Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-18
INSTALLMENT XXI.

| - EoRGIA DE HAAS lived in the
4 Palm Court Bungalow Apart
The name was not entirely
, misleading. The f1imsy stucco
! bungalows did surround small sun
! baked space which by violation OF the
! imagination could be called court.
And the discouraged tree in the CEN
| fer slowly strangling to death in the
| iron ground, was undoubtedly palm
| tree. ..,,,,,
/ Georgia was given to explaining Vlgor-
/ ously to all who would listen:
| wouldn't live there if it wasn't Tor
John" John being her Pre-, Cr
white-faced son Of years. q prefer
a hotel room myself but the child has
! to have some place to play.
John could have told her that the
hard-baked ground bent his tin shovel:
! that the whiting palm cast no Shade on
! his bare head; that flies stung MS smaIl,
! hot legs and that it was altogether
| dreary playing like this by himself, with
! a row of white doors looking blanKly
! down upon him. But Georgia chung 10
her illusion; it was more comfortable
! that way.
This morning the boy loitered IN the
! AICIMdN DtIWGSIl LllC olloAl AA' @AtS @NSAa'
and the infinitesimal hall, drearlly eye
! ing his mothers visitor while he wound
| and reWound himself in the blue velour
| drapes in an excess of boredom.
Now. lust look at that chiloF
| Georgia hurled the words at Amy Car
! ter, who sat across the room on the
shabby brocade Chesterfield, smoking
Hanging around the house, when I've
told him 30 times to get out IN tne
court. where he belongs. John. l don't
want to have to speak again! Get your
pail and shovel and get out, ana stay
out!"
Painting slightly in nervous irritation,
she lit her cigarette.
Il declare" she went on harply when
the child had reluctantly departed, I
don't know what I'm going to do with
that child, He doesn't miss trick,
and it's getting 50 I don't dare. spell
things before him any more. l tell you,
you're lucky you have no child"
There was venom in the words, for
! Amy had tried Georgia's soul today by
| showing up looking irritatingly well
| groomed and wearing new Fall jacket
/ and a new afternoon dress.
To be sure, Georgia had derived some
| satisfaction by ignoring the new clothes
until Amy was driven to the point OF
! Calling IlGI dLlSlIlOAl w AllSlil' AAASAA
she had eyed her visitor critically, paus-
ing in the act of taking ice cubes from
the refrigerator to mix highball.
"Oh, that's right: haven't seen those
before. have I? Squirrel. Hunmm- m!
Vc~y pretty. I hear Eunicc has new
one t~o-ernine"
A flush Of annoyance rose in Amy S
checks. 1t was maddcning she thought
hotly, that whatever she bought Eunice
should have something OF the kind
and a shade the better.
The flush made Georgia feel better.
Later when she related this scene to
Eunice Georgia would say, vindictively:
Il took her down a couple Of pegs, be-
lieve me- She could have bitten my
head off |"
There was a rivalry between Georgia
and Amy that there was not between
Georgia and Eunice. Amy was another
divorce. for one thing, and Georgia
envied Amy her freedom from reSpon-
sibility and the free use Of her alimony.
Eunice, on the other hand, was I'M
approachable, either in the matter Of
wealth or beauty. A queen, a star
some enc to be fiattered and admired
above other mortals, while Amy was an
earthly rival.
So, while Amy was some one to cult
vate and play up to for the sake OF the
crumbs which dropped from her table
Georgia did so with a Smartlng heart
She would rage to Eunice: Amy Car
ters only good-looking because she
spends all her money in the beauty
shops and because she has good looking
clothes. If she had to skimp the way
do. If it wasn't for my child, Ic
show her"
The croWd"-Amy, Eunice anc
Georgia-clung together for mutua
benefits or through mutual distrust, bu
there were no loyaltieS.
Amy said resentfully now at Georgia
barbod thrust: Il understand tina
squirrels to be the smart fur this year
! can't imagine why Eunice would ge
ernine, unless it was just to show sht
could afford it. Who couldn't, married
to Fred Wilson? Believe me, l paid {
pretty penny for this coat! My ali
mony's gone fer months to come. Ant
Just try and get some extra allowance
from the estate! Nick won't loosen VI
for single penny. Sometimes l thinl
Vera's right. Nick's misused the fund
and he's afraid we'll find out-that'
why he grindS us down So" This las
came out in an angry rush through tn
haze Of Amys cigarette.
"Nick's still over at the house ism
he? He's staying quite a while thi
! trip dulI nush hau risen u
: Georgia's cheeks at the mention Of Nick
She dropped the ice cubes in the glasse
5 with unnecessary violence.
! Too long! l don't know what's 90
into the man. He's invited himself Il
60 on down to the beach house with u
: ever the week enc. Said he wants Il
S see about repairs before the Winter ant
: simply moved in on the party"
Amy bit her lip too late. She hat
Y not intended to say anything to Georgii
about the week end party she hat
: planned, for Georgia was not invited
I The Carriers owned a Summer HON
some miles from Lockwood, on tn
ocean shore. party was planned
party which did not include Georgia.
Amy stumbled in speech, continue
quickly: "Of course, know Nick's &c
n an eye on grandmother's money. That
il why he comes home at ALTO play tn
: old girl along. And does she fall for it
d If I was mother, I'd simply tell him
n stay away, but it's grandmother house
a and if she Is so old, we can't manag
a the house to suit ourselves"
n Georgia was not listening to Amy
IL nervous words. Her eyes were no
se There was suppressed excitement in he
~ manner. Torture-this smoldering pas