The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-13
CHAPTER XIX

When it came he poured himself
a generous drink.
God knows I need it," he NUT
tered. And shortly he had another
When Sybil came back he was
nibbling nuts to hide his breath.
Mabel joined them in the after
noon. She had met a salesman
from home, selling paper novelties
bon-bons and confetti and steam
ers.
And those little do-dabs go
across like wildfire,' she explained
''The Cubans are such funloving,
childish people. Mr.. Moore was tell
ing me this morning about their
se-making contests. The gar
bage squad won the last one, with
the ice cream vendors second, the
newsboys third, and the cartmen
fourth.
"They wouldn't let the taxi
drivers compete. Mr.. Moore sells
paper caps and horns and things
by the truck load. He's awfully
nice. He took me out to the ceme-
terry this morning, to see the bone
pile"
What romantic morning!"
Sybil giggled.
ooh, but you don't know. It was
quite thrilling. You see they dig
up the graves every once in a
while, when the survivors of the
dead get behind on the rent. It's
dreadfully gruesone. You don't buy
grave lots in Havana like we do at
home. You rent them. Then if you
don't pay the rent, the dead tenants
are dispoSsessed."
Richard laughed teasingly. "Ask
your genial friend if ne knows any
more nice little trips" he sug-
gested. perhaps he'll take you to
the slaughter house when you get
back to Boston, Nab"
ooh, shut up!" she ordered, and
continued excitedly. 1--WE saw
something else awfully interesting
too There's an orphan asylum that
was founded hundreds of years ago
On one side of the building there
is little sheltered alcove where g
big basket swings.
"People who have babies they dc
not want slip into the alcove al
night time, in the dark, and put
their babies in the basket. Then
they pull rope, and the basket
goes up on pulley where a Sister
of Charity sits and waits. No one
ever knows who the baby is, nor
where it came from.
"Once Mr.. Moore drove past the
asylum very early in the morning
and he saw girl with bundle
running down the street She ran
into the alcove, and he saw her un-
do the bundle. 1t was little baby
of course. She kissed it, and kissed
it, and he said she was crying like
everything. Then she put it in the
basket, and pulled the rope.
"Mr. Moore asked a policeman
about it afterward. He wondered
if girl could get her baby back
if she wanted to- But the police
man said no. It seems that every
mark of Identification is destroyed
as soon as the Sister takes the baby
And women who leave their chill
dren are never permitted to enter
the building"
Richard unfolded his long legs
and, stretching lazily, interrupted
irrelevantly.
Come on, you two, and have g
-aittle cocktail. The first today.
Il Il
! A ND so the days passed-unti
IN Sybil had been away two
weeks.
Mrs. Thorne, at the dinner table
at home, was reading letter the
days mail had brought. Five times
she had perused it in solitude. But
now Tad was home, and she mus
read it aloud. Valerie was there
too.
Cracking the sheets with antici'
patory pleasure, she began, holding
the paper close to her faded eyes
and glancing occasionally at the sor
of her heart:
Havana is wonderful! Pictur.
esque, hot, buggy, smelly, expensive
The women are beautiful. And the
men all leer.
yesterday we went on a picnic
out in the country, where the chill
dren don't wear any clothes. Today
we had tea at a wonderful place
where coffee is a dollar a cup. View
won money at Jai Alai, and lost i
at roulette. I've bought linens anC
perfume for everyone, and shaw
and comb and earrings for Val"
my goodness, Valerie!" Mrs
Thorne beamed at her daughter in
law. "Sybil bringing you home al
kinds OF things"
"Well, Tad paid for them, didn'
hep"
oval, you're little crab" Tai
pinched her cheek good-naturedly
Mrs. Thorne looked worried. "It'
strange" she said. "Craig hasn'
had line-just cable saying sh
would write later
"Well, if there's a man in sigh
you know Sib has grabbed him." pu
in Valerie.
clay off Sib, will you, Vail"
''What are you so touchy about
Tad Thorne? I guess if Sybil want
ed to say mean things about me
you'd never open your mouth. Al
ways sticking up for her and pick
ing on me-"
Valerie searched for her handker
chief.
you're just horrid to me, Ia
Thorne."
"That's right, turn on the weeps
Never mind desert for me, Mother.
Tad threw down his napkin, an
flung out of the room.
Mrs. Thorne looked graeved.
r.