The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-10
9 1875 NEA seriee. lae.

l. Il a rambling brick house with
an avenue Of trees leading to it. He
said, You recall that place, of
course. The Phillipses still live there.
Lucy's at VaSsar now. I guess YOU
see her sometimes in New York;"
Its funny" Ruth answered. 4
never do. Has she changed much?"
Not as much as you have" John
Mcneil said.
He offered her a cigaret which
she took, hoping she was not too
awkward at catching the light he
offered her. Elaine, she felt. would
smoke under the circumstaceS.
He said, looking at her until the
match burned his fingers, you look
lovely today, Mind my telling you?"
Mind? 1 like it. But Well have
to give credit to my clothes. I've
always liked this suit. It's more
fiattering than the little rag I ar
rived in"
when I first saw YOU" John
remarked, you were the limpest
little piece of wreckage I ever laid
eyes on. It was a first-class faint,
if 1 ever saw one"
what a way to enter your life
after an eight-year absence!" Ruth
| mourned. AT my very worst"
AT your very most impressive"
he disagreed. I've met several
hundred perfectly turned out girls
in my day, and promptly forgot 'em.
I never before picked up one that
looked like wet dish-rag fallen
off the line. and, five minutes later,
saw her turn into thing of BEAU
| ty right under my nose"
did you realize who I WASP"
Rub asked curiously.
He said, Until Penny started
calling you Miss Elaine it never
entered my head that you were
anything but a little nobody try
ing to find dry spot"
oh" said Ruth. These elns
are gorgeous. Like - like New
England, aren't they?"
Have you forgotten this is the
Western Reserve?" Iohn asked
Your ancestors and mine who
helped settle it came from those
states Got their land grants for
being good Revolutionary soldiers.
They held on to the old New Eng
land customs-white frame houses,
elm-lined roads, maple sugar groves.
All that sort of things"
I'D forgotten" Ruth replied.
THE car sped through the rain
a like a smooth, purring animal
that delighted to transport them.
Darkness had fallen and the head
lights outlined road that was
level and family cUrving Ruth
thought, Heaven must be like this.
Id like to crystalline this hour and
keep it always, shining like the
headlights and the rain on the wet
leaves. Only I can't. I think I
want lis to hit a tree and crack up
and end it all before I stop being
Elaine to him. Before he finds me
out as a cheat and a liar
But they didn't crack up. John
was an excellent driver, and pres
emily he turned the car around and
drove home. AS they turned into
the driveway he said, Il guess old
Bertha's going to ask a few dozen
questions about this ride"
'Who?" asked Ruth blankly.
Bertha Gibbs" he said. Penny"
obj laughed Ruth. Imagine
me not recognizing her name!"
She's funny old creature"
John remarked, not noticing.
Sometimes L think she's gone a
little potty. In the last few years
she's taken to lodging everybody.
Even my mother"
Persons often seem queer as they
get old" Ruth offered. It's usually
just because their faculties aren't
keen and they don't keep up with
the times. Whatever makes peo-
pie think Pennys crazy?"
We'll" answered John, shes got
the dam'dest habit of painting the
front door bright bluel She does
it at night-every few weeks, winter
and summer. She lets the rest of
the place go hang, but she never
passes up that door. I ask you,
honey, is that crazy or not?"
Its crazy" Ruth agreed. But
I'm not afraid of her, John. Other
ways she's normal. She's rs years
old today by the way"
TOO old to be a menace, I guess,
John said. still worry about you
being shut up in that old barn with
her You might as we'll be alone"
They had reached the house and
be was helping her across SHIN
mering little pools of water to the
steps of the dark porch. Ruth said
softly, please keep on worrying
about me. 1 don't need it, but 1
like it."
After she had gone inside, John
Mcneil stood for a time before the
dark, still house, wondering why he
felt as if the heart and breath of
him was locked up inside it.
Ito Be Continued