The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-06

urm.
dress with the other, giggling all
the time. Then suddenly the gig
Cling ceased, andNshe began to moan
a little. Watching her face in the
mirror, Mary Rose saw that it's
flush had given way to a ~greenish
pallor.
Sick moaned Flossie. and shut
her eyes. She swayed. Mary Rose
ran to catch her. AS she drew her
across the room and half lifted her
on to her bed, she heard her mother
crying behind her.
Lets mix up some baking soda
and give it to. her." Mary Rose sug-
gested. She's sick at her stomach.
If you'll run down and get it, dear,
I'll try to get her into bed" f.
BY the time she had Flossie into
her pink nightgown her mother was
back with a tumbler of soda and
water. Flossie eyed it suspiciously.
whats that drink" she asked
thickly. IF there's egg in it, I
won't touch it! I hate an egg drink
-jush hate it. Gin and orange joosh
for me-"
"Never you mind what's in it,"
Mary Rose broke in brisklp. She
slipped an arm under Flossie's little
shoulders and half-lifted her from
the pillow. It'll settle your stom-
ach. Here, drink it,
She held the tumbler to her lips,
but after one taste, Flossie made a
face and refused to touch another
drop of it. mo, thanksh," she said
politely, 1--WE had enough. Tashtes
like dynamite, anyway"
She turned her face to the wall
and seemed to study the wallpaper,
while Mary Rose and Mrs. Middle
ton looked down at her in dead ST.
lence for a few minutes. Presently
the blue birds and roses that formed
its pattern.
Blue bir's," she muttered. "Blue
bir's for happiness. But who's hap
ply? l ask you that-who's happy?'
mot me-" she went on drowsily,
OIICI ii IllOlllGill, dlloN SllIlS ISISGll
c"Not Dex-"
And having delivered herself of
that. she suddenly and surprisingly
went off into a deep sleep. And as
she slept she snored.
Mis-. Middleton looked at Mary
Rose through the mist of tears that
dimmed her. tired blue eyes. "She
said 'Dex.' Did she mean Mr.. Dex-
ter. do you suppose, Mary Rose? Do
you suppose she's been out with Mr..
Dexter from the works? She couldn't
have meant him, could she? He's
married."
Mary Rose met her mothers eyes
without flinching-those innocent
blue eyes of the woman who had
spent most of her life out of the
world, in the four walls of this little
house. How could she know any
thing about these New Times when
the girls we used to think of as
Sweet Sixteen are called Shebas
and Sheikees and Flappers? When
Youth goes with its skirts knee high,
it's face thick with paint, and a
cigaret in it's sweet mouth
You'll have to- ask her. Mother"
she said Quietly, and even as she
said it she could see. from the corner
of her eye, the gold vanity case that
Hilary Dexter had given Flossie,
lying on a corner of the dresser!
Il tried to keep it all from her.
! did my best she told herself an
hour later, as she lay in bed, star
ing at the white dawn as it crept lin
through the windows and revealed
Flossie, lying in a heap, sleeping as
If she were drugged.
When she heard the clock in the
hall downstairs strike six she got
up and took her bath. rs she
dressed and went downstairs to put
the coffe on her footsteps were soft
and slow, as if there were a death
in the house.
When she had drunk a cup of the
strong. hot brew she went upstairs
and looked into her mothers room.
The shades were drawn, and Mrs.
Middleton lay peacefully sleeping.
Without a. sound the girl closed the
door and tiptoed away.
Flossie was awake and sitting up
in her bed. Except for a large
bruise on her forehead. she showed
no i'll effects of the night before.
Her eyes were large and dewy with
sleep, and her cheeks were flushed
to a wild ose pink.
"Whee-ee," she said. "I feel like
this And she crossed her eyes
like Ben Turpin to show just how
dizzy she felt. What did / do last
night? Get into a fight with a street
a or a gattling gun or something's
She rubbed her bruised head. Il
feel as If 1 had" she added. And
l seem to remember you and Mother
trying to get me into bed.A What
ever happened to me?"
Mary Rose looked at her coldly.
fCVy~.. - H., - 4 - 49, I'll