The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-09-13
CHAPTER /


groan. The family paid no atten-
ton. "Mother," or "Mom," or
"Maggy." as she was variously called
by ncr children, always groancd when
she sat down or pulled herself UP
o..s Of chairs, and tncy were used
to it. /
where's Cherry, Faith? She'll ba
late for work. You shouldn't lett
her oversleep SO often" Mrs. Lane
spoke with the complaining, mar
tyred voice Of the chronic invalid.
II called her forty-five minutes
ago" Faith Lane deposited q plat
ter Of fried eggs and bacon upon the !
big round table, and wiped q cling |
ing strand Of straight, dark brown !
hair from her perspiring face with
the back Of q work marked hand. !
II really haven't time to keep going
back to her room to see If she's up"
In her large, wistful brown eyes-her
one Aood feature, the family said
there WIS a flash of resentment.
"Don't speak to your mother in
that tone Of voice, Faith!' Mrs.
Lane reproved her automatically
I nat new bungalow apron looks real
nice on you, Faith. That pink kinda
livens up that sallow skin Of yours.
Amt it sorta short. thought" Her
did figure of her twenty -year-old
pretty like Cherry!
mo. it's not too Short" Faith
said. "lt's three inches below my
knees and Cherry wears hers so the
knee cap shows. She made me short
en- that new green organdy l made
her"
"Now. Faith, there you 60! You
can't say kind word for poor little
Cherry! Cherry can wear knee
dresses--she's such . tiny midget.
That pale green organdy sure sets
off her cOppery curls, doesn't it!
Joy, don't take so much butter! With
butter sixty cents a pound, 1t does
seem to me-Jim, for heavens sake,
watch what you're doing! You can't
read the paper and stir your coffee
| ut the same time, without stopping
it all over the tablecloth! Oh, dear!
This house always looks like q
cyclone had struck IT,!
Jim Lane lowered his paper and
smiled dim, uncertain smile ut his
wife, his brown eyes twinkling ut
her through steel-rimmed spectacles.
!, "All right, Martha. Don't upset your
digestion. Take things little easier.
| honey" His thick-knuckled, broken
| nailed hand reached for the spoon
with which Joy, his youngest daugh-
] Observation-Disclosures scooping
/, into the egg platter. Don't be
!. greedy, Chicken little. Only one egg
apiece. Junior and Cherry have to
eat yet, you know. Faith, honey.
| where's JuniOr?"
| II wish you wouldn't call me Jun
| ior, Dad" The tall, very thin, good
! looking boy paused to straighten his
new dark blue, polka dotted tie ut
i the murky mirror of the sideboard.
+, "Gosh! I'm twenty-one! I'm not =
kid. The fellows call me Long and
] don't see why you have to Junior
me all the time, as IL ] was three
/; years old! Hey, Faith! Aintcha got
no hot toast! This stuff's as cold as
| gold d-digger's heart"
"Your name isn't Long Junior
or Jimmy, il that suits you better"
his father answered reasonably.
"L0oks to me like you'd be ashamed
Of being called Long Lane"
"It's = long lane that has no turn
ing" Joy laughed shrilly. "That's
where they got his nickname, Pop.
He's about the longest lane in the
world, ! guess. Amt we got q silly
name-Lane? Me-Joy Lane! All
the kids tease mccall me 'Giggly
Alley! And Cherry Lane-the kids
say that's q street in New York.
"Cherry's name is Charity, I'd
thank you to remember" her mother
interrupted sharply. Faith, Hope,
Charity! thought they was lovely
names. But with Hope dead-God
rest her blessed little soul!-|
and Charity calling herself Cherry
her voice trailed off, dropped to .
minor note Of dissatisfaction with
her children. with life, with every
"Well, Mother. they haven't nick
named me-" Faith smiled at her fond
ly, as she filled the half-empty cup
at her mothers plate with fragrant,
steaming hot coffee, and handed her
brother plate Of thin. crisp toast
fresh from the oven.
"Yeh, Faiths the only virtue We
have left" Long grinned. where's
the Charity that turned into q
Cherry? Say, that kids out too late
at. night. Somebody cughta put her
wise to herself. She's getting her.
Sev1 v6sAOO 6DOuV oVMosnsH8 AseSSCs
SIS that $50! Well, Mr.. Smarty,
self!" Cherry Lane appeared in the
dining room door, like a tiny, green
clad fairy, magically summoned. She
stuck tiny pointed tongue be-
tween the ripe. full lips Of her small
mouth, then whirled to the mirror
In the sideboard. to rum her rosy
tipped fingers through the mass Of
short, copper-and-gold curls that
rioted over her small head. Then
she smiled at her image, crinkling
her short nose, and her t0pa1 eyes
cleaned with appreciation Of her
charms.
III You don't lay off me, Long
Lane, I'll tell Mussy about Fay Al
| len"
"Aw, shut up! Mind your own
business! Better feed your face and
beat it, or you'll be late for work
again, and come home tonight with
great song -aad-dance about quitting
because the boss got fresh with you
- -
.Muggy! Make him quit picking
on mel" Cherry Lane jerked chair
from its place next her brother and
drew IL scrapingly across the Eno-
Ileum Of the dining room floor. -
plump herself down - close beside
her mother 90 possible.
"HoW are you this morning, Auggy
darling? Did your bad little girl
wake you up when she came home
last night3 ! walked % care1uiI
And ! tiptosd In 50 easy 70 kiss you
good night You were slesptng Ike
: lamb, and ] just barely tcsehsd