Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-06

1y 4 cushions Of the chaise Tongue.
"Oh, how pretty you are
when you're standing upl" was the first
thing she said. at do love pretty peo-
pie, because I never was. can't get
up or move, because Of this silly pain
that insists on being embowered in hot
water bags and electric pads. Wont
you sit down?" She indicated an old
fashioned wicker rocker, kept for senti-
her pain, with unaffected gayety as
Helen obeyed her. 81 have an offer to
make you. from Patricia" she went on,
laughing at the idea with Helen. mo,
really. The child suggested It herself,
and If you knew"
81 do know said Patricia herself,
entering with entire dignity, "and ]
think have alright to be present"
thought, but she looked At Patricia with
entire seriousness.
ITO begin with" said Mrs. Kingsway
more seriously, "Dr. Gaynor says that
your present work is too combining :"
(aelen WINGED. She wondered If that
was all he had said. Combining" was
small matter compared to how hui
initiating 1t was to work for Tommy
fatherl) "He is sure, for asked him,
that Mr.. Delamater would accept your
resignation. And Patricia wants you to
act as her governeSs. Wait" as
Helen was about to speak, "Patricis's
governesSes have hard time. You are
not a good little girl with them, Patricia,
you know"
81 didn't like Them" she said. II do
like Helen Heatheri"
Mrs. Kingsway cast half-laughing,
half -despairing look at Helen, and Helen
took q hand.
Patricia, If you want me for anything
at all, please go downstairs, until Mrs.
Kingsway and call you"
Patricia took one look at Helen, de-
cided she meant it, and went.
Good heavens" said Mrs. Kingsway.
I'VE simply must have you, If you can
do that sort Of thing!" She went on;
is a problem? You are tho FIRST person
she has seemed to care for, except
Ethan, since she came. 1t was her own
idea. We have found that a regular
governeSs won't answer. You'll have to
be on the footing Of an older sister with
her, teaching her not so much out of
books as how to adjust with the world.
You'd have to make the hours longer,
coming here from to s, think, but
there would be less teaching than play
ing with her, in them. ] have only just
about you from my friends; and you
seem to have an especial gift for adjust
ing-'mixing' people call It. If you can
give this poor child a little affection,
and incidentally what reading and writ
ing and arithmetic she'd get from an
older sister. or an aunt"
Mrs. Kingsway looked at her and
paused.
Helen half rose from her wicker
rocker, excitedly.
Mrs Kingsway, are you sure you're
not doing this just to be kind, just
because you know how heavenly 1t
would be to me to change and do this?'
Mrs. Kingsway looked puzzled.
ut was Patricia's idea," she said. II
am glad 1t seems kind, but it is our last
hope. Patricia was outrageous to Miss
Fletcher. who has just gone. I don't
want any more govefnesses, she said,
But I'd like to engage Helen Heather
to be my auntl' SO Ethan and I have
been simply quivering with anxiety till
you woke upS
It was all so gracious and light and
natural that Helen should have &C.
cepted it, but she didn't.
"You didn't know that Tommy Della
mater broke his engagement with me
and that his mother is telling every
do 1t because I'd entrapped him?" she
said, desperately and that I had to
60 on working for his father because !
felt to i'll to make q fresh start some
where else? And that was simply
desperate about it2'
Mrs. Kingsway smiled, with some
thing of the disdain Helen had seen in
Ethan.
Lydia Delamater was never a per-
son one paid much attention to, was
she2 Her own perfectly worthy origin
has always worried her, poor womanl
Defense reaction, I think they call it
pink -and-white thing, like . wildnower.
She cooked for Amos Delamater's
mother!"
Helen looked at Mrs Kingsway, and
suddenly found she could laugh, gayly,
irrespreSsibly. So that was why Mrs.
Delamater worried so about caste!
Mrs. Kingsway dismissed it, laughing
with her. her head dropped against her
pillow. And It seemed casual, somehow
behind Helen. Sometimes q chance
phrase viii alter all ones values, and
In its right light; something that, in ct
least the last phase, one could laugh
about
Patricia clattered up the stairs and
burst In at the door. s2s 1t all rights
Will she be an aunt?"
II think she will." said Mrs. Kings
way.
There was q little more talk about
terms and hours and business gener-
ally. Then Helen rose to 60.
"Oh, youn come youn comet" said
Patricia. 1T think it was one OF the
brightest ideas I ever had!"
he ot
Helen said. Its only about IS min
utes' walk from here"
And I'll meet you at the gatepoStS!
I'll meet you at the gatepostSl' chant
ed Patricia, leaping up and down.
Look, I'm being a kangaroo"
Helen said good-by to the kangaroo.
She went along the wide upper hall
slowly and dreamily. She returned TO
the room where her possessions were.
ing 1t to perfect order. She came for
ward now and spoke to Helen.
IT hung your outdoor things In the
closet, miss. Your gloves and handbag
are in the top drawer of the bureau"
She gave the old-fashioned blue-and-
white coverlet last smoothing stroke,
tucked It in at the side of the mal1og-
any bed and went noiselessly out.
Helen looked about her.
This room had belonged to some
body who cared nothing whatever for
the feelings Of those severe-minded all-
tocrats, the interior decorators. The
bed and bureau and q side table were
beautiful, massive mahogany of the
First Empire, set which had been, by
its marks of wear and tear, lovingly
obliterated by restoration, but still
visible. o family possession. The paper
was still bright and clean, but its pat
tern of hundreds of small gilt baskets,
embossed on cream ground, linked by
garlands CT embossed gilt beads and
splitting out demure, stiff Fink and blue
blossoms to right and left, was of the
104Os. 50 was the lou black basket
chair with patchwork cushion AS for
the two hassoclSs one to each chair,
fhe,r WARE hacernke EInlera had mt saen