The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-06
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE CContin-
ued)
ON Saturday afternoon at the
~ end of her first weeks work,

ON Saturday afternoon at the
~ end of her first weeks work,
Norma took the baby to the hospi
tai clinic. She learned with a
mingling OF shock and thankfulness
that Mark still kept his rating OF
perfect health. During the first six
months Of his life he had not been
Ill once.
1t astounded Norma 10 realize
that another person could care for
+ her son exactly as well as she could.
Almost she felt dismayed.
The shock Of this discovery passed
Immediately. She told Chris that
baby Mark, by keeping up such a
splendid health record, was doing
his part to improve the family for
tunes.
Chris liked the baby, played with
him and worried over him almost
as much as Norma. He's going to
be spoiled - and spoiled badly"
Chris predicted, but honestly, who
could help it? He's getting cutter
every day"
Bob Farrell continued to pay an
occasional visit and gifts for Mark
often served as the excuse for these
calls.
Here's something I thought
might amuse young Skeezix," he
would say, handing over a package
which might contain anything from
toy pop gun to rubber blocks.
Practically every plaything he
brought was for a much older child.
When Mark regarded them with
wide-eyed unconcern they we're
placed away for future use.
The girls accused Bob OF buying
the contraptions because he him
self found them entertaining. Far
rell always grinned and pleaded
guilty to these accusations.
n II
TWICE he was invited to dinner
at the apartment-both times
on Sunday, when Chris and Norma
had the entire day at home. When
ever there was any task around the
apartment requiring a mans skill,
when the electric iron refused to
operate or a piece of furniture be-
came unsteady, Bob put 1t m or
der.
Shortly after the second dinner
invitation he asked both girls to
attend a musical comedy-a very
good one just on from New York.
Chris and Norma accepted, but on
the evening of the performance
Norma developed headache.
She refused to let the others
change their tickets for another
night. AS a result, Chris and Bob
attended the play and Norma re-
NAMED at home.
: There could be no doubt about
Norma's pleasure in Bobs company.
She always welcomed him. More
often than Chris she urged him to
drop in again soon, and it was
Norma who suggested inviting him
to dinner.
However, she and Bob never were
alone. When Chris tried tactfully
to engineer such tete-a-teteS, some
how the plans went amiss. Chris
could not be sure whether Norma
managed this Intentionally or not.
II
THERE were times when she was
Il sure Norma's old fondness for
Bob was developing into deeper
affection. A safer, surer affection
than the madcap plunge into ro-
nance that Normas marriage to
Mark Travers had been. That, Chris
felt. was the solution of Norma's
problems.
Married to Bob. Norma would
have protection from the world that
had treated her so harshly. She
would have home for herself and
for little Mark. And Bob Farrell
was devoted to Norma, as he always
had been. Any one could see that.
But did Norma really care for
Bob? One day Chris believed she
did. The next she was uncertain.
IF she's foolish enough to turn
down a fine boy like Bob" Chris
told herself. ito keep faith with a
good nothing like Mark Travers
she doesn't deserve sympathy
"Bob's worth ten Marks! Probably
she's in love with Bob and doesn't
realize it yet. Well. they'll have to
settle affairs for themselves, but l
know what I'll dol"
After Norma returned to work,
the days sped rapidly. Weeks
evolved again into the old routine of
rushing to catch street cars, taking
and transcribing dictation, hasty
lunch hours, more dictation. cling
ing to a strap for the crowded ride
home and blessed evenings and
week-ends with little Mark.
NARCH made its entry lamb-like.
WI The sun melted and bright
winter sunshine made heavy winter
wraps actually uncomfortable.
Norma scrimped on lunches and
made the first payment on a cheap
carriage for the baby. Before that,
taking Mark out for a daily airing
had been out of the question. All
the sunlight possible to absorb
through a third floor window he
had absorbed. That was not
enough, the doctor said.
After the carriage arrived, Mrs.
Carey spent two hours daily wheel
ing him up and down the block.
Saturday and Sunday Norma al
ways took him out.
She felt immensely proud when
pasSersby glanced into the carriage
and said. What a pretty baby!" or
stopped to ask how old he was.
Above his blue blankets the in
fant's hooded head Was just visible.
It was not easy to keep him covered.
Mark, that child of perfect dis
position and department. was show
= ing an increasing tendency to
wriggle upright when he was sup
posed to be asleep. He wanted to
use his arms and legs. He wanted
TO be independent.
On a Sunday morning in mid
March Norma was wheeling the
baby down the street. She crossed
the first block and the second.
Dnctrf.. nxtnta.,n {s,pt na~0~l ....~ =