Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-21

The next day Byrd awoke at dawn.
The entire world seemed smothered
in a thick mist which thinned out
into a soft haze as the streaming
rays Of the sun cooked il away.
Lights and shadows struggled for
existence.
She lay quite still listening to the
sounds that came lifting along on
the quiet air, the twittering Of the
birds, the clatter and tinkle OF the
milkman's wagon and the steady
chattering OF q neighbours lawn
mowe.r
She lay staring It the ceiling, her
blue eyes shining like stars that had
fallen out of their accustomed places
in the heavens.
She stepped out on the rug in her
slim, bare feet.
There wasn't q sound In the house
except those that slipped in through
the open windows.
She ran into the bath room, spread
the bathmat and stepped under the
shower. AS she looked into the full
length mirror in her room, rubbing
herself vigorously with a bath towel
as big as a sheet, she thought smil-
ingly OF September Morn"
She fiutfed a powder puff as big
rs a pancake over her smooth, white
body.
After Pat had gone, she made out
4 daily chart OF the weeks routine
Of homework, for she had telephoned
an employment agency the day be-
fore and they were sending out a
"colorcd lady,"
Byrd saw a heavy, suuatty, black
figure telling up the street. almost
collapsing under an old battered tele.
scope. and ran down 10 help her.
I'm Mandy, ma'sm," said the wo.
man, between breaths, drops OF pres.
piration ooEing down over her fat.
brown features.
Byrd loved her on the spot.
Il think I'm going 10 like you.
Mandy" she said, impulsively.
There was about her that spirit
OF southern kindness that seemed
to stamp her at once in Byrd's mind
a. just the right person for her
home.
And at the end or the day, Byrd
felt that Mandy was already a fix.
ture. She belonged absolutely to
the Colonial house as if together
they had been lifted out Of the
eighteenth century and set down
here to finish living.
"Jes' a house after ma " heart"
said Mandy, after Byrd had shown
her through it. Mandy commented
ext~ravagantly on every detail. Laws
sakes. ef you amt got a lectric
washing machine, too. Washin' with
them contraptions ia just play" And
st a question from Byrd, "Yas'sm,
I'm a good hand at tinkerin' with
them"
Every woman experiences a ting
ling citation at the idea OF freedom
from the daily grind of homework
but with Byrd there was mixed with
1t a feeling Of vague discomfort at
the thought CT paying out sixty dol
lars a month from funds somewhat
uncertain.
Sixty dollars a month would buy
many necessities. but wasn't Mandy
a greater necessity
"I1l say she isl" said Byrd, slang
lily. to herself.
Byrd decided to 20 to Jacks Of
flee Immediately and have il out
with him on the matter of Larry's
buying those shares Of stock. She
tucked the check for three hundred
dollars in her little shabby purse.
As she started toward the garage
in her grey suit, she felt disguised
with her appearance. Well, it as
her " fault for looking SO dowdy.
And then and there. she decided to
buy some really good looking clothes
for fall.
She saw the name "John r. Dun
q n Investments" printed in bold
type on a row Of doors in the new
Union Mortgage building.
After giving the girl behind the
mahogany railing her name. she
slipped into a chair in the corner
and looked about her with wide cur
ious eyes.
There was a grandeur about the
suite that opened UP, one room in
to another. like a luxurious apart
ment. This room. With its uphol-
tered pieces, heavy 5rocsdes nj the
windows. a carpet or green moss.
soft and deep to the stsP. deep ma
horany psnnclling that ran almost
to the ceiling. bowls Of roses. made