Evening star., 1927-11-06

pound on the floor like that Stop
it, dear). /. He has little tempera.
ature, and | thought I'd just .
what? What did you say? l couldn't
catch that last-(Lover. take that out
of sisters mouth this minutei You'll
kill EerD L. Aren't they terrible, . {.
| wanted to get out to see the over
blouses that-Put that down. Put it
I down, Mother said. Put it . p
Crash! Walls. Tears.
Ma and Carrie had conference.
IF ] have to stand much more Of this,
I'll be a raving maniac, that's all.
1t was decided suddenly that Ma and
Pa Cowan were to so away. Allan
tic City. One of the girls would go
with them. Evelyn. you go. No,
you. It'll do you good. You need it
more than l. No, / won, leave the
children. You're with them too
much. that's the trouble. The trouble
with whom, please? Oh, nobody.
In the end, Carrie went. On Eve
lyn's face. as she stood in the door
way. waving them good-by, there was
look of anticipation. Carrie thought:
IN bet she's going TO give party
while were gone. The girls in for
luncheon--or even a dinner, with the
husbands, too, and that bachelor
brother-in law of Daisy's. And her
own silver and china and linen un-
packed for it,"
They BUNDLED away in the taxi.
Evelyn went into the house and began
to telephone. Junior and Dorothy
were drawing with colored crayons.
my angels" said Evelyn. Mothers
angels. It's Frightening up. You
can both go out, just as soon as it
gets little drier. Hello :. Daisy?
Listen. The family's gone to
Atlantic City ..."
x * = x
pA COWAN, on a holiday, was no
nigGard. Seats in the parlor-Car.
No stopping al one of the ramshackie
sidestreet hotels. but at a fantastic
rocco pile on the board walk itself.
The doorman and attendants wore
uniforms of French blue with
scarlet lapels and pipings and facings
and gold buttons and white gloves.
They rather overawed Mr.. and Mrs.
Cowan, but they stimulated Carrie.
Their backs were SO fiat and their
waists 30 tapering and their buttons
and gold braid glittered so.
Two bedrooms, connecting, with a
bath for each. and you could see the
ocean from both of them. There
was cretonne. There We're dressing
table lamps. with pert slken shades,
and queer ventilator over the door
and push buttons labeled Maid. Wait
er, Valet. A rush of eXhilaration
shook the three as the women un-
packed.
From Pa Cowan: "Well, l think
YOU ought to stop fussinG over those
valises and get out. That's what
we came for I'll meet YOU down
stairs And don't he all day
Pa was quite masterful on holi-
day. A false courage buoyed HIM
He was conscious of little feeling
of lawlessness within himself, as were
the two women. Ruled as they were
by each other. bound by a thousand
fingers of family devotion.
each longed to he free for a brief mo-
ment; to fare forth; to prance; to seek
the unaccustomed and forbidden.
AS they started down the board
day. you saw n family of three
father. mother. aushter-middle-cl
weil-to-do.
This is great said Pa Cowan
This salt air. Makes you want to
step out. Come on, you girls. Step
out" He stepped out with what he
fancied to he jaunty stride, his
shoulders held stiff1y back, his head
up. You saw merely an old man.
rather rheumy-eyed from the salt
tang, jerking along with a stiff motion
that was at once comic and pathetic.
Every now and then he said "Ha"'
and breathed deeply. '.Ha."' He
thumped his chest. my colds better
already. / can feel it breaking up"
They walked. They rode in chairs
The women stopped before windows
spread with Madeira embroidery.
with drawnwork handkerchiefs, with