Evening star., 1927-11-06

the sunshine on the veranda. She was
thinking: Il suppose this is doing me
good. Good-for what? Suppose it
is! Then what? =. l wish :. No
wonder Evelyn's so nice to Daisy,
with that brother-in-law -. Poor Ev.
A pretty bum time she has, Jumped
in with us E. I'll be glad to get back
| tomorrow. What's Ma doing?
Sleeping? :. I'll be old, too, in few
years. and I've never lived minute" ;"
She shut her eyes, but not in sleep.
Down in the baths-separate depart
| mentS for men and Women--Ma Cow
an, red of face, was seated in an cleo
trio bath cabinet, her head sticking out
/ of the hole in the top, for all the
| world like a guilotine victim on exhi-
bition. The attendant, a plump, dark
| haired, eyeglasscd woman, was lean
ing against the cabinet, watching its
temperature indicator. She had seen
these stout old women go off into a
faint when they weren't used to bath
cabinets. Ma Cowan was confiding in
| her. Patients always confided in her.
And another thing l always wanted
to do was take bath like this, and a
massage. But you know how it is
You think you'll do a thing and then
YOU never get to it. I've always had
kind of full figure and. if l could
have done the way lots Of other WON
en- do. take massage and baths regu-
| lar"
Don't you think you'd better come
out now?" said the woman. You've
| been in Is minutes. Usually we
don't--' She regarded Mas plump
purple face II little anXiously. You
feeling all right"
| Grand. l can just feel myself get
ting thin. How much do people usu
ally lose in a treatment"
We'll" said the woman, half
pound or So"
Imagine, I1alf a pound, ant. no eff
| fort. When I married Mr.. Cowan /
had nice figure. They wore those
tight-fitting things then. and / could
| carry them off to perfection. Those
days hips were not something to be
ashamed Of"
Don't you think you'd better come
out now?"
"I'll sit here another minute. with
the heat off. It's funny how l came
to take this bath. l saw the sign up
in my bathroom. was just going to
take nap. And thought to myself,
why couldn't | treat myself to some
thing III always wanted? l guess
what i had done before started it.
Don't YOU get the funniest notions
when you're on Il holiday? I sneaked
off from my daughter and bought an
orchid silk set-nightgown and step
ins and petticoat--that I'll never wear.
An old woman like me. But I've al
ways wanted one. When I was mar
ried they never heard of such n thing
as crepe de chine underwear. My land,
no, Muslin, with ruffles of embroidery,
and high-necked, long-sleeved night
gowns. My married daughter, Evelyn.
doesn't have any sleeves at all in hers.
That is, she was married. She's
widow. / don't know what I'll do with
the set. Give it to her, probably. An
other thing l always wanted was A
red silk dress. l think dark women in
red always"
You'd better come out now" said
the attendant She wrapped Ma Cowan
in sheet and the treatment pro-
ceeded. SoapinG. hOsing. shower. mas
Sc ge. Ma Cowan bulked huge on the
table. The treatment ended she was
weighed. 1--we lost half a pound
and she stepped down from the scales,
shaking the room. 1t was as though
a mountain were to rejoice because Il
pebble Lad rolled down from it's peak.
Up in her room she found Pa. He
was asleep and breathing stertorously.
She lay down in Carries room, feeling
delightfully."- drowsy. She thought of
tue oiNllhi ticpe uc CHllc ST. III Ilei
suitcase.
CARRIE, coming in a. S. found
- them both asleep. Pa had actually
to be shaken before he could he reused.
Both of them, as the lights were turned
on. looked queer Ma'a face was very
red, and she said she felt one of her
headaches coming on. Pas face was
ri md c-t,. nd bad RI
greenish tinge.
Don't you feel well?" the two WON,
en- asked him.
Sure. Why shouldn't I? Slept too
long. / guess. Foolish. Come to At
lantic City and then sleep yoIr time
away"
At dinner he looked gueerer than
ever. Mrs. Cowan looked queer, too.
I'm just going to have plate of
soup" ':e said. My heads begin
ming"
No one suggested picture. They
sat in the lounge.
I'D like to take walk" said
Carrie.
"You don't want TO walk alone.
And I've had all the walking ! can
stand. I'm going to bed early"
I'm going now" said Pa Cowan.
He got up. Man at the door says
it's turned out rough. And fog.
Says therell probably be a storm
by tomorrow"
Mrs. Cowan sat half hour longer
with her daughter. Then she sue
cumbed. I'm dead. I've got to go
up. You don't want to sit here alone.
do you, Carrie?'
IA little while. Until the music
stops"
She sat there alone in an enormous
armchair. Little groups sat all about.
The orchestra was playing $50 This
Is Love" When the piece was
finished Carrie went up to her room.
Getting rough" said the splendid
elevator attendant. looking like
glorified Coldstream Guard.
Carrie went to her room. She
heard her mother moving about. She
opened the connecting door and stood
mother thrust something hastily out
Of sight
"My land, You scared me. / didn't
hear you come in" She was in
kimono and slippers. She nodded
toward the bed. "He's sleeping again
He was asleep when l came in; here
it's only 10 O'clock" The old man
was breathing heavily
'Out of doors so much" said Car
rie. vaguely. "Good night" She
shut the door. Once In bed. she was
conscious OF listening to something
; like slow and regular drum-beat
!, The sea. The great gray.blue waste,
/ lying there beyond the boardwalk. so
i Tat and smooth. like back drop in
theater. And now 1t had wakened
oom--hoom-hoom. A drum, calling
her. She went to the window and
; looked out. How much nearer it
seemed from her high window than
1t had been when she was passing
1T by day and on level with It, Now,
great black beast. 1t lay below her
window, calling to her.