Montgomery County sentinel., 1931-06-26

Netta was there to be pecked good-by
In the morning.
In other words, Meta was always
there. Frazier took her as much for
granted as he did his morning paper
spread before his plate at breakfast,
or his comfortable chair placed wher-
ever the weather made 1t most COM
fortable-before a cheerful fire when
the weather was raw, where 1t caught
such breeze as there was when the
evenings were warm.
Curious, but as the months stalked
by there crept into the fostering lit
tie soul Of this woman a rebellion
and even sullen hatred Of this sharer
of her destiny. She used to turn her
cheek for him to kiss in the morning
as If II were so much leather. She
used to stand within a radius Of the
embrasure Of his arms, glorlfying in
her anger at the stupidity Of the man.
And still Frazier went his way, re-
joicing, attending his baseball games,
doing his eighteen holes on Saturday
afternoon, shellacking the little two
seated sedan, trailing bushes up the
garden trellis. II he noticed a change
that had come over this woman of his
choice, he noticed 1t without comment.
He took II all apparently as the nor
NAL procedure of two people whose
lives have become welded.
Slowly there took shape in Netta's
mind the determination to estrange
herself from this so-called sharer of
her woes and joys; to withdraw into
herself; to let the circumstances of
their alienation reach a climax. She
yearned for admiration, the kind of
adulation to which her blond lowell
ness was entitled. She was not yet
ready to be finished with the exillr
Of youth Frazier was.
One Saturday afternoon, however,
something happened that nipped her
whole plan Of procedure in the bud.
A trivial incident and yet it was to
open Metals eyes. In the end, it was
to lessen her terrific disappointment
in Frazler's inability to keep life a
much fairer thing than he had sue
ceeded in doing. 1t revealed to Meta
that she had builded her judgment
on superficial sands.
The estrangement which she had
contemplated was never to happen
all because of this trifling incident.
On the Saturday afternoon in ques-
ton, Frazier was crouching on the
lowermost step of the veranda, sprin-
king the rose bed with a garden hose.
Meta, sullen, heavy-hearted, was sit
ting upstairs in a crisp organdie frock
which she had Just made for herself,
reading novel.
There came up to Frazier dOor-tO-
door woman canvasser. From her win
dow, Netta could overhear the con-
versation She knew the scheme. 1t
was an old one. A city photographer
would make llfe-siZed copy Of a
cabinet photograph for nominal sum,
provided you paid the canvasser de-
posit Of two dollars. Then you were
to receive twelve-dollar portrait
upon an additional payment of three
dollars.
~ am not interested" said Frazier.
"Surely." said the canyasser, there
is some member Of the family whom
you would like to surprise with a por-
trait. How about your wife?"
Nonsense" said Frazier.
Upstairs, anger smoldered in Meta.
"It won't cost you anything to let
me see a picture q your wife," said
the canvasser, a well-setup woman Of
intelligence.
81 don't know where one ls," said
Frazier.
"You don't know where there's a
photograph Of your own wlfe?"
II hate them"
Upstairs, In her pretty frock, hot,
swollen tears formed In Metals eyes.
"Well," said the canvasser, that's
q confession. And you don't want a
picture, then, ! take it."
NO" said Frazier, you're right, I
don't. There never was portrait
could get her colorlng or the kind Of
something that's caught up in her
blue eyes or the expression around
her mouth that no woman in the world
ever had but Meta. should say there
isn't a portrait that could do her jus
tlce."
After the canvasser had gone, Net
ia, with bright pink spots on her beau
tlful cheeks, came downstairs, cool,
crisp and radiant.
"Go upstairs" said her husband,
who was sprnkllng the lawn, "and
put on a pettlcoat."
20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicatel
(WNU Service)