The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-10
CHAPTER XIV

VoS ~ A4SA O1VtAX9I y luce ~ IL 08x0s
ened. A muscle near his jaw knot
ted itself. Don't be . little sap"
no said. "But, Susie, what do you
suppose they've been doing with all
the money that Grandfather Brod-
erick left them?-You've heard
them talk about the time when they
had five servants and two electric
runabouts in the family, and how
Aunt Edna and Lutte used to 70 to
New York twice . year to buy their
clothes. They must have been wild
with money then-and even five or
SIX years ago we weren't poor the
way We are now"
well, the rents ct The Broderick
Arms have been falling of, for one
thing" Susan began, and then
stopped abruptly. There was no
conviction in her voice or in her
mind. She realized that the de.
crease in the rents was very little
compared to the difference between
the old days Of ease and plenty il
the house and the lean days Of the
present.
"No, they had more than just the
apartment" John said. "They had
government bonds - the safest
things in the world. They used to
talk about them but they never do
any more. What / think is that
they've been selling them for years,
Spending everything that Grand
father left them until there's moth
ing left but this house, and the
apartment-and this place Is mort
gagged to the hilt. They Ill ought to
have Z guardian, IL you ask me-"
"But Uncle Worthy-isn't he sup
posed to b their trustee or some
thing like that" asked Susan who,
like the majority Of women. knew
practically nothing about business.
"He's always handled the estate"
"Yep," said John with sarcasm
sharpening his tone. HE has. With
the result that We have . roomer in
the house instead Of . cook and are
trying 70 rent our garage instead
Of keeping . car Of our own in it.
You know, Susie, there's . saying
that goes something like this-sHis-
tory il filled with the sound Of
wooden shoes climbing up the stairs
and satin slippers coming down.
Well, ! think the Brodericks' satin
slippers are coming down in hurry
these days. This house will be !
boarding house YET"
That was what had happened TO
the Taylor house in the next block
when old Mr.. Stuyvesant Taylor
died, Susan remembered. The Van
Dorm house, around the corner on
Stilwell Street, had become . music
school when the Van Dorns moved
out Of Il 70 take possession Of their
new house in Chagrin Valley, and
almost oil Of the other proud old
mansions IN the neighborhood had
been torn down TO make room for
two-story business blocks or Ga
1ges Or four-family houses.
0If I % to Omaha, Uncle Worthy
viii rent my room, ] imagine, and
he1l do the same thing with Dads
when he moves al Of his things
over 70 Mrs. Hopper's place" Johns
voice ran on In the quiet room.
(None Of them ever called the new
Hrs. Morris Broderick anything
but "Mrs. Hopper.") "Oh, well. ]
suppose It's none Of my business.
When tried to suggest to Uncle
Worthy the other day that be sell
the house or lease the, land for q
factory site. he shut me up. !. :. Let's
70 over to the Cullens' and see
what's doing, Susie"
But for once the Cullens' house
had no lure for Susan. Upstairs.
behind the closed solid-walnut door
Of the front bedroom. Allen was
busy with his law books. And 50
LONG o be Was there her old family
house WAS the only place on earth
whore sho wanted to be.
Early Monday morning Aunt
Edna took the 1881 edition Of the
Social Register down from it, place
on the parlor book shelves and b.
gan to check on names for Susan'G
wedding invitations.
"Coodness gracious, Ednal Why
do that now?" Lutte wanted %
know. sThere won't b any wed
ding for i've or SIX monthSl
thought W were MI going to pitch
in and Do the housswork this morn
"Well, I'm going 10 check OF
these names now" Aunt Edna de-
clared. thrusting out her lower lip
determinedly. "June isn't 30 very
far away and there are I'll sorts 81
things to b done before then, and
I'm going to get ct them a. I think
Of them. Some day ven have % see