Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-01-05
q "a .cEnTRAl pREss assn ia

over incidents or her married bfe
incidents that th drive recalled.
parties and road houses.
They took a small white table at
the far end Of the oval dancing floor
and "a Byrd looked around. VIE
thought 10 was p lovely place in
which TO dane. The little pink lamp
threw a rosy mist over the polished
floor, making III look like A ROSY
lake. and in 1t were reflected the
trclliscs that covered the ceiling and
walls and the profusion Of flowers
that twine1 around them.
The warm, bright room was onir
partly filled, for this was late .n
the season.
The jazz band, on its little plat
form. began 70 vail It's s%yncoPatcd
rhythms.
Well have 70 order a bite .aid
Martin. as the waiter came toward
tho mwith his card. lie ordered
cheese ana waters and r~.nrcralr.
ice and glasses.
They danced.
The little orchestra walled and Z
col0red boy broke ont into song as
he beat an occasional EFttle-drum.
Has She got naughty eyes,
Yes she has naughty eyes,
Boom. boom. boom
II Was the first time in her life
that Byrd felt the ecstasy of dane
ing. She knew she WIS 2 beautiful
ana expert dancer. ana tnat increas-
ri her enjoyment. Hadn't Mr..
Scmcnoff continued to rave about
her dancing? She gave herself NJ
IN TIE heat M thc music ana float
cd with 10 out into space.
Az they went back to their table.
Martin said inelcgantly:
"Well. Ill ~ fried, The lady
can dancei'
"You throw p wicked h-cf your
SELF Byrd answered archly, for
Martin was a good dancer.
The music started again, accom-
panied INV the Hitting tenor
"Who. who stole mv heart away
They both laughed at the words,
but Martin held her ? littlc colser
for an instant. while they swayci
10 the exquisite music.
They nibhlcI at the cheese and
crackers during the intermission and
then Martin. looking carr '-llv pour
Cd a little Of the contents Of the
flask m drew out M his pocket into
their glassc. u was ? tinv flask and
contained very little.
"This Is the cliyir of life he
said. Lets toast each other
Here's "a u.s." said Bvrd. and she
drank part of The rlassfnl.
Then she hastily set it down. r
had drunk ID without thinking. She
had decided weeks ago not 70 touch
4 dron cr anything to drink. and
here she was, drinking RIGHT out of
Martins flask.
ooh. It's safo," laughed Martin.
nv can't afford much of the stuff
but what ] have is Q. X
They danced several times before
thcir glasses were cupti7d.
"WcTl keep tho profits for the
end Of the evening IT. said, looking
nv tho Mathematical bottle.
# suppose if people only drank
moderately saii Byrd. seriously.
there wouldn't be any drunk prob
Lem
And later. when Byrd refused a
second glass. Martin slowed the bot
tie back in his pocket.
conc thing 7 can't I'M. is to drink
alone" he said. Well save this
for the next time
They danced many times and Byrd
thought she had never rclshed any
thing 50 much IN her life.
on the way home. Martin looked
~ her uuestioningiy again and again.
The old mood possessed her. Life
rad PASSED her hy. She might find
forretfulncss for " little while. hut
IN the end the hungry LONGING Tor
the little white house ami ono 7air
of arms carried her into 2 black
abyss.
ITO re CONTINUED