Evening star., 1926-10-20
Three Blue Jugs.

TIME breakfast table was laid
with blue for three. In the
center was a giant pink hy-
acinth in a little clay jar skill
fully covered with white crepe
paper. and at each plate was set a
quaint blue jug, marked. respectively,
A, NJ and L.
As Miss Abby Hopkins and Mrs.
Maroussa Drumm took their places at
he table Lucy Glow entered from the
tIny kitchen with a tray containing
the cocoa. toast and cooked cereal.
Lucy did most Of the cooking because
she was so handy at it. Neither Abby
nor Maroussa was handy. No more
han that may be said.
Although Maroussa had not pre-.
pared the cocoa she liked to pour it
Indeed she felt that being the only
married one of the three it was her
duty to do So 1t was treat to
watch Maroussa pour. she crooked
her little finger so daintily and never
Splashed a drop.
What very severe weather we
are having" Abby said She was
thin, and her nose was always a little
red, and when she forgot she was
hug-me-tight over her dark serge and
looked chill.
Why. can't complain of the
weather. 1t suits me- said Maroussa
She wore a thin black silk blouse
which showed off her plump neck
and arms. Maroussa and Abby were
always disagreeing about the tenn
perature. For one it would be too
high, for the other too low. It was
I'll matter of natural insulation,
You see.
As for little Lucy Glow she sided
Mith neither. In fact she was so
huay bustling about mornings that
~he had no time to fuss over the
thermometer. Lucy was Just be-
tNiXt and between, though smaller
than either. Quite a tiny person.
T'th soft. grayish hair, morning
glory blue eyes and a young mouth
that would have been charming save
for its sad droop
There was silence while Abby lifted
Ter blue jug and peeped into it, She
always peeped into it before pouring
Ae milk upon her cereal, but this
n"rning she took the second peep and
~" third. Then she reached over and
ifted LNcy's jug and peeped into
that. also.
What a lot more cream you've
G"t in Your jug than have in mine,
Lucy she exclaimed
Maroussa also inspected Lucy's lug
end compared it with her own.
Her jug has more cream than
mime. too. she said. and looked hard
at Lucy. How do YOU account for
that?''
rs it really So" Lucy stood up to
take peep herself. She was dis
turbed. III is very odd. cousins. I
lhit the three Jugs out every morn
mis- them With cream. No! I believe
i wasn't the boy this morning, but
Mr.. Driscoll himself"
Mr. Driscdll could not make a
mistake Of that kind" Maroussa said.
1T looks. doesn't it, Abby. as If she
poured some of the cream from our
Jugs INTO herso"
1T certainly does" said the severe
Abby.
lucy's cheeks flushed with dismav.
Oh. my dears. You couldn't ac.
tuse me of such a thing in earnest !"
she said. With a swift movement.
she poured from her own Jug into
Maroussa s and then into Abby's.
mere; that makes 1t all right" she
breathed
Don't be absurd. Lucy" said Alb
by sternly. but they used her cream
nevertheless.
AS for Lucy. she ate very little
breakfast that morning.
The three cousins lived together be-
cause they found that they could get
along much better by pooling their in
comes. MarousSa was tired of board
ing. Abby was tired OF living alone.
and Lucy. who had the least income
oi the three. was tired of living on her
friends. who. somehow. never felt
recompensed for the trouble she made
them. even though she worked her
Door little finger nails off 1t was
pleasant TO be with her cousins. too;
~ least sne had thought it was going
10 be pleasant. And she could ele
opt her lack Of income by doing all
the work for the three
When a few mornings later, the
same scene concerning the three blue
Jugs marked with the ladies' initials
lad been enacted at the breakfast
table. Illry waS so distressed that she