The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-02-10
Celebration for
jamie
y GEORGE oRocAN
Q. BY Mcclure Nswspapsr syndicate.
WNI1 aArYfca

sat relaxed and lovely. gazing sadly
from the window at the Hudson river.
"She's beautiful" thought Jane. II
don't wonder he loves her" Jane,
too. was beautiful, with the maturity
OF forty. She too. looked somewhat
sad.
Her husband. Clarkson. rustled his
paper nervously. Tension was In the
air. He gazed over the tops Of his
glasses at his wife and his daughter.
They're beautiful" he thought Its
darn shame that young whippersnap.
per has to spoil It all"
well. JAMIE" he said, you're not
by any chance gracins the family cir
Gle with your presence tonight. are
your"
little sarcasm, but lot Of affec.
tion. Clarkson Rainey Was very fond
of his daughter jamie. And 80 was
she OF him.
Daddy" she said and moth.
er: I'm going over to Molly's for the
evening Bert's going to be there.
But want to tell you and mother
something before I 90. I'm going to
marry him"
Clarkson Rainey spoke with an ef-
fort, guardedly.
Il don't like that JAMIE" he said.
You know that"
Yes" she said. facing her father
bravely Il know that. You and
mother don't like Bert. But I-love
him"
"Oh, JAMIE" said her mother. 1T
isn't that We don't like Bert-he's
dear boy. but"
Father was Z dear boy once-hell
outgrow that: mean Bert will" said
jamie.
Jane and Clarkson talked all eve
ming. 81 won't have It," Clarkson
stormed. II won't have 1t. He's just
q boy. He's no more ntted to take
care of JAMIE than--well, 1t just won't
do."
Jane raised objections, but she real
~ agreed with him. They couldn't
think Of Bert as grown up. They had
known him from babyhood. just as
they had JAMIE. "Of course. Clark.
son, suppose We ought to be glad we
know him so well-know he's decent,
and all that. But II 1t had only been
Mr.. Gregory"
That was the trouble, Of course.
They both favored another suitor for
Janie's hand, man Of twenty-eight,
established. charming, mature. Not
Bert, twenty-five. stumbling at his first
job, awkward, boyish.
They went to bed that night with
out seeing jamie. While they were
dressing next morning they decided
they must make the best OF 1t. Its
Janies life, OF course" admitted
Carkson. II guess we've got to make
the best OF 1t. Tell you whGt-I'll get
four tickets for that show JAMIE wants
to see. and wen have dinner frst at the
Ritz. Tell the child to bring her boy
along for our blessing"
But there was no chance to tell
jamie, that morning. Of their change
Of heart. She had gone. before break
fast. to Molly's.
Jane tried half dozen times to get
In touch with Bert by telephone.
"Well. naturally" said JAMIE. when
she came In at six. II told him not to
talk with you--not till I'd seen how
things were. But I'm awfully sorry,
mother. You and father are sports. +"
~Yes." said Jane, contritely. II said
the message was from you"
II was a radiant JAMIE who got out
Of the taxicab behind her father and
mother at the gay hotel an hour later
But when SEVENTEEN came and no
Bert appeared-when seven-thirty
came and they had to cit down to
dinner without him. JAMIE wasn't so
happy. She had telephoned his apart
ment. He wasn't In.
SO the celebration of JAMES en-
gagement wasn't very gay. after all.
Her father was all contrition. II was
bis bungling fault. he thought. His
reaction toward Bert improved by the
minute
At quarter past eight three rather
subdued people stepped into q taxicab.
to 60 to the theater. "Well. for heav
ems sake" said Clarkson. A stopped.
damp figure with q bunch of chrys
anthemums. which he was offering for
sale. stood by his elbow. "Oh. daddy.
get some. He's one Of the unem
plOyed-please."
But Clarkson took the shabby figure
by the coat collar. "You poor goose :"
he said. The damp. stopped man
Strengthened out and, under a worn
coat and battered hat, emerged as
Bert. what ever did you do that
fort"
II had to see Janie-she telephoned
me, or somebody did. to meet her here
at seven. Well. I saw you 20 In and
couldn't get her eye. So I paid nve
dollars to fellow selling flowers for
his coat and hat-save him mine--and
his flowers. and I've been hanging
around since then waiting for jamie
to come out hoping to get a chance
to speak to her disguised a. a flower
seller"
"Oh, Bert said JAMES mother,
you're such baby. Here. get in
here with Us. We're glad you're 90.
ing to marry jamie. We're celebrat
ing"
Clarkson slammed the taxi door as
be crowded in on the little seat across
from his wife. His hand sought hers
In the dark. One thing-~Bert wasn't
going TO take their responsibility
away from them; they'd have two