The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-04
Copyright, 1925. by Upton Sinclair,
"You mean Charlie Norman!"

: 'You don't have to do any heroics.
There can't be a shutgun wedding
when the bride refuses to attend"
Tell me about it, Berthe"
"Well, we were in love quite des-
perately for while, and thought
he was going to marry me. But
then | saw he wouldn't lay off other
women, and / thought it over, and
decided, if l had baby he'd have
to marry me, so tried it,"
Good God, Bertie!"
"You needn't make faces. Thou
sands of women do tits one OF
our tricks. But Charles yellow
cur. When l told him about it he
behaved so disgustingly told him
to go to hell. got the name of a
doctor that would fix me up, and
Dad will have a thousand dollars to
pay, and that's all the damage"
"Bertie," he whispered, "why in
the world do you have to do things
like that?"
Don't worry, I'll not do It again.
l had to learn, like everybody else"
but why did you have to do it
once? Trying to trap rich man
into marriage! Doesn't Dad give
you enough money!"
That's very easy for you TO say.
Bunny, you're satisfied to get of In
a corner and read some old book.
But I'm not like that, have to have
a little life. Dad gives me pocket
money, but that's not what want.
| want a career-something of my
own. And don't start preaching at
me, because I'm weak as a kitten
and can't stand anything just now.
| wanted what every woman wants,
a home of my own, and l didn't
want bungalow, l wanted a palaceI
could invite people to, and make
some use of my talents as hostess.
Well, l fell down. and now / want
somebody to be kind to me for Q
few minutes, If you've possibly got
that in you"
1t looked as II the tears were COM
ing into her eyes, SO Bunny has
tened to say, "All right, old girl,
I'll lay off. But naturally was
taken aback."
"You needn't be. The doctor says
it's done a million times year in
the United States. amused myself
figuring that Quits about once
every thirty seconds. Life is a
messy business. Let's talk about
something else!"
1t was time for condolences, and
she wanted to know about him and
vee-was he going to marry her?
He said he didn't know II she would
have him. BERTHE laughed-she
would have all right, she was play
ing her cards cleverly. But Bunny
told how many times she got irri-
tated at him, and why, and that
gave BERTHE occasion for discourse.
She was the same old BERTHE; she
might weaken for a few minutes,
and ask him to be kind, but she
still believed in money, and the
things money bought. She dis
cussed Wee from that point of view:
it would be more dignified, and
safer in the long run, for him to
marry lady, rather than an 40
tress; but all the same. Wee had q
lot of sense, and he might do worse.
To go and wreck their happiness for
the sake of his fool Bolshevik no.
tions-that was just sickening!
Then she wanted to know about
Dads affairs, and how that deal in
Washington was going; would they
really get the leases? And was II
true that Dad had any real pull with
the administration in Washington
Bunny was sure he had; and BERTHE
revealed what she had in mind.
"I've been thinking it over--I've
had a lot of time to think, lying
here. ! believe that what I'll do
is to go back to Eldon Burdick.
He's a good deal Of dub, but you
always know where to find him, and
that seems to me a virtue right
now"
would you tell him about
this?" asked Bunny, wonderingly.
mo, why should I? He's made
his mistakes, guess, and he doesn't
advertise them. He knows I've been
living with Charlie, but | think he's
still in love with me. What | have
in mind is that / could make ca
reer for him; I'd get Dad or Verne
to pull some wires and get him a
good diplomatic post. ! believe I'd
like to live in Paris, you meet all
the important people there, and it's
very good form. We're going to
have to take charge Of Europe, Ell
don says, and think he's the sort
OF man they'll need. How does that
strike your"
"Well, II it's what you want, I've
no doubt you can get 1t. But it'll
be rather tough on Eldon to have
me for brother-in-law"
"Oh, you're going to behave your
SELF" said BERTHE. easily. This il
just sort of children's complaint