The Washington times., 1930-12-27
NOU Continue


1--WE spend the winter
months In town." Connie In
formed her. I'VE keep an
apartment on Fifty-ninth Street
through the year."
Kitty was amazed. "Imag-
incl You certainly have 1t
soft, don't your"
Jim laughed.
''Well, you've got it soft, too.
from now on, Kitty-as I un-
derStand it." He sat down be-
tween the two girls, but his
chair was nearer Kitty's. Both
Of YOU are pretty lucky, I'd
say. Pity mel have to hustle
every day like q ditch digger"
Where do you work?" Kitty
asked him.
"Oh, don't believe Jim's tale
about hard labor" Connie
smiled. Hes in Wall Street
and he never has to handle
anything heavier than q stock
certificate. Somebody prints
them and he just sells them"
TITS the hardest work on
earth-mental labor" Jim de-
Tended himself. eff anybody
doesn't believe it let them get
out and try to sell securities
against a million others try
ing to sell the same sort Of
thing"
Kitty. strangely, seemed to
grow impatient with him.
Just Baby Talk
"You talk like a baby" she
said. I'm fact, I think you
are a baby. You don't know
what real work is. Me, I've
worked 10 hours a day In a
laundry ironing clothes. Some
nights I've gone home when I
could hardly drag one foot
after another"
Kitty was in q reminiscent
mood, and Connie made no ef-
fort to stop her. =
you don't know what tough
going iS-you two," the girl
went on. Lots of times 1t was
a scramble to get enough to
eat. especially If I had laid
off a day or so on account of
sickness. Sometimes when I'd
go out and dance half the
night I'd get up in the morn
ing and drag to work feeling
like my bones were made out
Of iron"
"It must have been hell on
earth," Jim Tracy declared.
"No, I didn't mind it. I had
my friends and we had q pref
ty good time. We never felt
sorry for ourselveS-it was all
a kind of joke. All I'm try
ing to say is that people like
you and Connie don't know
what real work is. But I don't
blame you for taking it easy
and enjoying yourselves. It's
the best way to live If you can
get away with It,"
Jim spoke directly to Connie,
but his words, somehow. seemed
intended for Kitty: "She's :, a
great girl. Connie!"
''Nix-I'm Just q roughneck,"
Kitty said, relapsing for q mo-
ment into throaty argot. "I
wouldn't talk like that. Con-
ME, in front Of your friends,
and shock them-but with Jim
it's sort Of like among the
family, I guess. Besides, you
told him all about my history
anyway"
Jim nodded. "I'll always
feel that I belong around here"
he said, sentimentally.
There was that something in
his tone that quickened the
hearts Of both girls. Connie
saw him, now, not through the
eyes Of romance, but as an ap-
pealing and not too strong
character. He was not the type
to stand alone; always, 1t
would be needful for him to
cling to some person, to some
thing. In marriage she would
have been his security. Until
the tendrils Of his nature found
another object of attachment,
she supposed she had still an
obligation to him. Strange,
though, that she had not be-
fore understood so clearly his
personality. Perhaps she had
realized it SubconsciouSly,
which might have accounted
for her tenderness toward him.
What she thought was love
might have been no more than
primitive instinct. But ten
derneSS now, however. had al
tered in a perceptible degree;
it approached friendly pity.
protectiveneSS.
you'll always be welcome
around here, Jim," she told
him, gently.
THANK you, Connie, dear"
He reached out with his left
hand clasped one Of her hands,
held It: with his right he
stretched toward Kitty. The
girl put her toll hardened hand
In his palm.
"How about you, Kitty?"
That's o. K. with me, JIM"
The three of them sat there
for q moment linked. When
Jim Tracy released their hands,
Connie observed that he held
,Kitty's a moment or two longer
than hers.