The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-09-25

prodigal daughter. The bag in her
 hand was of real pigskin-Ed- wards birthday gift to her. She had been sending part of her sal- ary home each week since her mos ther's visit and against Mrs Rae | burns protest. Burt Masterson was a generous employer. and Frances Gawtrye's report of Boots had been hattering. She had had raise since coming to the Bay Tree that rainy summer morning.
 Miss Florida came to the door, welcoming her with embarrassed 1 effusion. You dear child! How we'll you look"
 It was true and Boots was glad. There would be critical eyes to gaze at her from behind the chintz draperies all along the streets of the village. "Raeburn's girl who married badly, and whose husband died" She threw her head up proudly. Well, she had escaped from this narrowness and pettiness She had done something, made something of herself. They would mt recognize this probably because working in a bookshop didn't sound impressive. But she, could wave Edward Van Sciver's name in front of them any day now if she wanted to and, that would inn press them. Larchneck had heard of the Van Scivers and their big, blank-faced white stone house on upper Fifth avenue. Boots had gone there for tea the day before and Edwards corpulent, didactic l.o voIitn fn h0rs h{c sisters frankly curious and in- terested.
 Meantime here was Miss Florida her lank loops of oily hair pinned back in the well remembered man. ner. greeting her. Your mothers upstairs with your father. The furnace has been acting up," Miss Florida explain ed. They have little oil stove lighted in his room."
 Boots had not remembered that the stair carpet was so shabby. Where the brass rods fitted 1t had frayed almost completely away. The wallpaper in the hall. too, was spotted and in places had pulled away from the plaster. There were evidences of decent poverty every wherein the mended curtains. in couch springs that sagged to the floor. Boots heart sank insensibly as she mounted the dozen stairs comprising the second half of the flight.
 She hadn't known, hadn't dreamed that things were like this! The house smelled Of coal gas and dust. The room in which she stepped was wide and bare and IL, Git ftv1rx rocker, bright afghan over his knees, differed in almost all re- spects from the heavy -jowled, rud- dy father she had left behind a year and a half ago. He was small Ter, thinner. He had gray stub ble of beard on his chin and his voice faltered when he spoke. There was, no awkwardness. That Daddy" was different Boots was ready to acknowledge. The old laundering accents were gone; the old truculence had van- ished. In its place was new weak ness, a humility which hurt her more than the other ever had. It was terrible to see the gaunt, gray, thin mana pathetic shadow of his former self-deferring to every on. It was pitiable beyond words.
 
 Boots had not known things were like this. A terrible pity filled her heart, smote her very be- ing. T should have come before" she said later to Miss Florida helping the latter with the evening meal.
 "Well, yes. Your mothers been carrying a heavy load" Miss Flor ida admitted. She's worried more than she will say. I know that" Bit by bit, when the invalid had been settled for the night and the two women were downstairs in the shabby living room. Boots drew from her mother the truth about the family finances. Taxes had gone up frightfully, Mrs Raeburn said, twisting her thin fingers. ner- vously. The endowment policy had practically been eaten up. She didn't know whether she would be able to hold on to the house or not. Boots figured swiftly, wildly on the back of an envelope. She could leave Frances, come out, here. Thirty-five dollars a week was not a great deal, with commutation and lunches taken out, but the res- idue would help. ;. How much do we owe. exactly 7 Her mother looked at her With surprise. This was a new daughter, resourceful, businesslike. She went to her desk. The taxes were paid, sch explained but there was a coal