The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-24
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kept hold Of her hands and began
drawing her closer and closer to
him.
1t was cold, and his arms and
woolly coat felt nice and warm;
there was an enticing odor, like
passing a barber shop, with an added
Whit of wintergreen, and Mary
Frances said, mo man ever kissed
me on my lips before"
1t was not a boast, nor was IL an
accusation. 1t was a statement of
circumstance made more to herself
than to Earl.
"CripesI" he said, and his voice
was husky. Some little sweet baby.
I'm crazy about you-no fooling.
CraZy-see?"
Mary-Frances drew away from
him. 1t was time now to talk. She
loved him, Of course; but vaguely
something seemed to be the matter
with something
Her feet hurt, and standing on
tiptoes made them hurt worse; but
that was not the trouble. Possibly
there was no trouble-really. How
could there be SO soon, and with
great love like theirs?
How could she have rather the
same feeling that she'd had last
Friday evening when the girl had
made mistake and served her the
vanilla parfait instead of the pine
apple one she had ordered?
Mr.. Hill wouldn't let her send it
back, because she had eaten the
whipped cream off the top before
she had discovered the mistake.
Vanilla in place Of pineapple is dis
appointing.
"Stingy!" he rebuked. "You aren't
going to be little stingy, cold baby,
are you, sweetness?"
Mary Frances said, Don't" and
stood on her heels to ease her toes
for a moment. Il guess" she added,
I'D better go back in now"
Say! You got date with the ice
trust or something's"
mo. just kind of thought I'd
better go in now"
"Cripes! You can't go rushing off
now. What was the use of me COM
ing all the way up here? You give
it another think, baby. Don't you
do it. Don't you go in now"
LIE was beseeching her to stay.
= \ 1t was thrilling. And then he
beseeched me to stay" she could tell
Ermintrude. Nonchalance savored
with winsomeneSS.
1t sounded easy, but how exactly
should she go about it? why do
you want me to stay?" she asked.
II was just telling you, wasn't I,
that was crazy about you and all?
Wasn't 1, baby? And then you get
stingy and go rushing off on me
before we got time to make friends
or anything. Just crazy about you,
sweetness, that's me-"
will you love me forever and
ever?" she asked. She thought that
he had told her that he loved her.
Things were not disappointing any
longer. She was keeping her first
tryst, and it was Life and Love and
Living and everything.
And howl" he vowed, and tried
to kiss her again.
Don't" said Mary Frances.
Jaw, gee, baby!" he complained.
IF we kiss all the time" Mary
Frances elucidated, I'VE can't make
friends like you said, nor get &C
quainted nor anything"
Snap out of it," he urged. Say,
listen, baby. We wouldn't be kissing
if we wasn't friends already, would
we?"
Mary-Frances pondered that for
a moment. ''Well-no," she admitted.
II guess what I mean is that so
many things are so much more in
teresting than kissing"
1t was Earl's turn to ponder, and
he did so for a moment before he
produced his first sincerity of the
evening. "Cripes!" he said. eff you
aren't the darnedest funny little
kidd"
Ermnitrude must never know. No
one must ever know. 1t must be
kept always secret Smarting in
her breast like that old Spartan fox
Dignity Softened with coyness?
Mary Frances had no present dis
position for coyness.
well, Mr.. DeArmount, I must
say! If that's what you think about
me, I'm glad you told me before it
was too late, and We'll part forever
right now.
I'm going straight into the
house. But will add, Mr.. Dear
mount, that 1 don't think that is a
very nice way to talk to girl who
is 10 years old, and you knew how
old I was, because I told you this