Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-18


never forget her own only little sister.
I'm going to stay with you as long aS
ever you want me. and take care OF
things for you. You haven't thing TO
worry over. Now what's the matter
especially?"
Helen sat down in her hat and coat.
just as she was, on the davenport
whose lines were much better than its
brocaded covering or its material, and
pulled her sister down by her. Jessica,
nesting close. in the gasping relaxed
relief Of q lost baby who had stopped
crying because It's mother comes,
dropped her black curls on Helen's
breast.
"Oh, everythingI ! can't manage
Sadie. She takes home so much that
we don't even have enough TO eat. ]
picked her out because she was lust
my age, and q bride, too. And I'm
afraid TO speak to her for fear she'd
be cross. And the horrid installment
men took away the piano. and they
won't give us back what we paid on II,
and think that's perfectly beastly Of
them, because it's q lot more than its
rent would have been-and all my
clothes and Testers need mending, and
I'm way behind and it makes my head
ache, and"
She began to cry In earnest
why, there's nothing really wrong.
Don't worry, now" Helen slipped back
completely into her attitude Of the old
days, half laughing, half watchful.
wholly motherly.
And she's impudent because I won't
pay her wages, and-and 1 can't tell
Lester. because spent the money for
last month on something We simply
had to have, before 1 thought"
She looked up at her sister, expect
antly, completely relaxed now. Helen
would attend to everything.
Helen frightened her arms round her,
and said the expected thing.
I'll straighten it out. I'll 60 see
her now. And where do I put my
things?"
oh, Lester ought to have told you.
He will stay at the Office so much.
though he knows I need him.
suppose he's gone back now"
Child, you didn't make him leave
his work in Office hours just to meet
me?" Helen looked down, half amused,
half aghast.
Half the time there's nobody coming
In to rent anything" said |Jessica. pout-
ing. well, never mind. Why, there's
a closet over there. I'm afraid you'll
have to sleep on the davenport. It's
the open-out kind. And If you could
keep your things, part In the bath room
and part In your suitcase? You won't
mind, will your"
why, no, darling. Indeed, I don't
see where else could keep them"
Helen said cheerfully, getting up and
and emerging from the closet with a
clean blue snock over her dress. Now
go back and finish your nap and get
bath and be dressed when Lester
comes In. I'll look after things"
Would you mind tidyipg the bed
room Just scrap?" Jessica begged.
Sadie leaves it so dreadfully. and she's
out marketing now, anyway"
Jessica was painting by now and
flushed with the excitement of having
Helen to hand things over to. Helen
went in, hingtng open the rooms only
window to air the beds before she made
them. The rest Of the room would take
time. Tomorrow she would sort and
tidy and mend. It seemed like. old
times to be putting Jessica in orderl
Presently 1t was done, down to the
making Of the twin beds.
Come in. darling" she said, and es.
taoished her young sister on the bed.
In the midst OF order and an amazing
prettiness which emerged, only a little
soiled and Clipped about the edges,
from the room which had been such q
tousled, unappetizing place. JeSsica had
perfect taste and she was one of those
unfortunate people who love the beauty
OF order and leave a trail Of disorder
wherever they go.
Jessica sighed with happiness at the
sight OF her bed room.
"Oh, how adorablel" she said. give
me my rose negligee, SO I'll match It,
darling! And the powder"
She sat up among her pillows and be-
gan to set herself in order, like a Storm
tossed kitten.
Presently, powdered, brushed, dainty
in the rose negligee-Helen might have
known there would be onei-Jessica
curled back on her pillows and went to
sleep contentedly, warmed and fed
Persian pussy cat.
Helen left her and after she had
rested 10 minutes took stock Of the
place and the situation.
OF course, on Testers salary. there
was small excuse for a maid. But Helen
could see what had happened-a more
and more helpless, hurt and tangled
JeSSlca; more and more bewildered.
uncomfortable and desperate Lester,
who finally got maid whether or no,
unable to see any other way out but
cutting the knot. And Jessica wasn't
handling the maid any too well, or per-
haps she wasn't the type Jessica could
handle.
She entered presently, q pretty,
plump. Slatternly, cream-colored 19-
year-old, her deliberately bobbed and
waved hair in the bob cover of pink
silk Melted cord which Helen found to
be her usual headgear, even when wait
ing at table. The paper bags she pulled
out OF her string bag and spread on the
porcelain table top, which was also 3
stationary tubs top, were all obviously
delicateSSen bought
81 am Mrs. Hanleys sister, Miss
Heather" she told the girl. 81 am in
charge now till she is well again."
Sadie greeted Helen with great anna
bility.
II hopes you had an enjoyable trim
down." she offered, with an uncon-
seriousness of the state of the house
which duchess might have envied.
she rocked OF into the other room to
hang up her coat, returning to unveil
the ready-roasted chicken, the bologna,
the potato salad, the doughnuts and the
cream she had brought In. Helen left
her and returned to the other room.
These babes in the wood would let
her have free hand in managing, she
knew, only too grateful to have her
assume the responsibility of straighten.
ing things out for them. She went over
and sat down at the expensive secre-
tary. 1t was furnished with q blue
feathered pen, Strayed bridge score
and pile a unpaid bills. She dug her
own stationery and fountain pen out Of
her bags and sat down again with a
sense Of blessed peace and relief at the
act to write Ethan.
Jessica called her from the bed room.
Her weeks up tomorrow" she
whispered. After you've paid her, do
discharge her and get another onel 1t
Will serve her good and right. Why,
one night last Spring we had fish, and
she hid all the roe for her horrid hus-
band, and Lester loves roe!"
Halann h. csa..