The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-24
MABEI MCtilIOU

change books for Aunt Media,
going to symphony concerts; with
pale, drab, decorOus people all
iabout them.
/ No-no-never that.
I think III have a job by fall,
she said vaguely.
A job, darling" Her mother
Ismiled ndulgently, What could
you do?"
well, Mary Allivant is helping
out in a dress shop in New Mar
tin and she loves it. And some
of the other girls - Helen and
Louise and Sue-are going to
take a business course.
But. nv dear" began her
mother in the tone, the strain
Boots so dreaded. after all they
are newcomers here. They have
no traditions to uphold. Why,
Your grandfather built the first
Manor house. the one with the
cupola. that the Westerlys live
in now. l couldn't have you in a
shop. dear. Daddy and | would
never agree to that. :.
Boots sat down on the bed. her
eyes glittering, her color high.
But I've simply got to do
something" she said feverlshly'
~ can't hang around here all my
life. taking an allowance from
Daddy, knowing that every new
pair of shoes | get is practically
a family tragedy -
How you exaggerate" Placid
" the older woman rolled stock
.ings into neat balls and tucked
them away in the drawer OF a
SCARED mahogany bureau. dad
dy and / are perfectly willing to
make sacrifices for you, keep you
in frocks and pin money until
some fine man comes along :.
There was a good deal more OF
the same and finally Boots, weak
and defeated, crept quietly away
to her own room. The scene had
ended with a few mild tears and
Ireproaches on her mothers part.
All right then, she wouldn't talk
, about working in shop. All
right then, she wouldn't mention
business course any more ...
"If she finds out about my re-
signing from the Jniors Pm SIM
ply through" Boots muttered to
! herself darkly, tossing on a hot
pillow. And of course that reve-
lation was only a matter of time.
Sleep would not come. 1t was
all wrong. the girl thought deS-
perately, tossing in the darkness.
Everything was wrong-her life
here, the narrowneSs and stupid
ity of it, the restrictions that
bound her. With RuSS-and here
her heart leaped - everything
would be different. He belonged
to a different world. He was not
bound by the age-old taboOS and
conventions. Maybe that was the
way life was meant to be, free
and bold and simple. AS his wife
would miss some of the softnesS
and ease she had been trained to
expect. Vagabonding down the
world in gypsy fashion one would
come to think of hot baths and
clean sheets and finger bowls as
the greatest Injuries, pleasant
but not vital.
II must be mad" she said for
the hundredth time, switching on
her bedside lamp to peer at the
clock. 1t was 3 o'clock. 1t was
IA. At daybreak she cautiously
put on her clothes and slipped
/ out the side door. The world was
dewy, silvered in the pure early
morning light. Everything as de-
! liciously cool and fresh. Clear
drops of crystal lowered on the
nasturtium leaves, and every
delphinium spike was magically
spangled with dew. The girl.
pale and heavy-eyed, strobe across
the grass to the gate which led
into the Hartses garden. 1t was
only a short walk from her to
the blue stretch of the sound.
Her head ached. She wanted to
be alone-tO shake off the dark
thoughts of the night.
81 ought to do this more of
ten," she told herself, striding
down the empty path to the
water. 1t was good to be alone
in a quiet world, 20 think things
out for oneself without the bar
/ rier of four walls.
But the mood of exaltation
/ quickly passed. She was, after
all, little more than a child, with
a woman's problems laid before
her.
Suddenly she put her shining
fair head down into her hands
and wept. 81 don't know what to
do" she sobbed. "If someone
would only tell me what to dow
| 1t seemed to her that every
place she looked she met an i'm
passe. She had STAYED off think
/ ing of the inevitable scene which
would ensue when her mother
learned of the bitter snub admin
istered by Mrs. Fernelrs heavy
hand. She had tried to hope
that, with work to do in the
world, the narrowness of her So
cial life would not matter. But
that gate was now closed. Mrs.
Raeburn seemed unalterably OPP
posed to any effort in that direc-
ton. And there was always the
restriction of money.
We've never had enough,
really" Boots thought angrily, al
most scornfully. And it was no
use saying money didn't matter.
1t mattered frightfully
I'm so sorry. Can | be of any