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

The next day Byrd awoke at dawn.
The entire world seemed smothcred
in a thick mist which thinned out
into A soft haze as the streaming
Ieys Of the sun cooked Ii 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 81 the
milkman's wagon and the steady
chatterins Of a neighbours lawn
mover.
She lay staring AZ 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 4 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
herEelf vigorously with a bath towel
as big as a sheet, she thought smil-
iRgly Of September Morn"
She fluffed a powder puff as big
as a pancake over her smooth, white
body.
After Pat had gone. she made cut
e daily chart oil the weeks routine
q homework, for she had telephon4d
IN employment agency the day be-
tore and they were sending ont a
"colored lady"
Byrd saw a heavy. squatty. black
figure toiling up the street. almost
collapsing under an old battered tsle-
scope. and ran down to help her.
"Im Mandy, ma'am," said the We
man, between brsaths. drops OF pres
piration oozinE down over her fat,
brown features.
Byrd loved her on the spot.
II think I'm going 20 like Won.
Mandy" she said. impulsive,y.
There was about her that Split
OF southern kindness that seemed
to stamp her at once in Byrd's mind
as just the right person for her
home.
And At the end cf the day. Byrd
felt that Mandy was already "A fix
ture. She belonged absolutely Ia
the Colonial house Is II together
they had been lifted ont ii the
eighteenth century and set down
here TO finish living.
"Jes' a house after ma W. heart"
said Mandy, after Byrd had shown
her through it. Mandy commented
extravagantly on every detail. Laws
sakes. ef YOU amt Tot a '~lectric
washing machine, too. Washin' with
them contrartions IL just play" And
at 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
u a feeling Of vague discomfort az
the thought Of 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
III say she isl" said Byrd, slang
lily. to herself.
Byrd decided to 60 to Jacks Of
flee Immediately and have ID out
with him Oh the matter Of Larry's
buying those shares of stock. She
tucked the check for three hundred
dollars ia her little shabby purse.
As she started toward the garage
IN her grey suit, she felt disguised
with her appearance. Well, it-&s
her W fault for looking so dov,dy.
And then and there. she decided to
buy some really good looking clothes
for fall.
She saw the name John r. Dun
can. Investments" printed in bold
type on a row or 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 . grandeur about the
suite that opened UP, one room in
10 another, like a luxurious apart
inent- This room, with IFS uphol-
ltered pieces, heavy brocades a. the
wincoTs, q carpet Of green moss,
soft and deep to the step, deer ma
kogany psnnelling that ran almost
to the ceiling. bowls Of roses. made