Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-01-18
BERT
AND THE
GREEN BABY
1OOOOVOOOCNVON7VN
(tcl by d. ]. Walsh.)

r ORET'TA HAWKINS had not
yet arisen from her bed, al
A;hOugh 1t was two o'clock Of II
matchless fall afternoon. OF
course the bed was comfortable, u
mahogany four-poster, furnished with
the best mattress, pillows and blank
cts purchasable. That, however, was
not the reason why Loretta chung to
1t. Loretta was tired, so tired that
her soul ached and dragged her body
Into kindred misery. She felt as she
stared ut 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 wear,
some business of existence.
Blna Wing looked In al the door.
Bina was silent and glum. For years
she had done all the work of Loretta's
cozy, old-fashloned house, and com
panloned Loretta. She was, therefore,
something more than servant and
something less than friend, though
more powerful In her influence than
either.
Don't you feel like getting up2"
asked Blna
mo" Loretta sighed
"Mary Pollock brought you some
French pastry for your supper. Amy
Stokes left book for you to read
and VIII Henshaw called to see II he
couldn't take you over to the Doctors"
Loretta turned her face away and
kept silence. For moment the wom-
an 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 just that
hopeless beaten look upon her face.
Left alone, Loretta wept tired, sick,
desolate tears. Her relatives expect
ed her to die Why couldn't she, and
be rid Of It allP Mol She would not
see the doctor, she would not cat
Mnry's French pastry, she would not
read that book on NERVES and Their
Diseases"
Suddenly she heard Il strange sound
In that quiet, orderly house, swift,
light, strong step ascending the car
peted stairs In leaps. The step came
down the hall. There was tap Mt
the door. Before she could utter II
word the door opened.
Hello, Aunt Retw She had CON
fusion Of senses-of feeling virile,
smiling young man In sports clothes
towering above her, OF smelling tobnc-
co and cool mir rs a mascullnely rough
cheek touched hers, Of hearing laugh
that made the dreary old family por-
traits on the fading walls hop with
surprise. "The bad penny always re-
turn, you see" he said, sitting upon
the bed and glowing upon her
His name was Bert Penny and he
was a very bad penny, indeed. At
least his sisters-in-law and brOther-ln-
law so considered him, though Loretta
had always had foolish fondness for
him. She had not seen him nor heard
word about him In three years, and
here he was, looking ut and fine and
prosperous.
"Stlck 'em upi I mean the corners
Of your mouth" Bert pinched her
saggIng cheek. "Whats the matter2
What you lying in bed for on such
blessed afternoon"
Bert, you don't know-Pm an old
woman. | think sick woman"
"Nonsensel You are only nfty-scv.
en- II remember right. What's fifty.
seven In this age when eighty Is still
going strongi You don't look sick
mite" He glanced at his watch
SORRY can't stny longer, but I've
nm important date with n fellow. I'm
coming back IN an hour. And I shall
expect to find you up. dressed In your
hest 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 actual
ly pulling her out Of her mood, out Of
her bed.
An hour later she was up and
dressed She had burned II finger try
Ing to crlmp her hair. The powder
which Bert had ordered was some.
what unevenly distributed, but her
dark eyes were live with expectation
In the kitchen Blnn Wing was step
ping lIvelier than usual, for Loretta
had ordered dinner for her nephew
Company was m unusual occurrence
and Binn, feeling put out was grum
bling nudiblY. MS she peeled potatoes
\ LA "a .,ttnntI,y 10,
folds OF her precise black tnffela
watched the clOck Bert was late
Maybe he wouldn't come at all An.
other half.hOur passed and then the
telephone bell rang Loretta made
slngularly quick movement to reach
the instrument Her hand shook
slightly ns she held the receiver to
her ear
"Aunt Ret? This Is Bert know I
am late, but I'm coming up pretty
soon now Want 10 ask you some.
thing you like green bnbles2 I'VE
got one for you Ia see ri bring II
with me-ByW Click Loretln fell
into b chair. Did she like green bn
bIes? Was the hoy mad2 Impossible
There had never been u nutty strain
In the Hawkins blood for the entire
seven generations she knew about
But green babies She'd nsk Wing
No, she wouldn't, She would hnvr
one secret from thai curious person
Meanwhile she wnlied tenscly TX
element, glrllsh rycliemcnt ragged
within her buaom She could moi sit
sill She had 10 walk the nOOr A.
each turn size snw herself IN the an
dent pier glass u nder. grayhnIrcd
mi with .HaI''"e yes and Redeemed
h hs So, u looked uh. q more