Evening star., 1926-10-30
THE EVENING STORY

come. first served" And the girl
literally pushed the astonished Mi
randa into the house before she could
frame protest. BY the time May
French called she was ready and
they Joined her and the three women
hurried, chattering, down the street
to the big department store which
had advertised the big sale.
IT was a wonderful sale; things
fairly cried aloud to be bought. 1t
nad been years since Miranda had
been in a store with any one but
the solemn Zuba, who stifled any
impulse Miranda might have had to
buy anything but old woman stuff
The French girls were SO enthusia site
that Miranda found herself buying
wonderful things. For a time at
young as they. Her purchases
reached such proportions that the
obliging clerk insisted upon having
the things sent home for her, and
when at last, satiated with the joy
Of buying and handling pretty things,
the French girls and Miranda wended
their way up the street to their homes
she had such a look Of revived hope
and happiness that May and Patty
exchanged wondering looks. 1t was
as II prisoner long used to the dark
and chill Of an underground dungeon
had suddenly been given freedom and
led out into the warmth and sunlight
of full day. 1t was like the joy a
butterfly might feel when it has es-
capped from its chrysalis after it's long
Winter sleep and felt the warm sun
and Smelled the fragrance Of many
flowers and rejoiced that Summer was
before 1t. The girls left Miranda at
her own door almost with a feeling
of awe at the sight of her barred soul.
Patty and May went on up the
street toward their own home and
they were just turning in at their
gate when they met Zuba Carter COM
ing out with a package in her hand.
Zuba was an inveterate borrower and
the girls knew that their mother had
literally been held up again for some
thing. Patty tried to see what 1t was,
but 1t was Mays sharp eyes that
discovered what was in the bundle,
and In COZ sequence she started to
tease.
Il see you've borrowed the silver
again, Miss Carter" she said. II
bet you are going to invite the minis
ter over to supper again. But you
might as well give up setting your
cap for him. for when he sees Miranda
Minch In the new taupe satin dress.
silk stockings and nifty shoes she just
bought he won't look in your direc-
ton again.
Il don't believe a word you say"
snapped Zuba with fire in her dark
eyes. Miranda Minch hasn't bought
so much as a pin without consulting
me for more than 10 years. And
besides I wouldn't allow her to buy
anything but black, and, anyway, she
don't need no new dress. her black
silk is plenty good enough for her
to be laid out in. I've told her so
again and again and she'll make a
fine looking corpse
We'll" said May French mis-
chievously. Il predict that she won't
be corpse for a good many years,
but she will be fine-looking bride in
that taupe satin, especially if she has
a touch Of creamy lace on the waist.
l can shut my eyes right now and
see her standing before the altar,
with the Rev. Mr.. Spicer all dressed
up in his best black. 1 suppose,
don't you, Miss Carter. that the
bishop will marry them"
But Zuba did not wait to hear any
more. She tore down the street and
hounced into the house where Miranda
Mlnch still sat enveloped in all the
glory of her emancipation. What
happened between the two women no
one ever exactly knew. But Zuba. to
the joy of all the neighbors. was
thoroughly vanQuished AS for
Miranda, she fairly bloomed. The
taupe satin called for so many things
tnat before she knew 1t her life was