The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-13
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this place over to suit yourself
 You know-make it look up to date l Like Anne Trowbridge's place. Would you like that?"
 "I'd love to!" Gypsy told him.
 ''All this stuff here is old.' Jim went on with a wave of his hand. I Clear it all out if you. want to!
 Get rid of it. I've been wishing the place could be fixed up for long
 Ellen's feelings-'
 But the old things are lovely"
 Gypsy interrupted. wen keep all of them. Only I'd like new car pet. And I'd like to change
 that book case. Oh, and if we could
 only find an old-fashioned wing chair instead of that rocker and a little foot stool to go beside it. You
 know, this could be made into
 wonderful room!''
 "Go ahead. think it needs inn provement Say that's a good tune, isn't it?"
 I The radio orchestra had swung
 into lively dance piece. Jim began whistling the melody and Gypsy, unconsciouSly, tapped one toe in
 time with the beat.
 | Suddenly Jim grinned and swung
 to his feet. Lets dance," he said.
 Like to?" The girl smiled and arose. Jim's
 arms slipped about her and they moved away, swaying with the
 music. The entire floor was car-
 peted. It was poor surface on
 which to dance but Gypsy knew i'm stantly that Jim was a skillful dancer.
 He held her closely. It was the first time there had been anything like a caress between this strangely married pair. They were laughing and executing a whirl with a flour | ish when Aunt Ellen appeared in the doorway.
 They heard her explosive Well l-!" and Jim turned his head. Come on in, Aunt Ellen" he called. Gan have the next dance with you?" For an instant Ellen Wallace hesitated, her face a mass of storm clouds. She was about to speak when suddenly she whirled and was out of sight.
 'Now you see what we've done!" Gypsy said in low voice. Listen here. girl, I've found out you can dance! You and I are step ping out one of these nights soon. Some place where there's good floor and snappy music. You and I are going places!"
 That would be fun," Gypsy agreed. Her eyes were shining but even then Jim could not tell of misty fringes that made them ra- diant She stepped to the mirror, batting her hair into orderliness The next six days were a period of furious activity in the Wallace household. Gypsy, who already con- | sidered Aunt Ellen model of ef- | ficiency, now marveled at her gen. l eralship, Innumerable boxes were picked Though the move was only | half block down the street, every l object had to be crated as if for l journey. Every closet and cup board had. to be ransacked. It was Aunt Ellen's creed that the house she was leaving must be spotless, as thoroughly secured as the one to which she was moving. Cora Watson came each day during that week and worked from early morning un- til late at night.
 There was a new interest for | Gypsy in planning how the rooms were to be redecorated. Many of the most objectionable heirlooms were being packed and crated to move to Miss Wallace's cottage. The big living room with it's old fash portions. It reminded Gypsy of a room she had seen once in mu- scum. She made a trip downtown to an interior decorators shop and talked the matter over tentatively l with the grayhaired, soft-spoken proprietress. It was agreed that Miss Christopher, the decorator, should come out and view the house and submit suggestions.
 The afternoon before her de- parture Ellen Wallace climbed the stairs to Gypsy's room and knocked on the door. The girl opened it. wont you come in?" she said. her surprise apparent. It was the first time Miss Wallace had visited her in her room.
 The older woman entered the room, declining the chair Gypsy put forward.
 five come to tell you" she said, "that as soon as I'm settled in my house I'm going to give a dinner party. It will be house-warming and it will also be an opportunity for you to meet the other relatives. have had them all here before if it hadn't been for this business of moving"
 well" Gypsy said, smiling and trying to look pleased. "that-that will be very nice.''
 Aunt Ellen did not smile. .The Wallaces,' she said loftily, have always kept our family traditions. The Wallaces were one of the first families to settle here. Came from New England before that. There are not many left now but we manage to get together occasionally. There's Nicholson-and Ben Wallace and | his wife and their children. Ben is Jim's cousin and so is Abble Man l ley. Abbie and her husband live out | on Clifford road. You'll meet them | all. I was thinking that Wednesday | would probably be the best night"
 'It's lovely of you t give the | party" Gypsy said. "I'll look for ward to it."
 There's something else I wanted | to tell you, Miss Wallace continued. | q suppose you understand I'm talk ing Harriet ?"
 "No-no. didn't understand that'
 Sorry. Didn't think to mention | it before. But of course couldn't | get along without Harriet. I've trained her myself. She knows ex- actly how want everything done. |
 Gypsy nodded. "Of course" she said. 'I'Il telephone an agency. suppose there is one here ?"
 Ellen Wallace eyed her closely. | pursing her lips. The girl had no idea what was back of that inig- matic glance. There's an agency" TFyI. .l.A sl