The Washington times., 1930-01-14

came DacK. INTO the room.
i've made you spoil your
baking, coming in this way
when you were busy" she said,
all regret and apology. And
I'm so sorry I'm go
ing down town. Please let me
send you a cake from the bak-
ery."
Lovejoy shook her head.
No. no, moi" she answered
firmly. IT can beat up another
cake in five minutes.
I'm not always as busy as this,
but I've asked my aunt and
uncle over for our anniversary
dinner and I wanted to do it
all myself, Just to show them
how well I could do it. Please
come again"
She held out her hand, and
Mrs. Anderson took it in her
white-gloved one.
But she didn't say "Good-by,"
and she didn't go.
Just now" she said, when
you dropped those flowers into
my lap, I couldn't help but see
what was written on the card
that came with them and
] was just wondering how long
your husband will think you
are the most beautiful girl in
the world"
Lovejoy stared at her.
Then she laughed.
tom always has thought I
was wonderfullooking," she
said. II suppose a man always
does think his own wife is a
prize beauty"
She wished that this stranger
hadn't seen what Tom had
written to her. And even if
she had seen it she certainly
ought not to have spoken about
it.
But you really are a prize
beauty" she was saying now
in her light, pretty voice.
What I'm trying to tell you is
that you won't be very long,
though. If you keep on Shaving
and fussing like this.
I've been watching you for
weeks from my house. Hanging
clothes out in the yard, shaking
rugs, emptying rubbish, wash
ing windows. taking the baby
out for walks. ."
why, of course!" Lovejoy
broke in with spirit. She
wasn't going to let this strange
woman stand there and tell her
that she was an overworked
drudge. Not If she knew her
self.
why shouldn't I do these
things?" she asked. and her
gray eyes widened. That's
what I'm married for-to look
after my home and my baby
! and husband"
Mrs. Anderson shrugged one
brown velvet shoulder.
Please don't be cross with
me-" she said smoothly. Il
really was trying to give you
some good advice"
She took her hand out of
Lovejoy's and laid it on the
head Of the big police dog.
TITS all right for you to
think that you married your
husband so that you could
take care of him and his child"
she went on. But have you
ever stopped to think why your
husband married you?"
Lovejoy thought she knew
the answer to that, but she
said nothing. She Wasn't going
to discuss Tom and his love for
her with this woman whom she
barely knew.
HE married you because you
were attractive" Mrs. Anderson
answered her own question.
I'm older than you are-and
I've found out a lot of things
about men. And I know that
they don't care fo' their women
because they're good house.
, kepeers or mothers but
because they're pretty and at
tractive."
She opened the front door,
letting a breath of warm au-
tumn air and the smell of dead
leaves into the little house.
And you can't be beautiful
and attractive If you're dead
tired when they come home at
the end Of the day" she fin
iShed. "You make your hus-
band hire a houSe-maic or a
nurSe-maid for you right away.
| You'll see. it will pay you, in
the long run"
! She went down the steps of
the house. AT the bottom of
! them she turned and smiled I'D
into Lovejoy's startled face.
/ Il suppose no one has ever
talked like this to you before
in your whole life," she said,
arniably. And / know I've
never talked to woman as
I've talked to you this after
noon-eSpecially a woman that
I hardly know. But I've come
to feel very friendly toward
you. Watching you from my
back windows every now and
then. BY the way, my
husband and I want you people
to come over some night and