Evening star., 1927-09-16

laughter hidden in the cor
ners. She hated to part from that elec'
trio washer. for since it had been IN
the house things had gone smoother
and she had been able to double her
orders for washing curtains and blan'
kets.
ITS a shame, isn't it?" said Lila,
standing in the doorway, hot indigna-
tion in her eyes. Just makes me
boil Oh, I'm sick of this town ana
all the mean people in it! Yes, they
are mean, too, Like old man Romi'
bold, in back of us. high-hatting us
all the time, the old crouch! Living
IN great big house. with servants
and all kinds of luXuries, and we
can't even keep our electric washer.
Don't be a little goose, Lila,
smiled her mother. "Nr. Romlbold
certainly isn't responsible that I'm
back in my payments. even if he is
president of the Fair-Day Washer Co.
They've been very nice and lenient,
lat if | don't have the S25 by the
1St. of course, they must take It
back
It's my fault for getting pneu-
monia. that's what Bills voice, on
the cracking bridge between boyhood
and maturity. "See here, MON. let
me get job-youre not going to go
back to washing blankets by hand"'
young man, you're not going to
quit school until you're through high
school," Mrs. Meade told him posi-
lively
If only earned more Lila flung
out tiercely. pounding a typewriter
for measly twelve per week. Look
here, mother, You got to let me go
TO the city I know | can earn more
there. Mrytle Rodman told me so.
and she's going. Let me so. please,
I'm 10 and 1 hate the people here,
That contemplate Romibold-"
Say. stop knocking Mr.. Romihold;
he's not so bad. Yesterday he stop
ped me and asked how my radio was.
I said Rotten last night and he
said so was mine. Course he's not
so pleasant as Mr.. Crick, but
''Oh you and your awful radio.
I've never heard anything but sQueaks
and squawks and howls from it,
Guess it needs new battery or
something." Bill muttered, reddening.
You forget, Lila" Mrs. Meade
hastily. interposed. that Bill assem-
bled it all himself and worked after
school to pay for the parts, I'm just
sure when the weather clears 1t will
work finer'
Bills face lighted with an idea.
"NIom. I've a peach of an idea. I'm
going to sell my radio and then you
can keep your washer! It's a good
radio: ought to get $40 for it. and
maybe you and Lila can raise the
other five
Lila S laugh fairly rocked the kitch-
en-. Hold me. somebody. Twenty
dollars for that radio! Why not
ffty?"
Perhaps you'd better not sell it,
dear" his mother interrupted gently;
you'd miss it terribly, and I'll man.
age somehow, Billr'
NO. stree! I'm going to sell it,
Bills face positively shone with pride;
''besides, I'd just like to show Lila
that there are some people in this
town who'd be glad to get my radio
setr'
A warning glance from her mother
made Lila smother her laughter, but
when Bill had strutted out of the
kitchen in his noisy No. Boy Scout
shoes she broke out in a low, vehe-
ment voice: Mother, why let Bill
kid himself about his radio? He's
due for terrible disappointment and
he'll be just as disgusted with the
people in this town as I am! You
know his set is no good, and no one
will give him a nickel for it."
I'm not going to smash his first
hope Of helping me- Mrs. Meade an
swered slowly. "Bill's always been in
clned to be little selfish. and now
he's ready to sell something that is
awfully dear to him. He worked SO
hard for that radio"
Mrs. Meade did not sleep we'll that
night; her head ached. Bill had tried
to get stations on his radio until
late hour and the noise had been fear
full, but it wasn't that which kept her
awake She was worried over Lila;
The girls growing discomfort and bit
terness were becoming alarming. The
first stinging remarks about the rich
Mr.. Romibold in back of them had
begun from the first day of her friend
ship with Myrtle Rodman. Mrs.
Meade did not like Myrtle nor the
poisonous little stack of thumbed mag
azines she had left on the library
table And now this Myrtle was talk
ing Lila into going to the city.
In the morning the April sunshine
danced on the worn rag carpet in the
kitchen and Mrs. Meade, using her
electric washer, felt more cheerful.
Might as well use it while | still
have it," she smiled: guess Bill
thought the same about his radio last
night. NV. it was terrible" She
glanced out of the window across the
hedge at the end of her lot and shook
her head There's Mr.. Romibold
prowling around his yard looking as
If he'd bite somebody any minute.
Wonder what makes him so
grouchy?" She turned off the electric
current and thought, Losing this
washer is going to make Lila more
bitter and unhappy at being poor,
And now when Bill comes home I'll
have another one on my hands. He
just won't understand it that nobody
wants his radio.'
But Bill came home with very i'm
portant business like manner Had
an offer for my radio set" he men
toned nonchalantiy, but it wasn't
enough. / can't let it go for $15."
Two gasps and Mrs. Meade and
Lila spoke at once. Bill. Honestly?''
They began to shower him with ex.
cited questions.
Bill made a magnificent gesture Of
Indifference. Its worth twenty or
more. Happened to mention to Mr.
Romibold that | thought of selling
my radio. and he Immediately offered
me $l5 for it. / said Id think it over