Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

there. As he grew older and had to go
out with his parents each Summer, he
found that there were even worse places
to live than Camden. A farm!
Irene had never had taste of farm
life. Her father was a lawyer, only
fairly prosperous and given to long ar
guments and discussions. You could
find him in his Office nearly every day
that court wasn't in session, talking
oratorically to two or three friends.
Mrs. Mofett was brisk little wom-
an with bright, round eyes. She never
said a great deal, but didn't mind Civ
ing her real opinion If you asked her.
There were no sons in the Moffett fam
lily, but there were two other daugh-
tiers, Grace and Emily, both older than
Irene-pretty, complacent girls. who
married young and went to housekeep-
ing in broad-roofed bungalows on the
new cars that stood in brand-new ga
RACES back of the new bungalows when
they weren't being used to take the men
to business or 1.-The girls" to the coun-
try club or to the homes of other "girls"
for bridge or an afternoon of sewing.
Each of Irene's sisters had two babies.
They found nothing the matter with
Camden.
Il
. all her life, but Laurence was years
oder, which meant that he left high
school the same year she entered, and
he'd gone to a grammar school in an
other part of town. and had spent his
vacations on the farm, so they were
practically strangers. He had had two
years at college and had then gone to
work in his fathers Office.
The thing that brought them together
from the first was their disdain of Cam
den. They didn't call it that, of course,
but they understood. They were quite
sure that Camden was no place for
them. They were intended for city,
for foreign travel.
They had a brief and uneventful
courtship and very pretty wedding.
Mrs. Moffet gave sigh of contentment
even through her tears. All of her
daughters nicely married and settled
down! She had been sure enough Of
Grace and Emily, but Irene was diff
ferent. Shed been afraid that, with
her funny ideas-but here was Irene
marrying nicely fright in Camden).
Irene and Laurence rented a bunga-
low.
II wouldn't think of buying property
in this town." Laurence told Irene
''Oh, you can sell, but don't want to
be tied down. Some of these days you
no use wasting our lives here"
Irene squeezed his hand understand
inly. Z know. Wait until we're in
Metropolis. When we get in with
nice people"
They went to parties at the Blakes'
and the Harrisons and the Dreweys' at
Grace's and Emily's and at the country
club. But what did any of these people
know? Sonewhere-their crowd
Then Laurence. finally: Listen, let's
get out right away. No use waiting.
Well get in a rut here. Fathern raise
the dickens, of course, but there's no
help for it. I shan't be buried alive.
What do you say?"
Irene said the idea was grand. What
If Laurence didn't have job in Metrop-
oils? They had little money saved up.
A fellow with a college education, could
always get something there were big
opportunities in a city. How silly to
worry! OF course, now while they were
still young enough to enjoy themselves,
they would meet people-make friends
before they started to get settled. Not
that they'd ever let themselves settle
down" the way some folks did! But the
friends you make when you are young
are the ones you keep all your life,
they told themselves.
Their friends were amazed at their
decision. Irene and Laurence listened
to their comments with silent amuse-
ment, though they couldn't keep from
exchanging smiles Of understanding
X X 4
THEY reached Metropolis on a cold
l. day in January, windy day, the
streets full of dirty bits of paper, gray
snow packed against the curbS. They
went to a hotel that they had heard
of, and found it more expensive thar
they had expected and not at all attrac-
tive; small lobby, the usual hotel room
furnished in bright red mahogany
They had nice bath, though, and
after all, they had taken the room
because of its convenient location; they
wouldn't be in 1t much.
Irene had never been in Metropolis
, but Laurence had been there with hi:
father when he was 10. He felt quite
superior to Irene, who knew the cit.
only Is she had read OF 1t.