Evening star., 1928-04-08

settings. but always weaken at the last
moment and send them back to the
safe unchanged She had not, Lola
Grafton realized, asked to see the jew
els for month. Timidly she broached
the subject.
"shan't L get out your things.
mother? You've worn that cabochon
emerald for so long. Don't you want
one of your sapphires? Or the big
pearl?"
NO" said Mary Grafton shortly
And nothing more.
The little gayeties and trifles Of her
toilet, her creams. her scents, her bath
salts-these. too, she neglected. seemed
to forget When Lola urged them on
her attention, she waved them away
irritably
And she had liked to suggest new
things for her room. to follow sales and
look over catalogues. trace out bit of
fine walnut or scrap of old silver that
would enhance the effects she loved
Now the catalogues remained in their
wrappers. and she would not even dis
cusS with the decorator the new Sum-
mer curtains she had chartered of only
a little while before.
/ OLA redoubled her care. She was
aSSiduous as never before. And the
most batting part of it was that. so far
as she could see, her mothers physical
condition was actually better. There
were no more headaches. And Mary
Grafton's appetite was good. And her
flesh was roster and more healthy in
color-her lips had less of the purpliSh
tint Of weakness. Watching her, Lola
Grafton marveled. distracted She
didn't know what TO think or what to
fear.
And then. one night. she spoke, in
voluntarily:
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES actually
getting fatl"
She was wholly unprepared for what
followed. This is the last Straw!"
Mary Grafton cried out vehemently.
This is positively the last straw! OF
course, I'm getting fat-of course, I
am; I might have known it--and If
there's anything I hate, it's a fat old
woman. Oh. I could die with rage!"
But, mother-but mother"-stam-
mered Lola.
"Oh, huSh-Eola, hush! / will not
endure word. I will cry out TO the
high heavens. If want to- No wonder
I'm fat, haven't had q chance to
starve myself for weeks. For months,
literally. Oh, what has happened 70
Edgar and Kitty that they never quar-
rel any morei I'm dying for them to
fare up again and put some excite
ment into my life and give me an
excuse to go without my dinner. This
dullness. this perfectly deadly dullness
, will drive me insane, They come over
here and smile at me and pat me and
COO at me until could knock their silly
heads together. I want them TO rage:
want to hear all about 1t? / want to
live over again all the ridiculous quar-
rels I used to have with Roger Graf
ton" She caught sight of Lola's
staring. overweight face, and stopped.
My dear, suppose I scared you to
death" she recommended. III a lower
key. Naturally. you never knew what
delicious time had out Of Edgar and
exactly the spice I needed. They we're
my youth. my own silly, irresponsible
youth. putting all the accent on things
that don't matter. and being deadly
earnest over the most futile trifies I
couldn't tell you---you'd have thought
1t so unbecoming and so absurd of me,
so unsuitable 70 woman of my years
but I'm not woman of my years. Lola
I'm young-Im so young I'm ashamed
OF it. and I want TO feel my youth
through Edgar and Kitty-my own i'm
possible, unreasonable. SenselesS, silly
youth. so exactly like theirs"
There was an instant of silence while
Lola nerved herself to confession.
Mother" she said deSpairingly, IF
you'd only told mel If I'd only guessed!
Oh. it's my fault--my own stupid fault!
1t was who stopped them coming--on
account of your headaches"
"Headachesl" snapped Mary Grafton.
II didn't have any headaches
To this astounding statement Lola
Grafton could make no answer. Her
ewes became aSaucerS OF AnlaZenent