The Washington times., 1937-10-14


Chadwick. Miss Nelly knew
she had on her new blue silk d
1t was the most becoming one
she had bought, and went well
with her gray hair and fresh com
pleXion. which looked even freSher
this evening after the first facial
she had ever had in her life.
Miss Nelly was past the first
blush of youth, in fact although
she didn't look it, she was de-
cidedly on the wrong side Of forty.
For 20 years she had been in
charge of a small town library.
Her girlhood had been forlorn,
for when she should have been en-
ioying herself. her parents, both
imaginary invalids, needed cod
ding and demanded all her time.
Forgetting that once they had
been young themselves, they
frowneN upon any boy friends
their daughter might acquire.
However, in spite Of her parents
there was one persistent youth
named Fred, a short. fat unin.
spring persons who finally got a
chance to ask Mis- Nelly to marry
him, and to whom Miss Nelly said
no.
But, even though it was with
difficulty that she recalled Freds
features, she remembered and was
grateful to him for one thing-he
taught her to dance. This she was
obliged to hide from her parents
as they didn't approve of such
nonsense. but she never forgot.
At home when she was alone
In the house and Fred had long
since passed from her picture,
Miss Nelly used to put the Blue
Danube on the phonograph and
waltz around the room all by her
self.
GETS JOB
When the library was built, Miss
Nelly got the job of librarian be-
cause she liked to read and nobody
else turned up. In her 20 years of
service, it was quite natural that
she should absorb a great deal of
knowledge; people got into the
habit of asking for information
on all sorts of subjects, rather
than take the trouble to hunt
themselves.
Miss Nelly knew practically all
the answers and accordingly con-
sidered herself very we'll informed
sophisticated and worldly wise
into the bargain. Well informed
she was indeed, but the blue-eyed
kitten never lived as innocently
aS she.
Her salary went mostly into the
bank, at her parents death having
inherited small house and a
trifle to keep it going.
When she had reached the age
Of 68 she intended to retire and
live peacefully on her savings;
thus her life was all planned
Also, in death she was attended
to, for in the cemetery, beside her
parents, remained space for her.
One day. after life had gone on
month after month, year after
year with no change, friend died
unexpectedly and left Miss Molly
the sum of $4,000.
Like a pack of hounds, her rela-
tives pounced upon her, not to get
the money, but with advice as to
investment.
At the usual family Sunday
night supper, Cousin Ed stated
definitely that, with times what
they were, per cent was all one
could get safely. Any other type
of investment would be fly-by-
night and not to be considered.
Miss Nelly was good at arithme-
tic. too.
If she followed this advice her
inheritance would bring in about
SIS month, which, even in her
pale and uneventful existence,
couldn't make any real difference
But Cousin Ed was so sound that
1t never occurred to Miss Nelly to
60 against his judgment.
WILD IDEA
However, on her way home that
night something happened that
changed her entire life. Or at
least it didn't happen to her
nothing ever did-but as she
passed the Millers' house, she saw
Mary Miller kissing her boy friend,
Joe Haley. good night.
Distinctly, she caught the ex-
preston on Mary's upturned face,
and, as she did so, the most de-
pressing sensation swept over her;
in one Illuminating flash she
realized that this girl, who prob
ably had never read a dozen books
In her life. actually knew more
than she, Melinda Ray, who did
nothing but study, and to whom
important people like Professor
Guthrie came for information.
On the instant, in Miss Melly'S
mind an idea was born-a wild,
insane, impossible, delicious idea.
BY the time she reached home it
was more than an idea-it was a
fixed determination from which
nobody could bulge her. She
called Cousin Ed on the telephone.
I'm not going to invest my
money" she said. I'm going to
spend it in New York, learning
er-Something," Just what this
was Miss Nelly didn't know her.
self.
A few weeks later saw Miss
Nelly on leave from the library
and settled in hotel on side
street, quiet little place, but to
her huge and bustling, where any
thing could happen
lin to now SiphtSeeinc shora