The Washington times., 1931-09-25

ciety gossip.
There was!
I stared at it read it over
the room seemed to swim
around and around, and I
crumpled upon the bed, sob
bing. I didn't hear Viola come
in, but I felt her arms about
me and looked up.
Katie, what is it-are you
sick?" she cried.
I tried to turn away; I
didn't want to speak; I didn't
want to see any one-I didn't
want to live!
Thad Parsons was married!
What is the trouble, Katie?"
My churn, Viola, demanded, sit
ting on the edge of the bed and
putting her arm about me as
I shook with sobs.
II don't want to live" I
whimpered.
Viola Carson leaned down
and stared hard into my eyes.
What has appened to
you?"
I couldn't speak at the mo-
ment.
Have you been a fool?" She
asked the question softly.
"Yes-an awful fool" I man.
aged to say.
"Oh!" She exclaimed and
then, after a hushed moment,
WAS it Thad Parsons?"
I nodded, too hurt at the
mention Of his name to articu-
late.
Viola Relieved
Viola read the short article
about the marriage of M. Thad
Parsons and Miss Airline Sar-
gent, daughter of the late Kirk
K. Sargent, of New York and
Newport.
She dropped the paper and
stared at me.
We'll, I'm a so-and-so!" she
cried.
I'm going to send a wire Of
congratulations" I told her.
I'll throw a scare into him."
I found paper and pencil and
wrote:
Congratulations thanks
for all Of your letters"
Viola didn't laugh as I ex.
pected she would, but only
stared thoughtfully at me.
"Letters? Did he write
many?"
"A couple dozen, last year
when he was at Palm Beach,
and from Bar Harbor and
Canada; wonderful letters"
Would you show me one?"
you may have all of them,"
I said carelessly.
mo, honestly, I'd like to read
one."
What is on your mind?"
"Nothing-not now. And I'll
take the wire out and send it."
Viola'S sudden change from
deep interest to indifference
puzzled me.
She took what had writ
ten. The newspaper story had
mentioned Thad's hotel and I
knew that the wire would be
forwarded if he left.
Bitter Thoughts
I put on a kimono and sat
huddled up by the window, and
my thoughts weren't so very
sweet or soothing as looked
out on the street with the rem
nants of muddy snow and ice.
I saw Viola down below
Struggling against the wind as
she crossed the street to our
apartment block.
" I want to read one of those
letter-I've been thinking it
over" she said, as she came
back to me.
I went to the closet, got down
my hat box and took out the
whole package of them.
Viola began to count them.
WhoopS, my dear, % Of
them-may I select one at ran
dom?"
She rested her finger against
the edges Of the envelopes,
opened her eyes and pulled the
letter out from the packet. w.
She grined, she did a little
war dance, she stopped and
read aloud:
Never again so long as we
live shall I drift {, far away
from the only girl worth while
to me-"
Whoops!" she cried and read
more passages, even mushier
than that.
Are they all like this one?"
she asked. h..
"Sure-only some are more
So," and I had to grin at her
excitement.
These letters, my dear; they
are worth a fortune to you-in
a breach Of promise case"
she shook her finger impreS.
sively at me.
Sue him, Katie-sue him for
a million dollarS!" she said
Viola?"
Copyright, 1881. by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.)
What is Kitty's reaction to
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