The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-04

troubles will be over"
She really believed this. Mike,
wriggling with pleasure, bursting
with pride, believed it, too. But 6S
Ellen looked down at her 12-year-
old brother she thought the time
when they would all be rich was a
long way off.
Myra and Ellen were fonder CT
each other than sisters usually are
They were proud of their friend
ship and glad to be together. Both
of them worked a great deal
harder than most girls and because
Of their mothers childish ire
sponsibihty they had early been
forced to take up the burden Of
keeping the family together.
.NHYRA at 26 had all the maturi-
WI ty that Molly would lack at
66. That morning after breakfast
she dressed quickly so she could
walk the three blocks to the subway
with Ellen. All her indignation
spilled out again as the two linked
arms and walked along Pine street,
cruelty shabby in the hot summer
sunshine.
She felt a fierce, burning, help
less rage that her young sister
should miss so many of the pleasant
things of life. She felt also a fear
that Ellen at 20 would step into
the same blind alley she herself had
stepped into at II.
Nine years before she had fallen
in love with Bert Armstead. She
still loved him. But his job at the
library where they both worked was
almost as poorly paid as hers. And
Myra had seen the first rapture Of
love wear away in nine years of
endless waiting.
She felt she could not bear to
see Ellen start in the way that she
had started; to see Ellen lose the
freshness of her love as she waited
for an impossible $35 week to
climb to possible $50.
She feared what Molly had limo
Gently hoped for-that Ellen would
meet some one at Dreamland. But
she tried to hide that fear
ut makes me furious" Myra be-
gan fiercely, her blue eyes blazing,
that you should have to take this
job, work yourself to death just be-
cause"
"Boo!" Ellen scoffed. I'm not an
old lady. 1t might be a lot of fun,
you never can tell. 1t would be
grand if you didn't have to work
nights at the library and we could
both CO."
cts not fair at ALL" Myra per-
sisted unhappily. Not fair that you
should miss so many of the things
other girls have. Theater parties
and clothes and dances, dinners at
the right places"
ooh, don't fuss so, Myra." Ellen |
was silent a moment and then said |
casually, tom Shannenberger asked |
me to marry him last night"
you didn't, Ellen! You didn't"
Myra's slim, brown fingers tensed |
on Ellen's arm; her face was stiff
with apprehension.
mo, I didn't accept him, if that's |
what you mean. don't love him."
Ellen responded carelessly. She adj |
ded, cit seems to me that you're |
awfully anxious to keep ME from
falling in love. Isn't that one of the
things that other girls do?"
She glanced innocently at her
sister.
"Oh, Ellen, it's not that and you
know it's notw Myra protested |
half-laughing. Its only
Tom Shannenberger can't even
himself. He has nothing
now and never will have anything.
He's just one of those men,"
Il know that. Still, if loved him
I don't believe I'd let it make any
difference" Ellen said seriously.
A LITTLE pucker marked her
N low, broad forehead. Her eyes
were sweet and thoughtful.
Il know money is important" she
conceded. "Awfully important in
lots of ways. But when you think
of love" she flushed youthfully-
why, all at once, it's just nothing"
Ellen" Myra spoke with desper-
ate earnestness, money is so i'm
portant in love that without it
some money, I mean, not a lot
love itself is nothing"
II don't for a minute believe it.
Look at me and you'll believe it.
Lack of money has robbed me of
nine years of my life. If there had
been any way under heaven for Bert
and me to marry when We wanted
to, by now I'd have had a home
children-all the things a woman
wants. Instead"
She broke off, appalled, at what
she had been about to put into
words. Not even to Ellen could she
admit that of late Bert had seemed