The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-12-18

and his assurance that they were real
ly making something restored some
what her courage.
But she found the shop, when father
made good his promise and conducted
her through, almost as dispiriting a
place as the office. The meagerness
of its equipment was a shock to her.
The machinery didn't anywhere near
fill up the space even in that little
building. 1t was just pitiful. Did dad
really think he could make fortune
out of that?
When she and dad got into the car
and started driving home, she began
talking feverishly about anything she
could think Of that was not the shop.
She settled finally upon the senior
play at school and gave him detailed
account of the misadventures of the
last rehearsal. He wasn't more than
half listening, she knew. and at last
the thing she dreaded happened.
I'm afraid" he said, cutting her
short, "that you were disappointed in
our place down there. You know you
can't Judge thing-you can't judge
what it will grow into-by what it
looks like at the beginning. A tur-
nip's bigger than an apple seed, but
it won't grow into tree. and the
seed will If it gets the chance. We've
got seed down there, and we've go
ing to try to give it chance to grow.
You wait a while and see. / didn't
mean you to visit it quite SO soon. I
thought I'd let you wait until we'd put
out leaf or two"
"Oh, it's all right" she said. II I'M
derstand what you mean" It was
relief not to have to pretend any
longer. II suppose If / hadn't gone to
see you so many times in your other
office. :"
He laughed at that, but, she felt,
little uncertainty, and she perceived
he felt that contrast, too.
But that other office wasn't mine"
he said. Il belonged to it, almost as
If had been one Of the items Of furni-
ture. This thing is mine, half mine
almost, and as it grows, my share in
it will grow. You liked Charlie Frank
lin, didn't your" y
"Oh, yes" she said, she's great.
But dad, who are those other people?
The man with the cigar and that hor-
rible boy at the typewriter?"
weeds a salesman" he said. "He
isn't satisfactory. His Job is to go
around to dealers and garages and try
to get them to carry our choke. The
appalling boy at the typewriter is a
oncession-well, he's a concession.
But don't think we shall be saddled
with him much longer"
They drove along for a while in
silence.
ooh, there are plenty Of discourage
ments," he said at last, "but the thing
itself is right and it's going to sue
ceed."
Edith laid her hand on his knee. II
know 1t will, dad" she said. Really
and truly, do"
To mother, when the three Of them
sat down to dinner that night, she
showed herself full Of enthusiasm and
confidence. She thought everything
was perfectly great.
"What did you think Of Mr.. Mari
ner?" mother asked. II haven't met
him yet, you know"
HE wasn't there today, either"
dad said. "He has to be out a good
deal Of course. By the way" he went
on, II think 1t would be nice If you
were to ask them to dinner. His wife's
been visiting sister of hers some
where, but she came back a week or
two ago."
"Of course wen have them out to
dinner. But we'd better do 1t right
away before Norma goes. VIII 1t be
all right if you ask him? We better
make it Monday night, I guess.
Wednesday is Norma's last day."
/, The Mariners agreed to come Mon
day night, and mother decided to give
them the regular company dinner: a
crown roast Of lamb with peas in the
middle, tomato soup before. and ice
cream with fudge sauce afterward.
Edith was kept late at rehearsal
that afternoon and didn't get home till
after dad did. She found them In the
hall upstairs debating the question of
clothes.
ibid you tell him not to dress"
mother was asking.