The Washington times., 1930-08-09
Mother tricken, Family
Faces Money Problem

CHAPTER 8

= work next morning.
where's Miss Darrow?" Mr..
Farnsworth demanded, looking
+ at his watch when he came in,
at half past nine.
II don't know Cathie said.
But she knew. Miss Darrow
was late because she'd been out
with Gordon Moore. And when
she did arrive, about 10, heavy
eyed and cross. Cathie found
herself watching, fascinated,
as she hung up her wrap, and
settled herself at the desk at
last.
Miss Darrow used type
writer with rubbed keys, to pro-
tect her long, rosalacQuered
nails, Cathie looked at Miss Dar-
rows hands, and then at her
own and made mental note
to see about liquid polish. There
was no denying 1t, Miss OAR
row was pretty. Her face was
a little thin, and there was a
hard look around her mouth,
but no doubt that made her
more intc eSting to men.
Cathie wondered about that.
Was it that knowing look that
made the yocng engineers all
stop to talk to- her? Was that
why Gordon Moore liked her?
Cathie wondered. trying to
analyze the girls charm. And
there was something else she
would have liked to ask
did Moore ask for her? Even
If he forgot her name he might
have remembered SOMETHING
about her. Enough to say, Re
member me to that new girl
you have. in the office!" or
Flows that new. girl turning
Out?"
Mother iii
But the days went by and
Marsha Darrow said nothing,
and soon Cathie had something
else to think about.
For Mary Paige, who had
never been i'll a. day in her life,
was sick.
She had not looked well, for
some time. Cathie had noticed
that. Aren't you feeling we'll,
Map" she had asked over and
over. We'll, of course! Why
not?" Ma had invariably an
swered, bustling around the
kitchen as she spoke. Now that
she no longer went out to work
she took pride and pleasure in
cooking special meals for the
girls when they. came home tired
at night.
Mary Paige's biscuits, roaring
hot, filled with melting butter
were something to remember.
She could make hamburger and
lettuce salad seem like a ban
quet. And there were special lit
tie dishes she made out of apples
and brown sugar. And some
times cornbread, light as sum
light. ready to crumble into noth-
lngness in your mouth. >.
keafS Mount
One night Ruth and Cathie
met at the corner and walked
up to the house together. They
saw it was dark before they
got there. They looked at it
the little high-shouldered grey
ish-white cottage with the strip
of lawn and the row of Gala
lilies along the side, and the
fuschia, bright red and blue,
growing right UP to the front
window and not a light
inside.
Ma must have gone down
town. Ruth said in a funny
voice.
Cathie nodded. She wanted
to run-to get in quickly-to
see She knew hat Ruth
wanted to run, too, but some
how they couldn't. They walked
slowly around to the back door,
talking-they didn't know what
about. But on the back stairs
Cathie couldn't hold back any
longer. She found the kitchen
empty and ran, breathleSsly, to
the front bedroom and sure
enough there was Mary Paige
lying ON her bed.
She got up stiffly when the
girls rushed in.
Il must have dropped off"
she said.
That was all She would say.
but her broad, usually rosy
face was pale,s and her heavy,
dark-streaked gray hair lay
back from her forehead, dank
and hot,
Well, Claimed
The girls wanted her to stay
in bed. to get q doctor. but
she wouldn't listen. She said
she was all right again, and
insisted upon going on with the
plans for Jeans birthday par
ty, the next Monday afternoon.
Il could tell Mr.. Browning
and get home right after
school," Ruth offered. doubtful
1y. She was secretary to the
principal and worked all the
long afternoons, after her
class work was over.
Mary Paige wouldn't hear of
it. I'm as well as ] ever was.
But maybe I'll run down and
see Doolin tomorrow" she said.
holding her side. And the next
day she put it off until .raes-
day. After the child'S party"
Jean had eight young girls in
to play bridge. Fifteen year
oids. apeing their elders," she
snorted when Jean first, SIG
gested it. but she didn't say no