Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-10-14

an intoxicating Joy that defed the
WEAKNESS of long days in stuffy court
room, long evenings on the dance floor.
Now she realized there was another
side to this love business, an unpless-
ant side bitter with fear of loss. She
was being an utter fool.
Tony" she said, arising, IL must
go on. Please tell the gentleman I
will be at the courthouse until the YER
dict on the Brown case is in"
Tony was still assuring her of his
willingness to relay the message as
she started her journey down through
town. She stopped at Hamburger Joe's
stand for sandwich and cup OF
coffee, but even the aroma of the fry
ing onions could not stimulate the
appetite which had been so ravenous
before, and she left the sandwich with
one small half moon bitten from its
bun-brown side.
ListleSsly she pushed through the
crowded courthouse corridors, where
interested spectators were smoking and
talking to pass the time away. She
passed the bailiff at the door and sur
veyed the interior. A dreary place.
Pale lights overhead, spreading a
CHASTITY light over blue walls, plain oak
bench and jury box. The long tables
usually occupied by counsel and by the
press were deserted as the men gath
cred in groups.
Marian went to the press table,
slipped into a chair, drew out the wad
of copy paper and added a wistful-
eyed Mickey Mouse to her collection.
Bowen had said, watch Jenny
Case" Carefully careless, Marian
looked beyond the fenced-in Enclosure.
Jenny was one of the few spectators
who had remained in the room. She
sat, leaning forward, thin chin resting
in an angular cupped hand.
Jenny removed the hat which had
been shading her face, and Marian's
sympathy cooled. Her hair was the
luSterlesS black Of vulture's wing.
Her face was flushed. Her dark eyes,
set too closely together for any indi-
cation of generosity, were glancing
here and there as though anticipating
some pleasing event. Occasionally her
small, pink-pointed tongue would dart
out to wet thin, red lips.
Like Tabby does when she watches
me pour cream into a saucer" thought
Marian. She added wide-mouthed
cat to the collection of rodents.
And then into the gloom of the big
room stepped Lon Casad. Marian won
dered, Historically, why everyone in
the room didn't stop looking and stare
why the clock over the bench didn't
stop ticking, why the flag didn't start
waving. Had there ever been any one
finer in that old room?
He was talking to the bailiff. dark
head bent little to one side, pleasing
grin showing a row of square, white
teeth, strong shoulders held a little
back, even as his head was bent
Marian notice his amber-hazel eyes
searching the room. They focused on
her.
Lon was bending over Marian's
chair, apologizing, explaining 1t hap
pened this way" he said, ''Tony'S lit
tie Marietta has the measles. Tony's
big Marietta had told him to be sure
to send down some vaseline for little
Marietta's chest, and he had forgot
ten"
"And you went out, bought it and
carried it down." declared Marian, and
added, land what else did you buy and
carry down."
Candy and a picture book" he ad-
mitted.
Lon, you're a darling" whispered
Marian. No use to spoil his pleasure
by telling him children with measles
weren't allowed to use their eyes, nor
to eat candy. She was proud of his
generosity, his consideration for other
people then later she was to look
back on this and wonder if those quail
tiles were conamendable.
What's the big argument going on
in the corner?" he inquired, pointing
to a group of men.
Looks as though Lem Sutherland,
counsel for the defense, was trying to
sell something" said Marian. Listen"
Honor belongs to the hcop-skirt
age" Sutherland was saying, 'it's
passe. Oh, I'll admit there is honor
among few men, there may be honor
among thieves, but honor among
women never!"
How about it, Ian," called one of
the reporters, and the group made
its way toward the press table.
I'D never thought about it," Marian
admitted, and turned to Lon. Whats
your idea of honor?"
THAT men are honorable because
it's the sporting thing to be, and most
men are trained to be good sports; that
thieves may be honorable; if so, it's
because they're afraid of being put
on the spot if they're not; that women
well, women act instinctively-''
"And you don't believe they are in
stinctively honorable" interposed
Sutherland with satisfaction, that's
right. It's biologically impossible
Their honor usually involves some man,
and when two women are after the
same man, as they are in this Brown
bribery case"
"You misunderstood" said Lon firm
ly. 81 believe women are so instructive
ly honorable. that is, most women
-. that they are not conscious of it,
and therefore don't advertise it,"
Marian wished she might hear more
of his views, but there was furry
at one end of the room, deputy in
charge of the jury had appeared to
announce the jury had reached a YER
dict. A messenger was being dis
patched to the judges chambers to
cali his honor to the bench, and Lem
Sutherland had disappeared to find
his clients.
T0mOrroW-BrownI Learns His Fate