bored Nobody
prays nowadays any more than they
say grace when they eat" she an
swered lightly.
II pray" Mrs. Middleton said very
quietly. And let me tell you some
thing-I never could have lived
through these last few years il It
hadn't been for prayer! Wait until
you have children. my dear little girl,
and you'll find out that God is an
everpresent help in trouble"
Flossie looked at her amiably. "All
right, wait until l have children if
you want to- she chirped. 'But
don't hold your breath"
She turned her sea blue eyes to
Mary Rose. What does thsi bird.
Morrell. have to say about his
wife?" she asked curiously. No one
adored a titblt of gossip more than
Flossie.
"Oh, nothing much, except that
she's jealous of him." Mary Rose
replied, shipping off her darning silk
and rolling mended pair of socks
together. "Of course. there's no
doubt that she is wildly jealous of
him, poor woman! feel sorry
for her"
TN bet she hasn't any children,
that's what I'll betr Mrs. Middle
ton said, after a moment of silence
broken only by the soft ticking of
the little French clock on the mantel-
piece.
Why no, she hasn't! But how
did you know it?'' Mary Rose asked
in wide-eyed astonishment.
Mrs. Middleton looked as wise as
the proverbial owl. "Oh, I-just put
two and two together" she said
smartly. You take a woman who
has a family of children to bring
up and she hasn't much time to i'm
agine things about her husband.
Half the mischief in the world. it
seems to me, is done by these wives
who won't have the children nature
intended 'em to have. The very idea
of woman saying she won't have
children It's wicked, that's what"
She looked straight at lFlossie,
who smiled UP at her lazily from the
cushions that were heaped around
her like broken rainbows.
Hitting me over Mrs. Morrell's
back, aren't you, mother?" she
asked, narrowing her eyes until
they were just a CLEAN of green
blue between her lashes.
''Yse, 1 mean it for you, too" her
mother admitted. This notion that
you girls have nowadays that you
won't have your babies. is Immoral!
And don't think that your husbands
like you any better for it. They
don't, Men want their families"
She stopped and shifted the air.
From the direction of the kitchen
came the unmistakable smell of
burning sugar. That's my pie,
running over" she cried, and hur-
ried away. She always cooked Flos-
sizes meals for her when she spent
the day at the honeymoon fiat.
Mother ought to hire a hall and
be one of these women preachers, -
Flossie laughed, stretching herself
| like a kitten. 81 never did know
anybody who loves to hand out ad-
vice like she does. What's the mat
teri"
For Mary Rose was staring at one
of her little white hands that lay,
like a pale flower, on the, arm of the
long chair. Upon it's third finger
shone ring that Mary Rose had
seen before-the star sapphire that
Hilary Dexter had given her months
ago, when he was at the height OF
his passion for her!
For heavens sake, why are you
wearing that thing?" she gasped.
"This?" Flossie held up her hand
and looked lazily at the jewel
why. I suppose I'm wearing it be
cause It's the only decent piece OF
jewelry I'll ever have! Sam never
notices what I have ON, anyway.
could flash forty 'leven rings under
his nose and he'd never see 'em.
He's as blind as a bat in some
ways"
Even so. you haven't any bust.
ness wearing another mans pres
ents when you're married to him."
Mary Rose told her earnestly, and
Flossie gave an amused snicker.
II never think of the things
Dexter gave me as another mans
presents she drawled They're
just some lovely bits of jewelry that
I have and I'm going to keep 'em
and wear 'em. And you mind your
own business, will your"
Her tone was insulting.
That was on Saturday.
And on Sunday morning, as Mary