Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-08
Green Baby.
Green BABY.
ORETTA HAWKINS had not yet
arisen from her bed, although it
Was . Q'plock 0f a r4afchleSs Fall

dAlSNlA AAOAli bCOs dAOA1OuSiI AZ
was o'clock of a matches Fall
IL afternoon. Of course, the bed
was comfortable, a mahogany
four-poster, furnished with the best
mattress, pillows and blankets purchas-
able. That, however, was not the rea-
son why Loretta chung to it. Loretta
was tired, SO tired that her soul ached
and dragged her body into kindred
misery She felt as she stared at the
fading wall paper that nothing IN the
world mattered any more. She had
nothing to live for and she was sick
of the whole weariSome business of ex-
istence.
Bina Wing looked in at the door.
Bina was silent and glum. For years
she had done all the work of Loretta S
cosy, old-fashioned house, and COM
panioned Loretta. She was, therefore,
something more than a servant and
something less than a friend, though
more powerful in her influence than
either
Don't you feel like getting up?"
asked Bina
mol" Loretta sighed.
Mary Pollock brought you some
French pastry for your supper. Amy
Stokes left book for you to read and
Will Henshaw called to see if he
couldn't take you over to the doctors. .
Loretta turned her face away and
kept silence. For moment the woman
gazed at her. then she stole out in a
frightened way 1t was the first time
that Loretta had kept her bed until
this time of day, the first time she
had gone without breakfast or lunch,
the first time she had had just that
hopeless, beaten look upon her face.
Left alone, Loretta wept tired, sick,
desolate tears. Her relatives expected
her to die. Why couldn't she and be
rid of it all? Mol She would not see
the doctor, she would not eat Marys
French pastry, she would not read that
book on Nerves and Their Diseases"
Suddenly she heard a strange sound
In that quiet, orderly house-a swift,
light, strong step ascending the car
peted stairs in leaps The step came
down the hall. There was a tap at the
door. Before she could utter a word
the door opened
Hello, Aunt Ret!" She had a con-
fusion of senses-of feeling a virile.
smiling young man in sports clothes
towering above her, of smelling to-
bacco and cool air as a masculinely
rough cheek touched hers, of hearing
a laugh that made the dreary old FAM
lily portraits on the fading walls hop
with surprise. THE bad penny always
returns, you see," he said, sitting down
upon the bed and glowing upon her.
His name was Bert Penny and he
was very bad penny indeed. At least
his sister-in-law and brother-i n-law SO
considered him, though Loretta had
always had foolish fondness for him.
She had not seen him or heard a word
about him in three years, and here he
was, looking fit and fine and pros
porous.
stick EN- up! I mean the corners
OF your mouth" Bert pinched her sag
ging cheek Whats the matter?
What you lying in bed for on such a
blessed afternoon?"
Bert, you don't know-I'm an old
woman, / think sick woman
Nonsense! You are only 81 if 1 re-
member right. What's 81 in this age
when 80 is still going strong? You
don't look sick mite" He glanced at
his watch. Sorry 1 can't stay longer,
but I've an important date with a fell
low. I'm coming back in an hour. And
I shall expect to find you up. dressed
In your best bib-and-tucker with your
nose properly powdered
He was gone. Loretta stared after
him. He had left some strange thrill
ing influence with her that was actually
pulling her out Of her mood, out of her
bed
An hour later she was up AMI dressed
She had burned finger trying to
crimp her hair. The powder which Bert
had ordered was somewhat unevenly
distributed, but her dark eyes were
live with expectation.
In the kitchen Bina Wing was step
ping livelier than usual for Loretta
had nrHnrad Go tan~
Company was an unusual occurrence
and Bina, feeling put out. was grum-
bling audibly IS she peeled potatoes.
Loretta, quaking oueerly under the
folds of her precise black taffeta
watched the clock. Bert was late
Maybe he wouldn't come ct all. An
other half hour passed and then the
telephone bell rang Loretta made a
sngularly quick movement 10 reach thu
instrument. Her hand shook sl.ghtly
as she held the receiver 10 her ear,
Aunt Ret? This is Bert know
am late: but I'm coming up pretty soon
now: Want to ask you something
Do you like green babies? I've ri
one Tor you to see. I'll bring H. With
me. By!" Click. Loretta fell int1 a
chair. Did she like green babies7 wa;
the boy mad? Impossible. There had
never been nutty strain in the Haw.
kins blood for the entire seven genera.
tons she knew about But-green ba.
bies! Shed ask Wing. No, she wouldn't
She would have one secret from thai
curious person.
Meanwhile she waited tensely. Elk.
citement, girlish excitement. ragee
within her bosom. She could not sill
still. She had to walk the floor. Al
each turn she saw herself in the an.
Gent pier-gla SS-Slender prav-haired
but with sparkling eyes and reddenec
cheeks. Why. she looked once more a.
she had when Tom Bascom had want
ed to marry her. What a fool she hat
been OF to have her family's displeas
IRE and wed him. Now he didn't wan
her. He was a brisk, prosperous bust
ness man and she Just dreary ok
gpinster. :,
kitchen. She rushed thitheE,