Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-26

warned her.
/ that girl or not? You talk as if
you were jealous of her, Chatty.
You don't know those people, do
you?" Mrs. Mayberry turned to give
the girl a quick, questioning look.
|. Chatty shook her head.
"Of course not! I don't know
anybody-or anything, but a lot of
hats" she said, bitterly. "And how
could I be jealous of thct girl when
I've never Seen her before? It's
nothing to me if her man buys
every flower in Tallman's shop for
her!"
But she was jealous of the girl,
nevertheless. At that moment she
was jealous of her and of all girls
like her-pretty, gay, laughing girls.
whose Sweethearts would give them
violetS or orchids or rosebuds to
were part of a crowd" Of happy
young people. Girls who went rid
ing around with young men in gray
roadsters while che, herself, worked
all day long in Mrs. Mayberry's hat
shop and never had a bit Of fun
from one years end to the other.
III put the kettle on for our
tea. It's lunch time" she said. as
the MONDAY chimes Of Saint Mar
tins church in the next street came
to her, muffled by the sound of
the storm outside.
She turned away from the win
dow She didn't want to see
the good looking red-headed man
and his girl ONE out Of Tallman's
shop, laden with flowers, as they
probably would be.
She wanted to get away by her
self and cry because all at once
she had seen that her life was just
as dreary and gray as the dull,
sad-looking sky above the store
fronts across the street.
For once she had nothing to say,
There was a lump in her throat and
a lead weight in her heart, as she
filled the little tea kettle in the
room at the back Of the little shop,
and set it on the tiny electric stove
to boil.
And afterward-long afterward,
when she had a chance II look back
at a good many things-Chatty
knew that that Easter Saturday
morning marked the beginning of
the bitterness and jealousy that
poisoned her life for a long time
and the lives Il: a good many peo-
pie who came in touch with her.
1t was the end of whatever peace
and mild happiness that she had
found in the little hat shop on West
River street for three years A
milestone along her We.
But she did not know it then.
Things seemed just as usual as
she set two cups nd plates at one
end Of the long work table in the
middle Of the loom. AS she cut
and kuttered tt bread. and opened
the glass Of crab apple jelly. She
and Mrs. Mayberry n.ver had more
than what they called a snack at
noon.
Usually Chatty ratified on cheer
fully all through the meal. But
today both women were depressed
and silent as they )uttored the'~
bread and drank their cup of weak,
hot tea.
Chatty," Mrs. Mayberry said fin
ally, up on he top shelf of that
cupboard in the corner is a card
that I bought dow town a year or
so ago when business was poor. I
never used it because things seemed
to brighten UP a little right after I
bought it. But I'm going to put it
in the window today, if you'll get
it down for ne"
Chatty stared at her.
you don't mean that FOR SALE
sign, do you?" she asked, quickly.
you don't rlean you're going to
get rid of the store?"
Mrs. Mayberry nodded. That's
just what I do mean" she said. |
I'm going to sell out if I car. To-
days just finished me. For months
I've been running ehind, and I've
just given UP trying to make this
store pay. Get tie card. Chatty!'
Stunned. Chatty climbed up on
a chair and got it for her.
Stand it up in the front win
dow" Mrs. Mulberry said, brisk
ly.
O%bediently. Chatty busted it off
and ct it in the show window that
looked out upon 2St River street.
among Mrs. .ayberry's bright color
ed spring hats that made her think
Of so many bright colored spring
flowers that had come UP too soon.
She stood there q moment looking
at it, dazed and shaken and fright
ened.
For ever If the shop was q sort
OF prison, it was safe harbor for
her, too, in a way. And while she