Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-26

CHAPTER XXXvIH

CHAPTER XXXvIH
Mile came home from the hos
pital on the first Sunday in Novem-
Der. 1t was a chilly day. full OF
high winds and driving rain.
At 10 o'clock John Nye te~lephoned
that he was going TO bring her home
in his closed car and wanted TO know
II Mrs. Jerome would like to drive
with him to the hospital.
Il surely would love 10 60, Mr..
Nye!" twittered Mrs. Jerome, smiling
and nodding into the telephone as II
he could see her face from his end
of the wire. "I1l go and get dressed
right away"
She numbered into her bedroom.
"I1l say she's getting dressedi'
declared Mabel, the disrespectful one,
10 minutes later. "She's put on a
hug-me-tight and a silk muffler and
. short oat and a long coat over her
dressi She looks like a tramp out
for a hike. What do you call the
ones who carry their whole ward
robe on their ~backs-bundle stiffs?
Well, she looks just like a bundle
stiff"
She began 10 giggle, and Beau
laughed HF<h her from the davenport
where he was stretched out, reading
and smoking.
Mother suffers from the cold,
Mabel" Sally said quietly, as she put
anothel shovelful of camel coal in
the CRATE. Il wouldn't try TO be
funny at mothers expense if ! were
YOU"
Mabel let out another wild giggle.
a2Tk.&t~ 49, IT. Ia -f~frr 80 - -,
all of u.s. She's funny without try
ing to be-"
Sally set her lips and went on
brushing up the ashes around the
glowing CRATE.
She was very tired of having
Mabel around the house. She was
sick TO death, she told herself, Of the
sound of Mabel's silly little laugh.
Disguised with Mabel because Of the
way she made fun of Mrs. Jerome.
Tired of picking up after Mabel. who
seemed TO think that Sally was her
body-servant just because she was
living in the same flat with her.
Mabel had a nasty little way of
ordering her about. "Come here,
Sally, and hook up my dressl" she
would call; or, "Sally, it's 8 o'clock.
Put my coffee on the tablet"
"But / can stand all that, II only
she and eBau pay their board" Sally
had been telling herself all week.
And now il was Sunday-and the
board money, which should have
been paid into her hand the night be-
fore. had not been paid. Nor had
either Beau or Mabel said a single
word about IL.
So Sally was worried, as she went
from TO room, busting ma
hogany surfaces. watering the
plants, setting the dining room table.
"Put on an extra plate today.
Sally. I'll ask Mr.. Nye TO have din
ner with us when he brings Mile
home" Mrs. Jerome said b~reathlessly
as she passed through the room
when John Nye came for her.
Standing az the front ba~y-window.
hidden by the curtains, Sally watched
him help her mother into his big
closed automobile.
"rll never care for n man but
him." she told herself as she stood
there, plating the thin starched mus
lin between her small fingers.
And yet, she reasoned, women did
forget their first disappointment in
love. They married and were happy.
X0u saw AZ HdHHtHANk CNNls AuEs
"a penny for your thoughts, Sim
ple Sisl" burst out { he irrepressihle
Mabel from behind her. and Sally
Jumped. "What are you doing-still
living in Dream street,"
She was standing between the cur-
tains in the doorway and as Sally
turned around from the window, she
began 10 beckon TO her with a
crooked finger. II want to show YOU
something" she mouthed. making no
sound with her lips. and Sally fol-
lowed her out 10 her bedroom.
stake q look at thisi" she cried
when she had locked the door ard
pulled a large pasteboard box from
under the bed. "Rut don't say a
word about IL. 7 haven't told Beau
I bought IL, and he'll raise the roof
when he finds out about Ill He
6nexnt want me 20 have n thing"
She julled n cos of soft golden
brown fur from the tissue paper
trainings in the box. A short coat
with a great puffy collar and great
fluffy cuffs and a lining OF almond
green satin.
II paid SIS down on II yesterday"
abe whispered, "and I'm going 10 pay
10 bucks 4 week for ten weeks more.
Then it'll be mine. Isn't II slickG"
Sally admitted that IL was. She
lacked at the coat with eyes full of
longing. She would have loved 20
own a coat just like Il.
ayou're a dumb cluck not 20 get
some decent-looking clothes your
self said Mabel with vigor. IF you
wore something snappy for once
you'd have me and Mile looking
like Queen Mary's hat What do you
DO with the money YOU make, any
pav7 Stow il wsy in the bank.
sally smiled. "No. | don't put Il in
he hank. Mat~y." she replied quietly
aAnd now that we're on the question
AZ money. Who's going 70 pay your
hoard? You or Beau? Because /
should have had II last night. You
I've will have 20 pay II on the dot,
mabsy. You both make good money"
Mabel laid the fur coat back into
lts snowy wEsppings. She laughed
sSure, we make good money, but