Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-05-01
'''.'' N''f S'.ss:'.'
Furnished Rooms
Were Wonderful
By GENEVRA COOK


CLI0 THORNLEY,, vivid and mod
~ ish In a costume of black and white,
sat in Seventh avenue subway
wedged in between tired mother with
two pale children and whlmperinG
baby, and swarthy Italian with fierce
mustach and tiercer eyes. Above ncr
Jimmy Burton swayed lithely, holding
to a leather strap.
Suddenly he bent his head, and said,
close to her ear, Gee, Clio, you look
so darling sitting there. Just like a
flower"
In spite of the fact that her an
swering smile was half a frown, he
went on, his honest brown eyes smiling
into hers. Gee, Clio, IL you'd only
marry me-Clio"
"Fourteenth street p shouted the
guard.
As they pushed through the crowd,
Clio glanced at Jimmy with scorn
MARRY you, Jimmy. And live in three
furnished rooms and half u bath, AMI
wear funny clothes, and so to movie
once a month, ride all my life in the
subway! Why, you couldn't even nf-
ford to get taxi to propose inW
Jimmy was silent AS they reached
the row of dingy red brick apartments
where Clio could distinguish the en-
trance of her home from the one
where Jimmy lived with his Aunt
Sally only by the number, and by
cracked red vase in Mrs. O'Shaueb
nesys window on the first floor, he
said wistfully: "Well but Clio, we
could make home out of even three
furnished rooms-if--if we loved each
other"
Love isn't enough furniture, jim
N.Y." said Clio, wisely slipping the
iatchkey into the door. Good night"
II wasn't long after that. that Clio,
invited in to play bridge with Aunt
Sally and Jimmy found the fourth to
be a carefully pink .andwhite girl with
wide baby blue eyes and slight lisp,
who had room in the apartment
above. Her name was Elsie Jane
Wright; like Clio, she had a position
in Mays; and her chief occupation
lust now was the alteration of Jimmy
Burton.
"Jimmys Aunt Thally thinks It's
the most wonderful thing IN the world
to have a home" cOGed Elsie Jana
across the table. 81 think tho, too But
OF course you don't like homes, do
you, ClioT
Jimmy looked out of the window.
clio could feel the eyes Of Aunt Salt
upon her her opinion held weight with
Jimmy, she knew For an instant she
hesitated Then, the color mounting
in her checks, she rallied to her own
standards She wasn't going to pretend
what she didn't believe
81 think" she said, that it's per
fectly marvellous TO have a home when
YOU can afford one real house, with
an upstairs and n downstairs all your
own, and yard with garden. and
period furniture and oriental hang
ings, and persian rugs. Something that
y0n could furnish beautifully, and
really call home
Elsie Jane widencd her blue eyes
IN sort of s0rrOwful wonder Just
think" she said In her soft baby voice
looking up at Aunt Sally, "how much
Clos missing. Why, ! think the tinIest
little furnished apartment Is the cutest
thing" she turned to Jimmy, smiling
up into his face 81 love them. Don't
yOu? Clio couldn't be sure, but she
thought that for just an instant their
eyes met.
The next few weeks heightened for
Clio into what seemed like years,
There was succession Of bridges.
with Elsie Jane often serving the
lunches under the tuteage Of Aunt
Sally Elsie Jane in n frilly apron
Jimmy never repeated his error Of
proposing in the subway because ev.
cry night when they went home, Elsie
Jane was there, too And at last, on
one poignant day when the first breath
Of spring was In the mir, clio rode
home alone
Well, she thought II Jimmy wanted
Elsie Jane. he must have her Because,
of course Jimmy mna be happy Clio
was very clear on that point And y
he and Aunt sally couldn't see through
the fllmsy preicnsc Of fudge and hand.
embroidered dish cloths to the soul OF
Elsie Jane, who only wanted 10 he ba
bled and supported by Iimmy-Cll0
fought back tears that stung NJ hen
eyes and clcnchcd her white hands
ill they hurt.
Suddenly she WAS aware Of voices
lnr Ga1lN
and Jimmy and Elsie Jane.
arm just telling them" cooed Elsie
Jane. 'Tm going TO work in the house.
hold linens so can learn about them
-uh nh sheets and pillow cases. and
things. d" She looked up at Jim
my, blushng.
But Jimmy was looking at Clio lie
didn't even answer Elsie Jane. lie was
saying: Gee, Clio, what you need Is
some air Pm golne 10 take you up by
the river"
Then Elsie Jane was crying: "Oh
yes; well all GOT And then Aunt
Sally. with one bfiei smiIe at clio
and Jimmy standing there, said firmly:
'Oh, no, Elsie Jane This Is the night
you said you wanted to learn how 10
roas beef You're coming home With
meV
A little later. up by tie river gray
with the soft lnists Of spring, Jimmy
was whispering tcndrHy: and you
won't mnn living In three furnished
rooms, darlngf'
And clio was whispering back: 'Ob
don't care what They're furnished
with, Jimmy don't care whether
they re- furnished ~ all " onll they're
furnished with you
DR.. r. ERNEYHOUGH,
nnrtn ~ A pX aIInnrnM