The Coolidge examiner., 1935-06-14
Soft Soap
BY JANE HARVEY
: Mcclure Ness apaucr sgre 4eate.
W%C service.

suing their quiet pilgrlmaees pa .,
Mrs. Hannlsau's boarding and room.
Ing house. Mrs Hanulgau's bed of
zinnlas glowed with beauty In the
morning sun. Karen. scrubbing the
front steps. paused a moment n al
mlre them
Quite suddenly. the landlady's
ample dgure alled the doorway:
Karen Where's your soapY"
~But ~ course--iu the water"
"Meltln' itself soft Take It out
l never see such soap bills! A
body'd think you eat IT,"
Il ara not that hungry-yet. q"
flashed Karen, red staining her fair
cheeks And u leave q not In
the water. get me no suds."
Take Il out, won't speak 70
you again." hIssed Mrs uannlean
but that would be- lovely. Sc
sighed the girl under her BREATH
The landlady stepped back into
the house 10 greet her guests with
her warm motherly smile and
Karen turned 10 her work. Obedl
entity. she took the bar OF yellow
soap from the water and laid Il on
the step beside her. She welded
. the scrubblng brush with a fine fcs
vor which was not wholly inspired
by a desire for cleanliness. Some
Of Il WIS merely an outlet for her
charged emotions. For Karen was
In love.
He--ihe glorlhed hero OF her
dreams--wns a roomer and boarder
az Mrs. Hannlgan'S He was ns
stalwart as Morse god should be
and a countryman OF Karen's.
on this bright morning she was
finding life difficult and hard 10 en-.
dure. Great sighs weIied up from
her heart and spilled over her red
Hps When she heard the guests
pushing back their chairs In the
dining room. she tripped back upon
her heels and carefully brushed the
hair frtpgn her forehead. Soon her
hero would appear. He would pass
her on the steps. throwing her n
careless Good morning :" This was
the high moment OF her day. Be
fore she had secured the last wisp
of yellow hair. the door opened and
he stepped out Karen rose quick
ly 20 her feet. drawing aside to LET
him pass lie took a single stride
on, and down, stepped on Karen's
soap ard skidded into her with yio.
lence Karen. startled out OF her
shyness. caught him in a warm EN-.
bruce and held him 80 until he
could recover bis balance.
-Dod ding the girl" he burst out
and added: Cant yon keep your
soap In the water where 4, be
longsf'
Il arm 500 sorry. II Is 80 too
bad you have almost a fam"
Oscar Helversen--for such was
her hero's name-mei the pleading
of her anchusa blue eyes with a
steely glare
Il have troubles enough without
my neck yet" he barked.
You have troublesT" murmured
Karen. softly. i am sorry FOR that.
too"
lie turned the full battery OF
his attention upon her and found
her very easy TO look at. He mur-
INJURED something about catching a
bus and went on bis way.
When Oscar arrived at the board
ing house that night. his nostrlls
were greeted with the odor OF NUT
ton. Oscar hated mutton. He de-
cided on impulse. 10 go out for
dinner. on his way up 70 his room
be mer Karen. She was altogether
lovely In a dark blue suit with white
cuffs and collar. She wore a small
hat and carried a suitcase.
Going outf" he asked.
sway out" she sighed. Mrs.
HannIgan saw you slip this morning
and tell me 10 go"
where"
"The w. Y. TIL / find work"
"But-seelng II was my fault
-. 80 knssar .,-n ns1F 80 A{uua~
somewhere and talk II over"
"But would love that" cried
Karen. her blue eyes shining.
Oscar took her suitcase from her
and they went 10 nearby cafe.
II was a delightful supper piled
on trays and carried TO a secluded
table. They talked-but not about
their troubles. Troubles were post
poned or dissolved or chemically
changed into something magic so
that they no longer existed for
Karen and Oscar.
Other evenings followed; til
Karen and Oscar decided that two
can live as cheaply as one and
much more happily.
II was several months after the
ceremony when Oscar digging about
in his wife's dresser drawer for
bit Of court plaster, came upon a
battered yellow substance with -
dlsagreeable and familiar odor.
"Karen!" he called. Kun haar !"
Karen came.