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

idea what it costs us every month
just to live in this house,"
''Oh. I don't mean we'd have this
house TO live in I mean to live on"
Sell it. you mean?"
Rent it, furnished Look what the
Pendergasts pay for their house =
there's big demand for furnished
houses here. We could rent ours like
a hot cake"
And then where would We he?
We'd simply have to 60 out and rent
another, wouldn't We
We could rent little walk-up Nat,
three rooms and kitchenette. some
where-far enough out so that we
could get it cheap. for about a quar-
ter of what we'd he getting for this
house. And then we'd live on the
other threes,uarters.
Like lords"
NO, not like lords" carol met his
smiling sarcasm with insense serious
ness. You'd have To ride An hour
each way on the subway; I'd have.to
do the houseWork. we'd have to scrimn
good deal and plan every nickel we
spent-hut il it meant saving your
business. would YOU mind"
For myself? No"
Then we could do il. Ross.
know we could "
Carol drew the gold peaciI from his
vest pocket. eagerly began scribhling
ON the back of an envelope. Ross
watched with curiosity as she drew
mp a hasty budget Hasty though it
was, II was the practical budget Of
one who had already tried living on
a budget and succeeded
Works out fine on paper" Ross
admitted indulRently. But he was
impressed. in spite of himself
1t would work out really. 100. I
know. Carol was going on II could
make II work out, if | made UP nv
mind to-
All the practica blity. the determi
nation. even The phrases of Carols
kinGsport days, were rushing quickly,
surely back. When the test really
came she simply couldn't he a clinging
vine. All she could think of was her
ardent. urgent need of making Ross
change his mind
Don't leave me out like this. Ross. i"
she begged almost tearfulIv. Don't
think don't know, that can't under
stand. I've been poor and I've done
things-l know what ! can do. What.
ever we do, let's do it together Oh,
Ross, trust me a little"
Ana Ross answered the feeling In
her voice even more han her words.
He cast aside all pretense.
II do trust you, Carol III admit
hate giving up the agency like the
deuce. And ] trust YOU so much that
if 1t weren't for the baby I'd-Weu,
we'd take a chance on it.
I'VE can do it then, Just the same
with the baby. I'm we'll and strong.
We'd find way
How would YOU pay the doctor AMI
the hospital and get what you'd actu-
ally need for the baby? Your. budget
hasn't any margin for that"
Sell the sedan said Carol prompt.
ly. Wed get just about enough for
it second hand to have a really good
doctor and to pay for the hospital and
any emergencies"
And you'd really want to sell the
car. Carol?"
Sell the car I'd sell the hair right
off my head before ia let you sell
your future. Ross. know we can
make it. Why -eagerly-'Iook al
the women who live and have babies
on an income like that, just a matter,
of course"
They're not Your kind of women,
though, sweetheart"
MY kind of women" Carol rose
suddenly from the softly cushioned
divan. My kind of women she
echoed What kind of women do YOU
think ] come from? Helpless. useless
women like Marjorie De Witt? Women
who will Jet their husba nds sink am
bition. pride, the future. everything
else in just taking care Of them
Women who don't play their share Of
the game, who are afraid TO have their
babies till they can have nurseries
and nurses? My kind of Women-I
""ra'e from better stock. Ny mother
was horn over the grocery store that
her mother was running while her
husband worked his way through
medical school. And my grandmother
never knew exactly where she was
born-jlst that her mother was with
her husba nd in a covered wagon some
where along the Oregon trail. That's
the kind OF women ! come from-who
did whatever they had to and stuck
by their men I'm not saying ! can
live up to them. but, Ross. there's no
Use pretending the only kind
of woman / truly want to be-"
For several moments the fire cracked
loud in tense silence Then Ra.s pcse.
roo. put his hands ON his Wffe's
shoulders and looked searchingly down
into her face not down at the SHIN
meiing golden satin, just into her
brave eyes
You mean that"
Carols gaze met his squarelv, strong
with the tested strength OF eight bur-
den bearing years.
Yes" she said simply.
A moment more OF searching silence.
Then:
''All right" he said I'm sold. Well
take the chance together"
He bent and kissed his wife in sol.
emn compact. Then he crossed 10 the
fireplace and threw another log on the
fire, that the warm room might he
warmer still for her. And Carol. slip
ping back again into the shadows.
watched him through the same sharp
tears OF tenderness that always blurred
her eyes as he tiptoed past her bed on
stormy nights to close the windows.