The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-10-28

we ever went to, because their hus-
bands were West Point men, and
my husband rose from the ranks?
You don't know what I suffered
how they Inundated me-and 1,
a Failey-better than any of them
helpless"
1t was Jan who saw grand
mother, who was crumpling to the
floor. Reached out long arm,
caught her as she fell.
Because grandmother had a
heart attack, everyone was kind.
Dorathea and Jan cooked din
ner, and because Jan had a cut
finger, Dorathea washed the
dishes, not once mentioning the
brand-new vermillion polish she's
just put on her nails.
Evelyn got her mother into bed,
and waited on her with loving
solicitude, doing everything the
doctor ordered, and dozens of
things besides, retiring to the
kitchen to shed a few tears every
few moments, and to tell the girls
that it was all her fault, getting
mama upset over her troubles, and
if she cried, she'd never forgive
herself, never.
AS usual when Evelyn took the
limelight, the girls crept into their
shells. They loved her, and Sc
cretly they sympathized with her
easy tears, her chatter, her dra-
matization of herself, but they
wished she wouldn't 1t made
them nervous, i'll at ease.
Ards, who came with Uncle
Peter and Aunt Caroline, was
quiet and i'll at ease, too. She'd
have loved to fling her arms
around grandmother and make a
fuss over her as Alice and Anne
Lyons did, but she couldn't. She
didn't know how to do it. And she
told herself, fiercely, that she
cared much more about grand
mother than they did!
Did they care about anything
but themselves and their mother
and father, Jan wondered resent
fully, too. And as usual, when
confronted by solid Lyons fam
lily group, she decided they didn't.
No matter how they were sepa-
rated, how they scattered around
a room, they were always together.
Uncle Ellery, having a glass of
port in a corner with Uncle Peter,
was really listening to his wife,
though he made polite pretense
of being all attention to Peter
talking politics.
YES. indeed" he'd say heartily,
IF they get into power, the coun-
try's as good as ruined. Yes, in
deed!" But you could see him
straining to catch what Edith was
saying to Caroline and Anne.
Alice. Is, and too old to be in
terested in the young girls, barred
from entry into her mothers con-
versation through lack of a seat,
sat alone, turning the pages of a
magazine, flashing Geographic
glances across, first to Anne, then
to her mother, which they flashed
back.
They had come to see grand
mother, but so many of them had
made her tired, and she'd gone to
sleep. SO now they all sat in the
small, box-like living room, the
whole family, united because
Grandmother Failey was sick.
Even David came. and he had
come so seldom lately.
Hi, Dave! I was just telling
Ellery here about steel. In my
opinion. now's the time to buy.
DAVE! Never mind the women! I
want to talk to you!"
But the women wanted to talk
to him, too.
Even Aunt Caroline leaned to-
ward him. her maSk-ljke features
almost alive. Aunt Edith button
holed him to tell him how she's
suspected right along that mama's
heart was weak, but of course she
hadn't liked to speak and alarm
them.
David. have you a cigaret?"
Anne shrilled.
"AND a match-and for me,
tool" Alice echoed in the same,
bright. vivacious tone they both
affected.
CHAPTER x
David get another chair from
he dining room" EVELYN said in
the tone that was purely propri-
etary, that she had adopted lately
for David alone.
Ito Be COntinued)
Copyright. 1886. King Features
Syqndicate)