Evening star., 1933-11-05
Peter Had Red Hair
By Margaret Dolzison
And That Was Only One Of the
Reasons Why Denny Loved
Him So Much.
Illustrated byA G. Skrcnd

moved over 10 Trenton. Two rooms and 1T
tie kitchen and slice of view And there's
| iER voice broke into excited little splinters.
suspiciously like a giggle. "I'll have your
slippers warming when you come home nights.
Peter rubbed his free hand up into his hair
Listen, kid. We can't let ourselves be carried
away by crazy notions"
Denny said, mo" Sanely again. She said,
You'd better eat your lunch"
Peter said, The furniture is sort of golden
oak. If We got couple Of deep chairs for in
front Of the fire and maps to hang on the
WALL"
Denny nodded. There we're tiny white
anchors in Peters tie. Things making dents
against Dennys senses. Clinging like the smell
Of moWn grass in hot sun. The way it had
smeled the afternoon Peter came out to the
Hunt Club for story on some of the horses.
The first time she had ever seen Peter.
Denny had been named on the Junior Com
mltee for the benefit chase. Denny hated
committees. Stuffy meetings when you might
be out riding through shadow-freckled paths.
But OF course the Cotter name had to be in
things. And Denny thought reporters
nuisance. But the chase needed publicity and
there was no one else around at the time to
talk with this man from the Press. So Denny
sat against the rail ot the club house porch and
told things about Aunt Jennifer's thorough
breds and Max Trents stables
And this man from the Press. looking out
across the sun-splashed afternoon asking a
question now and then, laughing with her when
sne got mixed up about Ladybrd's ancestors.
And the next night. somehow, she wasn't sur
prised to see him at party.
He began to make all the big parties. News
paper gigolo' he said.
Denny had to laugh. And when ultimately
he had kissed her and held her for moment
just beyond the silver slit Of moonlight on
terrace it had been very simple gesture.
Simple and precipitate and of such depths OF
tenderness that Denny was shaken And now
Peter was leaning toward her across the mar
painted table.
Listen kid None of my family, far
l know carved his initials on Plymouth Rock
And they didn't get their name in histories
Or bank books He said it slowly with his
fingers tightening against hers. MY mother
was Scotch and my father was Irish, and on
Sunday we kids had to sit through church and
in the Spring We took doses CT sulphur and
mOlaSSes
And when you grew up, said Denny, you
wouldn't ask girl to marry you because some
one in her family had come steerage In the
Mayfower. When can we 60 out and talk with
the landlady about the place."
Peter glanced at his watch, and there was
a small disturbance across the room in the
doorway. 1t was Hawkins holding the door.
And Aunt Jennifer and Maxwell Trent. Holding
a consultation, they didn't see Denny at first.
Good chauffeur" said Peter thinly. There
were strained lines running out from his mouth.
Hawkins has to make living" Denny put
out her other hand and clung to Peters for
second I'm supposed to help hang the tapes
try this afternoon. Ceremony of sort. There
will be three or four dozen people there telling
Max how wonderful the thing Is. And what
beautiful colors" She picked up her bag and
Peter got to his feet. You won't forget?" she
asked and her glance chung to his their
fingers had held. About things?"
Not likely said Peter
The jeweler and the tapestry waiting
in Max's library when they got there. Other
people began to come. They adored the tap
estry They adored the cocktails and the Nnsei
the one about the big frog and the little frog
"please Max It's simply hilarious when you
tell it,
fer announced that she must be going.
There were things she must attend to. She
drew her molesldn scarf about her shoulders
and said it was, going to take courage to 60
back to town day like this.
Denny put down her glass and got out
narrow side door to the terrace where rain
dripped over wire awning.
Aunt Jennifer had relentless of duty.
Its pangs had driven her to take in young Dan
Cotter's child when she was three and de-
veloping case of mumps when young Dan and
his wife and his yacht went down in gale
off the coast. Duty was taking her back into
town on a day like this, to find Peter.
Jennifer Cotter would talk to this young
Peter. About position and background. And
marriage. She would be motherly. And synpa-
thetic. And very firm. Denny doubled her
fingers into small fists Peter, please remem-
be- the sulphur and molasses. You've got to
sort of hold your nose and swallow hard. And
ten forget it."