The Coolidge examiner., 1937-07-22

some haf-hour: struck four. 1t was
four o'clockl
The world was gray in shadowless
light when Victoria slipped noise
lessly from bed and stepped to the
open window. She looked in. Her
father was asleep. no doubt of that,
for he was still healthily snoring
1t was at the lightly covered form
of her mother that she looked stead
lily; was she sleeping?
No, the beautiful dark eyes were
wide open, fixed on Victoria in the
window. Mrs. Herrendeen beck
oned, and Victoria flew to her arms.
and they kissed each other, the child
hugged down against the tumbled
covers and the little lacy pillows.
You muggins. what walked you
up?" the woman demanded in
breath that was less than a whisper.
Mother, are you all right?"
Perfectly all right, sweetheart"
But, Mother. were you crying?"
Il got too tired. and that's why /
cried, and I'm a very silly mother"
Victoria laughed the shadow of
her own rich affectionate little
laugh, and there were more kisses.
Then she went back to her cold
tumbled porch bed, and snuggled
down inside it, and was asleep be-
fore the mornings first chill blan-
ket OF fog began to creep in across
the level dim floor of the ocean.
When they were at home in the
city. Magda Herrendeen never got
up for breakfast. She always said
that she loved getting up in the
morning when there was anything
to do. But in the five-room apart
ment on Pine street there was not
much to do.
Keith got himself a cup Of coffee
and boiled two-mjnute oats for Vic
toria. or scrambled eggs for them
both. The rest was just bread and
butter. and milk poured from the
bottle.
Magda sometimes got up and got
herself some orange juice, or even
a CUP of tea. She would come back
with the mail. the newspaper car
ried with a smoking cup or the
glass. Settling down again. she
would yawn YEARLY; what horrible
things were in the house for dinner.
and what should be ordered?
At eleven the telephone would
ring, and then there would be a
change. A change in her, and a
change in the general atmosphere,
My dear, l don't think l can to-
day." she would say. But it sounds
too divine! How late would we be?
/ see. Let me think =.
What are you wearing. Ethyl? . .
Yes, l have; could wear the blue
that Eleanor brought me from Paris
Yes, l know. But let me think
about it and call you againl"
Victoria knew how this went; she
had heard it many times. for after
all she had not been long in school,
and there were always long Satur
day mornings at home. Her mother
would hang up the telephone only
to seize it once more. She would
be all vitality, all energy now. Her
beautiful eyes would be dancing. her
manner absent-minded but sweet
and happy again.
Vic. could you so down to Flor
ence's-or wait over at school until
six? Daddy'll be here early. you
know; I'll leave a message for him
to call for you -
And while she talked, Magda
would be packing things in her
handsome suitcase, laughing. glanc-
ing at the clock. snatching the tele-
phone again. Perhaps she would
talk to man this time.
Rudy, this is Magda. Ethyl and
all CT them are going to James to-
night; are you? Oh, wonder
full! When are you going down? For
the polo? Oh, finel Could you
take me along? Well. you're
darling . l know. but anyway
you're a darling In about an
hour? In about an hour"
But after her eleventh birthday,
after that visit to the beach house.
there was a change between her
parents. and Victoria saw it, or
perhaps felt it rather than saw it.
Her mother was gentler, sweeter.
more affectionate than ever when
she was with them, but she was
with them much less.
On the other hand Victoria's IA
thers grew silent, and gray, and dis
agreeable, as the months went by
and were years. He rarely spoke
at all at home, and in the evenings
he almost always went out