Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-01-11
THE
LUCKY
ONE
20 by d. ]. Walsh.)

tive yards
ITS shame" Mrs. Denny said EN-.
phatically. ~ never heard of such In
justice. If old Nelson Reed could just
know what people say about him he'd
turn over in his green grave"
ITS good thing he doesn't al
ways supposed he meant to divide
even between those two girls. And
then look what he did Left 5000 a
day to Ruanna Turner and"
1.-TWO dollars a day to her consin,
Martha Reed, who bore his own
namel" snapped Mrs. Denny. 1.-TWO
dollars dayl Now how Is she 60
ing to live on thatT
Mrs. West sighed and shook her
head. Next instant she gave a warn
Ing, "sh-shl"
Across the grass came a small mid
dleaged woman In crisp little law
ender frock made and laundered by
her own hands. She had gray hair,
pink cheeks and sparkling black eyes.
~ know what you're talking about |"
she began. at does look funny, doesn't
It? But all the same Uncle Nelson
knew how he wanted things to go.
I'm satisfied with my So day."
The two women who had been dis
cussing Martha Reed and her affairs
flushed.
'Of course, we know you are salts
fed" Mrs. West said. "That's you.
You never did find mite of fault
with anything. But 1t doesn't look
fair to your friends, Martha. II he'd
have divided even between you and
Ruanna--"
"But he dldn'tW Martha laughed.
RUS got her two hundred day and
I've got my two. And as l say I'm
satisfied. Two dollars" She paused.
"Well, it's quite a nice bit coming In
regularly that | haven't got to work
for. That's the way look at It. I'm
going downtown now on the strength
of It and get some new curtains for
my kitchen windows"
She moved away, sprlghtly, cheer
full, dainty and the two women stared
after her In wondering silence.
Old Nelson Reeds will had startled
the whole place. Dying without any
relatives save his two middle-aged
nleces he had left to the one the in.
come from the bulk OF his fortune and
to the other n mere remembrance. In
the eyes of her neIghbors Ruanna
Turner was just about the 'ucklest
person that ever lived.
Ten minutes after Martha Reed had
vanished around the corner Ruanna
Turner came down the street Ru-
anna was stout and pretty. She
clutched at the flying garment Of de-
parting youth with desperation Her
hair was dyed, her complexion touched
up, her large feet squeezed into high
heeled shoes.
She went by without seeing the
women at the hedge.
First time that ever happened"
Mrs West said In tone of surprise.
That afternoon Mrs. Denny looked
out Of the window to see Ruanna
struggling along the street with
hlgh-powered car, while n sweating In
structor sat beside her.
"She's got something before her." the
woman thought
Ruanna did have something before
her. Having no more idea Of machin-
cry than hen the Stylish six was al
together beyond her powers Of COM
prehension. Day after day she wOb-
bled through Spruce street with the
patient, persplring instructor beside
her. The end came in collapse Ru
anna went to bed exhausted.
'Ruanna's trying to do too much"
Mrs. Denny said to Martha. Learn
ing to drive and do the social stunt
at the same time is too big tax on
her nerves. She isn't as young as she
might be and she's too fieshy for ten.
mis- and hard exercises of that kind.
Besides living at the hotel that way
she don't get proper rest"
Everybody is running after Ru; she
can't help IT," Martha answered. She
might have added that nobody ran
after her. She had all the leisure she
had ever had In her tiny white bOuse
that she had earned for herself "rve
taken boarder," she turned the sub
ject, "Clara Dart. She was so I'M
comfortable at Mrs. Cllgg's, told her
she could come and live with me. had
to do something, Mrs. Denny, now that
I've given up working In the store I'm
having the incest time cooking for
Clara. She's gained two pounds al
ready"
swell, neverw calculated Mrs
Denny. But she could see what such
kindness meant to little Clara Dart,
who had earned her own way since
she was fifteen, especially as Martha
charged her about half what she was
paying Mrs. Cllggs. 1.-TWO can live
about as cheap as one" Martha re.
piled when this fact was mentioned
to her.
Wonderful how Martha manages,
Mrs. Denny said to Mrs. West. ~ new.
er saw anything like It, neverl On
only 50 a day! Yet she is adding all
sorts Of little comforts to her house,
she has a new dress, she gives gen.
erously when any need arises, and
Clara Dart says they have chicken ev.
cry Sunday I don't see how she does
It."
"She gets lot out of life Mrs.
West said. "Didn't you notice at the
Woman's club when they were talking
about that book how quickly Martha
said she had bought It? And she Of
fered to lend II TO Mrs Simpson.