The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-02-15
SYNOPSIS


 hOusework, with the baby to care tOrs exhausting.
 CHAPTER XXII
 Gypsy, assembling towels, soap, powder and olive oil, scolded herself, I'm a bad mother" What . lot you needed for 6 baby! She had never realized 1t before. Quite callously she had criticized young mothers for not doing this, doing that. Keeping up," 1t was gener- ally called. And yet how could you expect them to play bridge, to read the latest books to be bright and Interesting when they faced such mountainous tasks day after day?
 David was naughty that morn ing. Perhaps he missed the expert ministrations of the absent Mrs Burby. Perhap ps he Bensed the ner- vousness of his young mother. At any rate he cried. He cried and cried and cried.
 Gypsy was shaking with nervous ness and fatigue when the ordeal of the morning bath was finished A cold precipitation beaded her up- per lip and her knees sagged as she laid tho now sleepy, immacu- late infant in his crib.
 Could she possibly go at the rest of the disorder nowf And where was Tom? He hadn't even tole- phoned. She was ready to cry with weakness and discouragement.
 A key grated in the lock and Tom ushered in a big, blond, clean skinned young woman wearing q long, unfashionabls coat. This is Elsa, darling" Tom announced. tT. .l ,1A want her to-"
 Elsa worked part-time. Three days q week she came at eight and stayed until one. The other four days she came at one and stayed until seven, leaving dinner pre- pared. She was slow, tireless, clean.
 After that things went more smoothly. Elsa was q treasure. Tom and Gypsy told each other. She was jewel.
 How we can afford 1t I simply don't know" Gypsy would say. drowning over the bills. But there was now no question in her mind about letting Elsa go. It was simply not to be thought of, Tom said, and she agreed. Until she was stronger. at least.
 The baby grew--flourished. The days IT shed by, punctured only by bnth-timc, nap-tlme, feeding time. Sometimes the imperturnblc Elsa stayed in the evening and the young Weavers dashed out to q movie. But this was not often. The budget was strained too tight to allow much entertainment.
 What did we ever do with our money beforc?" Gypsy wondered artlessiy aloud one stormy Novcm- Der night when she had established hergelf in the big chair opposite Tom. Elk stockings and manicures, Bundaes and matinees and new hats 2 why, she had thought nothing of all these before her marriage! Now they seemed the supreme luxuries. A vail from the bedroom inter rupted her revcrie. She rushed in. to find two pink hands waving above tho blankets.
 Isn't ho wonderfulT she mar voled. Isn't he the most precious thing niivc?" Tom said he waa. Surely TO other baby in the metrop- oils walked exactly on the dot of feeding time, as David did. Tom held him while Gypsy warmed the bottle, testing 1t against her check ts she had geen Mrs Burby do.
 He was beautiful baby, he was beyond price. But if only he didn't wakcn so early in the morning. If only his demands and his needs would not multiply daily! No mat ter how much Elsa did there Was always il full quota of tasks for David's mother. IL seemed to Gypsy she was nearly always tired thc5c nights. Almost too tired to talk to Tom, to be gay and amusing and I interested. Pushing the babyg car- riage over the side walks was a dull duty.
 Gypsy laughed at herself, nt her absorption, but deep down she was conscious of pin brink of fear. Tom wenC out into the world every morning. He came into contact with new ideas, new people. While ehc--Wcli, she was just vegetable these days, she told herself, snil- ing wryly. Tom always contra dicted her Loyalty when she said these things. But could he help seeing itf She wondered.
 The MeKinnon's little blue-r0ofcd house she remembered dimly, as in a dream, envying the woman who sang now among It's copper kettles and looked out at the bare branch ea Of the orchard. Having fl baby In the city had it's drawbacks. Some day--Bonc not too distant day they must find little place with n yard and il tree where David could grow and flourish. But what if things went on as they were now? No more money, no better prospects what then?
 Helen Marr came to call, and Blanche Jordan. They admired the baby, they brought him presents. Everyone Was sweet and kind. They gave advice. They told Gypsy she in ust go about more--n uBtn't let herself got rusty. Helen asked her to lunch at the Plaza and Gypsy wrigRled out of the invita- ton as gracefully as possible be- cause she hadn't n new hat.
 "Why didn't you go with her, sWeetsr" Tom wanted to know. And Gypsy made some excuse be- cause she wouldn't hurt him by saying she'd nothing decent to wear. Besides, no natetr where she went these days she was for- ever flying back 10 the baby. Was he warm enough7 Was Elsa care ful7 1T there should be a fire . No. she would not IeaV him for long. Silly --it was all silly, but sometimes when she looked ht him asleep his litlcncss md helplcsbn ess and preclousncss squeezed nt her heart.
 She found herslf weeping h good deal nt thls tlno; weeping for no reason at all or for tho slight est of reasons. sbo would be gulD' Ing back sobH. They would choke her throat, tears would flood her syos. "I am q fool" she would tell herself after one of these brief storms But sho was not strong yet. ..
 "Y0m're much too pale and thin," her mother told hSF whom ths fans lly came ever from Blus Hills. She se0ldsd Gypsy ail 1ftsrno0n--"l0t. Of milk bsaf tea 'm good