Evening star., 1933-07-30
illustrated BY Ralph Nelson

Just the sort of thing a girl who was crazy
about boys would think up as an excuse to go
trsipsing over to the house where boy lived.
It certainly looked funny. And for goodness
sake what did she have to be In their dining
room for? Why couldn't she have said at
the door, Here's Puff, Mrs. Townsend-and
now really have to be running right aione!
Waves Of heat began to rush over her race
and neck. And the child Ellen was staring at
these waves of color as a scientific investigator
might have stared at the symptoms Of death
in a beetle.
Anita gave an attention almost reverential
to Mrs Townsend's desultory comments about
the neighborhood into which she and her
family had moved.
"Of course, we've never lived in town
quite SO small before" she was saying. Ana
after Detroit it seems-oh, it seems tiny. But
I suppose it has quite a little social life OF
its own, hasn't it?'
"Oh, yes" said Anita eagerly.
"It's Bill who's going to miss Detroit" put
in Mr. Townsend jovially. Bills the social
success of the family, You know. What the
girls in Detroit are going to do now I can't
imagine"
"Oh, my gosh!" said Bill.
We'll, wel," said Mrs. Townsend aniably,
.you two young people can get together, any
way now that the kitten has introduced you"
Mr. Townsend chuckled. He felt himself
very close to young people-one OF them, IN
fact. Mrs. Townsend often said that he was
nothing but big boy.
Anita's dry lips stirred feebly. great roar
ing in her own ears mercifully drowned OUT
any comments that Mrs. Townsend might have
been making at the moment. Her wretched
gaze fell upon Ellen. The child leaned for
ward, gaining the attention of the table.
Are you and Bill going to be engased?"
she demanded. Are they, mother?"
Mrs. Townsend laughed lightly.
Ellen had an older sister who got engaged
in Detroit and then married. 1t was great
thing for Ellen" She turned benignly to her
youngest child. NO. they aren't engaged yet,
darling"
No one spoke for several moments. Anita
looked at the glass in her hand with bright.
fixed smile.
IT guess I'll have to ask you to excuse me"
Bill Townsend spoke up. 1--WE got such loe
Of junk to unpack."
"Well-don't rush out that way" admon-
ished his mother. I've never known you tn
such a hurry about anything like that before.
At least, you might say goodnight to Miss
winters
"Oh, I didn't know she was going. well
excuse me- I'm sure"
Not at ALL" murmured Anita. "As mat
ter of fact, I was going right away. I only
came over because mother said you'd be aw-
fully worried about the kitten"
when was your age" Mr.. Townsend re-
marked to his son, II never ran away when
there was pretty girl around. can tell you
that"
There was silence.
Then young Mr.. Townsend pulled one OF his
sisters lemon-colored curls, clapped his hands
together and swung his head and shoulders
from side to side, slowly and jerkily. to TIP
rhythm Of jazz harmony that had apparently
Just come to him from nowhere. Suddenly,
seeming to remember the presence Of guest
in the house, he paused in the very doorway
to bid her farewell.
uTHEY didn't seem to take to each other, did
they2" said Mr.. Townsend, after Miss
Anita Winters had gone.
"Who? Oh, the children! Oh, that's just
their way"
"T don't know" said Mr.. Townsend mus
ingiy. ut was kind Of funny. I don't think
they said one word to each other the whole
time she was here. And don't know what
to make of Bill-that was the prettiest girl I've
seen in blue moon. And our young ones
good looking enough brat, as far as that's con-
cerned."
"They didn't seem to take to each other"
Mrs. Townsend assented thoughtfully 1T
would have been SO nice. too, living right next
door to each other-Tm sure we did everything
we could to encourage nice little friendship
between them!"
Mrs. Fred Winters was raising the same
mournful plant two or three weeks later.
II really can't understand" she said, why
you two behave the way you do. Your father
and were talking 1t over with Bills father
and mother enly last niRht and we all agreed