The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-01-29
CHAPTER xxxvII

CtARIEIL A4A<A V IL
IT HE face of the woman har-
dened at the sound Of the
mans voice. She stood look
ing at Barbara, her eyes sweeping
over the details Of Barbara's cos
tune, straight from Fifth Ave.
Then she glanced down at her own
lavender wrapper and ciutched the
wet clothing in her arms still more
tightly. In a moment she was gone
and the sewing room door banged In
Barbara's face
The sound Of quarreling came
from behind the door.
Barbara stood spellbound, while
the voices grew louder and the wom-
an in the room began to cry loudly.
Barbara started down the steps
holly. She reached the hall and
ran through it to the dining room.
Then she pushed open the kitchen
door. The room was empty. Bar
bara ran to the kitchen window.
Mrs. Crumpett was emptying a
garbage pail In a tall can near the
back door. She Strengthened slow
1y and turned toward the steps.
Coming in with the empty pail
she caught sight Of Barbara and the
ready frown visited her face again.
"What's the matter now?" she
asked, setting the pail down on the
grease-stained floor beneath the sink.
who is Mrs. Biggs?" Barbara
spoke as quietly as she could.
Mrs. Crumpett laughed. That's
easy. Ask me another one. She's
the wife Of Mr.. Biggs, Of courses"
Barbara's fingers twisted together.
sSWho is Mr.. Biggs?" she asked,
through tight lips.
The landlady was washing her
hands under the faucet. Hes a
saxophone player in the ten-twenty-
thirty theater orchestra down town.
And a bad egg he is. Knocks her
around when he's drunk and calls
her names when he's sober.
'sThey make a hell Of a noise some
times and any other roomers com
plain. But she seems to like II. Any
how she stays with him, and hangs
round his neck all the time. Some
times don't blame him for swat
ting her. She makes me sick.
'SThey're slow with rent, too"
Mrs. Crumpett wiped her hand on
q slippery towel
Barbara stood waiting, her eyes
fixed on Mrs. Crumpett's face. But
-. - l,D
expression on her face. She was
employed in cleaning her fingernails
with a hairpina
''It beats me-" she rrminated, bit
ing off a hangnai1 'how women will
take that sort of treatment from a
man. say they deserve it If they're
that kind Of worms.
"This Mrs Biggs you was asking
about actually likes the way that
musician fellow treats her. Says her
first husband was an awful swell
Bored her stiff. Said he wouldn't
even let her chew gum around the
house, and wanted to pick out all
her clothes, SOS to be sure they
were ladylike. Told her how short
she could wear her skirts, too"
Mrs. Crumpett put the hairpin
back in her frowzy hair, and looked
at Barbara.
'eYou like your room?' she asked
more amicably. do those buns
make noise and bother you? Be
cause If they do, TIL throw 'enl
out. If they were up with the rent
II would be different. They haven't
even any baggage worth holding
Good radiance, I'd say
She saw that Barbara was in
terested, and waxed more discursive
TITS a fine lot of trouble I've had
with 'em, anyhow. When they first
came here, she wasn't divorced from
the first chap. Walked into q re
spectacle woman's house big's you
please and said they was man and
wife. But soon found out different
and made EN- take separate rooms
Only she didn't move her clothes