The Washington times., 1935-09-14

sticks on q rainy Qdy! ouG SAA0
followed close behind him, and
with his running interference
got through the newsboys, the
taxi men, the jam at the en-
barcadero.
Automatically, her eyes sought
the clock over the gate. Hall
a minute to spare.
She stopped, painting a little,
reached in her bag for her
commute" saw that the new
movie magazines were on the
stands. Hesitated. A movie
magazine, or caramelS?
The flower stand, the famil-
lar flower stand, so thrilling to
tourists, almost invisible to her
who passed it every morning
and night, happened to catch
her eye. Though she liked flow
ers, she seldom had time for
these. The clock above the coun'
ter was about the only thing
she ever consciously looked at,
except the panel Of mirror in
which you could examine your
feet, your legs, your skirt, and
finally the whole of you, as you
came down the stairs from the
upper gangway in the morn
ings.
It was the daffodils, planted
in pots with pussy willows,
that caught her eye tonight.
Cute! Ma would go crazy over
a thing like that. But they'd
be expensive and you'd look
goofy, Juggling one home.
Roses and violets and pansies
heaped high on the counter.
Gardenias, special today, Is
cents!
"A gardenia, please"
It looked darling on her blue
coat. She looked down at it
fondly as she walked unhur-
riedly through the gate to the
Oakland ferryboat, a matter of
several seconds left.
But after she had lodged the
talky johnson girls, and made
up her mind that Ethlyn Piper
had missed the boat, she wished
she hadn't bought the flower.
No telling what the new manager
would be like. Bennett hadn't
cut her, but the new one might
be an economy hound. She was
too devilish extravagant, any
way.
Her fingers twitched on the
little package she had in her
hands. Such a little package.
Yet it had cost eight ninety
five. Better tell Ma it cost four
ninety-five. Ma would faint
think she was crazy, buying
eight ninety-five night gowns.
And so she was.
Mary's gloves came off. One
hand slipped into the bag, un-
der the protecting tissue paper,
brought out a fold Of ivory satin,
an edge of deep ecru Alencon
lace.
It was a beautiful night
gown, but nothing she needed.
Though it's not such a bad
idea to be prepared. Jamie
wasn't the kind to propose and
be accepted, and ask you to
name a day, and send out cards
for a wedding. He'd be far
more likely to say, Let's go to
Reno over the weekend, hon. "
Probably suggest it about 2
o'clock Saturday afternoon and
want to leave Saturday night.
She smiled a little when she
thought of how it would be,
driving up to Reno to be mar.
ried, in Jamie's blue green road
ster. It could be any time-this
week even. She thought of the
things she would take. The Spe-
cial, best things tucked away
with jasmine Sachet in corners
where Ma wouldn't be so likely
to notice.
You could hardly Smuggle a
pair of garters into the house.
Somebody would find out about
it. Then Ma and Aunt Willie
would have to know where you
got them, and how much they
cost.
Oh, we'll!
She shut her eyes for a mo.
ment. It was all kind of hard
on you. Even Jamie, and 60
ing to Reno, for every girl
wants real wedding. Not much
chance of her ever getting one.
Not while he took good care
she didn't meet his folks.
Not that she wanted to meet
them, really. Too bad Jamie
wasn't born an orphan!
AS she got off the train at
Grove, and walked up the two
blocks past the Nan and Myrtle
beauty parlor and the neighbor-
hood grocery, she permitted her
self to speculate on the chances
of his becoming one.
His mother was supposed to
have a bad heart, and his father
was we'll past 60. They couldn't t
last forever.