Evening star., 1928-12-30
husband or her own baby's fat little
or,,na oro111d Ior Yock

II HOPE YOU'LL
husband or her own baby's fat little
arms around her neck.
What had been jolly, social, match
making scheme seemed suddenly to me
to be almost holy trust. I felt that
it was all up to me. just couldn't
let Louise's life be left so empty.
We girls would all have to get busy
now and work quick. The alarm, so
far things had gone with Louise and
Mr.. Pawling, but knew that they'd
got to be speeded up now.
Some way, had feeling that Mrs.
Curley would probably not be taken
sick until after the musical show was
over. She just loves to be in on any,
thing like that. But time was fright
fully short. It was only three days
now till the show would be pulled of.
I spent the morning trying to think
of some dignified, tactful way to hint
to Louise that tempuS was fugiting and
she'd got to work fast. That is a
rather delicate thing to get across tact
fully to a girl who dosent know what
you are getting at Besides, knew her
mother would maneuver now so that
Mr.. Pawling alone.
She was to have this one afternoon
though, happened to know.
mfr. Pawling's asked us to drive over
to Verblen with him to see his store
that his brother left him." Mrs. Curley
had told us, before she had known
what was afioat, Wednesday afternoon.
I had had to think quick.
"Oh, isn't that a shame! said.
''The girls in the chorus wanted to re-
hearse their Shine On, Moon,' We'd
nesday afternoon"
The girls hadn't heard of 1t, of
course, but I knew they'd stand by me.
"Oh, dear!" Mrs. Curley exclaimed.
''Well, maybe Mr.. Pawling can take US
some other day"
But. as it happened, Mr.. Pawling.
couldn't, and we girls had fixed 1t so
that we couldn't possibly rehearse any
other time. So Mrs. Curiey was going
to stay reluctantly, to play for us
after we'd told her how her playing
was all that was holding the chorus
together at all-and Louise and Mr..
Pawling were to drive over to Verolen
alone.
WAS walking home from rehearsal
l. a little after 5. Mrs. Curley was
still back in the Sunday school room,
going over the 'Darkling lie the snao-
ows" with the altos.
I was walking slowly, 1t was such
heavenly Spring day. 1t had been
raining, but It had stopped, and the
twilight was so sweet and fragrant IL
almost brought tears to your eyes.
Little drops hung. on the purple mac
bushes; the forsythia was out, gay ana
yellow, in every yard; there was that
sweet Spring smell of the earth-gar-
dens that had been freshly plowed.
AS I came in sight of the Curley
house saw Louise coming down the
steps alone, and all my anxiety was
suddenly over. At the first glance l
had of her face knew that our job
was done. We wouldn't have to man
age Mrs Curley any longer; we needn't
have anything more to do with the al
fair. AS far as our part was concerned,
the deed was done. Louise-there was
no mistaking the look on her face-had
taken affairs into her own hands.
In that one afternoon something
magic had happened to Louise Curley.
She wasn't any longer the quiet, dull
almost elderly girl who had gone to
Women's Club meetings and worn
clothes Just like her mothers.
Her cheeks we're simply flaming, her
eyes fairly shone out light. Young
she was as young as the yellow Tor
sythia.
At first, though she saw me. she
didn't seem to be going to stop: Tnen
she apparently thought better OF IL ana
came toward me, half running.
She caught my hand tight, looking
right into my eyes. 80
Listen, Dotty. you girls all like
mamma-be as sweet as you can to her,
won't you?"
"Of course we will, Louise" I prom
ised
Then noticed the suit case she had
in her hand. It was big and 1t must
have been heavy, but she carried 1t as
lightly as though 1t were flower or
flag: =. ,.. s.-,,,.
to believe my eyes. You're elopingp
yes" she said, "I've got to. can't
help myself. I gave it up once, and
can't again. I've got tol You'll be
sweet to mother. won't you? I'm so
sorry to be doing it to her" Her eyes
filled with tears, but they were queer
sort of tears. 1t was as though fire
were shining through them, ike the
sun on the dripping forsythias.
"I-I hope you'll be awfully happy,
Louise" said. awkwardly.
There didn't seem to be anything
you could say to any one so unearthly
radiant.
She leaned. over and kissed me.
Then, catching up her suit case. she
ran away down the avenue. The heavy
bag seemed fairly to float along beside
her. 1t was as though she were flying.
stood for some little time, just look
ing after her. We'd put it over. eThere
was no doubt of that. But little had
we known what we were putting over.
felt as though we had been thinking
we were making bread pudding. And
all the time we had been making angel
food.
1t was breathless and so sweet 1t
hurt, like the smell of Spring in the
twilight. I felt that for moment l
had been looking at flaming miracle.
Love Is certainly the strangest thing
in the world. / finally pulled myself
together and started on home, to put
the cereal on for the twins.
"And just to think" thought to
myself, amazed and incredulous, "of
feeling like that about q man who
gargles!"
TT was nearly 10 o'clock that night
when Dulcie called me up. She was
as excited as had been.
What do you think of Louise Cur
aha avrla iT.aaN hra thInea1u