Montana oil and mining journal., 1935-07-20

TWO PARTS-PART ONE
IF JANICE CAMP HADN'T
BEEN HOAEEsICK,
A BED OF TULIPS NEVER
WOULD HAVE CHANGED
HER INTO MISS MURPHY
1t meant something to be Janice
Campp and walk the streets of Mere
dith. Or, rather, it had used to mean
something. Janice was not at all sure
that 1t still did. Two years could make
a lot Of difference about thing Like
that-about many things.
There was the Campp hospital still
standing on hill above the town, OF
course. 1t looked very broad and low
and hospitable and clean, standing
there In its red brick and white Co
lonial trim. It gave an impression Of
strength and endurance. Perhaps as
long as 1t stood it would mean some
thing to be Janice Campp in Meredith.
Janice wished, idly, that she felt more
sure.
She swung around the corner of
Eleventh street and into Tremaine
square and now the huge new light and
power building hid the hospital from
her sight. She walked negiigently,
swiftly, but her carriage was good.
Years Of riding and tennis, swimming
and golf had taken care Of that She
had been for two years a member Of the
fencing team at her school. $50 what2"
she'd have questioned indifferently, IL
that fact had been brought TO her at
tention now.
There certainly wasn't any one to
fence with in Meredith. There hadn't
been, recently, any one to golf or tennis
with, either. Horses at SO an hour were
out Of the question. It had been, ON
the whole, easier TO slip out Of the
crowd than to hang on.
1t all came down, In the end, to a
question OF men. If there had been
one particular man to make point Of
her staying IN the crowd, perhaps, she'd 1
have bothered. There had been lots
Of men, but no one man. Not with |
Dinge Barkley off somewhere building /
bridges. Not with Howdy Wright mar
r1ed to Bee Lynn. AS for the rest, /
they didn't see you places and you
dropped out of their ken.
She crossed the square and went
down Holmes and up JamisOn, still
swiftly, her head up. If walking back
and forth between Mercers millinery
department. and the three-room apart
ment she and her mother had taken
n the dark brown and somewhat noldy
looking Fremont Arms was to be her
only exercise, 1t didn't hurt to take the
ong way round.
Its not sentiment" she'd have in
sisted, with her old clans horror Of
sentiment. It was Just nice to see the
house, 70 Slacken her pace and come
upon It more slowly, to glance up and
zee 1t there, as always, stanch and Sc
;ure and wrapped around with q lot
If memories no one else could share.
1t was large, four-square, fortnight,
Ike the hospital was, like DIR. Alonzo
Campp himself had been. It had
suggestion Of the Colonial, but wasn't
,ure Colonial. None of the houses on
generous, tree shaded Jamison, too near
own to be smart any more, was purely
Inything. But they were comfortable,
old.
The brass lettered plate which had
aid Alonzo Campp, NJ. D., was down
low and another plate was up. That
lad hurt little, but just at first; later
n she'd been glad. An empty house
he new doctor would be some one who
AIRED about tulips, and 1t seemed that
le had. Some Of the bulbs were rather
are and valuable; they had been
lobby Of DR.. Camps.
Now, this April evening, With a warm
Vind blowing, Janice raised her eyes
nd knew why she had stayed away
rom the house for a week. II was 10
ave this riot of color burst upon heE
nth a shock of fulfilled anticipation
hitch stUng her eyes to sudden, tears.
hut that wasn't sentiment, either. She
lickened her step in immediate denial
{ It. &
Are you tiredP" her mother ques-
Ioned. @Sit down, dear. There are
aree letters"
@Of course not" she said, sitting the
stters absently. 1t didn't even hurt
ny longer, that there was no letter
-om Dinge Barkley.
Somehow when her father had died
vO years ago, she'd had an unfOrInu-
tied thought that Dinge would be the
ne to stick by. He hadn't It just
adn't cut deep enough with him, that
as all. Nor with her. II it had cut
eep enough she wouldn't be thinking
Bout 1t so euuably now.
II keep hoping the dividends VIII
,me back" he mother said. AT least
1ough that you can get out OF that
rrible store"
aTt isn't SO bad Janice flicired her
apk4n open They ate dinner ak q
ste-ieG table ia the living roesn IL
less craxnpeo Qslaxt&rGA you have
InfY medieval idema ahDask the uaAFfA of