The Washington times., 1936-01-23

! Just because of a little disap-
pointment over "a date. I
never saw anything $3.50 silly"
She sat down again. her COM
posture regained, but painting,
clutching at the cascading chif-
fon over her heart.
And now" she said in her
usual slow, mild manner, will
you begin again, Christine, and
tell us just what you're trying to
talk about?"
For a long while Christie sat
by the open window in the dim
quiet of her room.
It was good to be here in the
silence and peace, after the talk
and tears Of the sitting upstairs
living room. She looked out on
the back lawn, at Aunt Nettie's
chauffeur talking over the hedge
to the nextdoor peoples gardner.
Tried to remember the neighbours
name, and couldn't.
Pain stabbed through her head.
She didn't want to think just
yet. She wanted to stay here,
alone in the cool dusk.
From the open kitchen win
dows below came the murmur Of
voices. and the clatter OF dishes.
Then the unmiStakable odor OF
broiling steak, and something else
:. fried onions? There'd be hot
corn bread, too, for Sarah always
made corn bread the nights she
fried onions.
Regret for the dinner she had
refused aSsailed her. Maybe il
she went down the back stairs,
and just asked Sarah for bite
in the kitchen.
The Succulent food smells tan
talized her. She remembered that
she hadn't had lunch, either.
She was half way to the door
before she remembered that it
was impossible, that it was just
one of the things she couldn't do
any more. Not after what Aunt
Nettie had said:
If she could just be sure Of
what Aunt Nettie HAD said.
Her face burned again, in re-
membrance. Nice mess she was
in now. And surely this time it
wasn't her own fault! She had
purposely stayed away from Don
aid. WhT did he have to come,
running everything, saying Heaven
only knew what?
Certainly you couldn't find out
from Aunt Nettie and the girls
what he had said. Talk, talk.
talk. In circles. Getting nowhere.
Contradicting themselves. Crying.
Blaming her. Pretending not to
believe that she had planned to
go to the hospital to train.
Well, she could at least prove
that. Start now. Pack.
Half comforted, she jumped up
and turned on the lights, dragged
out a suitcase and began to dump
stockings and pajamas into it.
She'd leave right now. Tonight.
Stay at a hotel until the class was
ready to begin at the hospital.
Good radiance to all of them -
Donald especially And when she
was gone Adele could have him
back-and keep him!
Why did they all think she
wanted him!
II wouldn't have him for a
gift" she thought. dragging her
oldest coat out Of the closet, and
paving for a tweed skirt. II never
heard anything so silly, he's old
enough to be my father, he must
be almost 80, and he's certainly
never treated me like anything
but founding somebody left on
his doorstep, and he had to look
out for. -.
That's what I am, too - a
founding. Something somebody
didn't want, and other people
picked up and were nice to. Dad
and mother, and finally Aunt
Nettie and the girls. No wonder
they all hate me. All the trouble
I've made"
Tears stood in her eyes. Her
hands shook uncontrollably as she
tried to shut the bullying suitcase,
looking from it to the little pile
of toothbrush, slippers, cold cream,
underwear that she had forgotten
to put in.
TO Be Continued
Copyright. 1885, by King Features
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