Evening star., 1927-10-20
Cupboard Love.

YJNE HAYS bit her lip with yex.
s, alton and tapped her toe with
Z eimpatience Here she was
adressed for Mrs. Mason's bridge
party vet likely to be late. for
opposite her old Miss Fry was sitting
in the winged chair> as if she meant
never to leave 1t. 1t was an unhappy
coincidence that just as June should
be about to leave the house old Miss
Fry should enter. June had been
texnpted to say, oh ] am so sorry
but l am Just ready TO go to Mrs.
Masons.'' only she knew how Miss
Fry felt about Mrs. Mason. In order
to protect Mrs. Mason from scathing
denunciation she had sunk upon the
sofa and faced her visitor with q
, smile.
You like real nice" said Miss Fry
rocking sociably. She was a thin old
woman with long upper lip anc
shrewd, dark gray eyes which
watched her scanty hair. did Jessie
Pratt make your dress or did you buy
ite oh, you got 1t in the city. Well
now ! was thinking Jessie couldn't
na%e-ione that elaborate edgtng on
her4picot- stitching machine. But she
sews we'll enough to suit me. / don't
prAtend to be- stylish and / know just
how bad Jessie needs every cent she
can get hold of now her pa is SO
poorly. But I suppose a lot of folks
will follow that Mrs. Mason now that
she's undertaken to start the fashion
here in Peckville."
June flushed and tried to laugh at
alt that speech implied.
"0f course" went on Miss Fry
thoughtfully, you've got to neighbor
with the Masons because you live so
close to them-but can do as please
about it. Not that / begrudge them
their fun only l do wish they'd pc a
little more quiet about it. Lofty Ed
wards never slept a mite last nght
count of the racket that went on at
rhe Masons' till long after midnight.
Lofty is frightful nervous. She says
ifthe Masons stay she is going TO sell
her house. 1 wouldn't DO that no
matter how much noise they made.
AsT said, I've nothing again them
except Miss Fry's face grew visit
full II hate to see you so taken up
with them that you don't have a MN
ute for your old neighbors.
I'm not speaking entirely for my
self" Miss Fry fastened on. Ihefe
Mrs Metcalf and Jenny Seymour.
They haven't got good legs to get TO
see YOU with. l have and | shall Keep
on coming yet as long as youH let
me in. You know, June, l thought a
sight of your mother and ] sort OF
promised to look after you. Not that
YOU need me with such a man as
you've got. But / do want you TO
feel I come to see you for your own
sake and not just because am cup
board lover"
PA what" June asked sharply.
IA cupboard lover. It's an old story
about a woman who had lots of COM
pany Just because she always kept
i1er cupboard full of good things to
eat. She sort of caught on and
cleaned out her cupboard and then
she didn't have any more company.
You see she found out who her friends
were. Well. see you're getting un-
easy TO go some place so I'll leave
But I'll come again. Sure as my
names Mary Ann Fry"
The old woman rose and walked to
the door. There she turned as If she
would say something more, but after
a look at June she went out silently.
June. angry and flushed, caught up
her coat and hurried to her appoint.
.ment. Mrs. Mason received her with
n kiss. She, was a cream-colored wom'
an, large, handsome.
81 sent for you to come early. be-
fore the others, so we could have a
bit Of talk" she said.
June was illumined with pleasure.
How nice to be singled out this way
for some special confidence.
You see,'' went on Mrs. Mason.
studying a highly pink finger nail,
"Hariow's brother and his wife are
coming to visit us. Harlow's brother
is secretary. and treasurer of the
c. R1J.s -Co.--of course. you've heard
Of that. His wife was a De Peyster.
OF course, you've heard of them. Err
mengarde is certainly the most ex.
elusive person ever saw-as she has
a right TO be. I said TO Harlow over
the grapefruit this morning that
was so glad I could depend upon one
person at least to cooperate with me
in entertaining our guests, ] am going
TO give a luncheon--I don't know how