The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-04-30

had Sunday dinner regularly,
limited that it was about time that
Marie had 1.-The family" to Sun
day dinner. Not that she herself
minded. She was used to doing
all the work and having everyone
come and eat her meals and never
invite her out. But the girls, Ada
and Jessie, seemed to think
I'll invite them all for next Sun
day." Marie said.a
She was angry as she said 1t, Tor
it wasn't her idea to come to din
ner at the wilson's every Sunday
she could have thought of far more
exciting things to do, especially
now that they had the car.
We'll feed 'em once" he said,
"and We'll put out all the ice
cream forks and fish knives and
stuff in the silver chest and knock
'em dead. I'll wear my Stacks and
lightweight sweater and you wear
that white summary thing you had
your picture taken in at the Of
flee. Well knock 'em dead! Well
show 'em what we can do, when
we really get to work."
Shed counted on Edward to
help her on Saturday, but he went
out right after breakfast with the
car, and didn't get back until din
ner time.
Think it's worth the struggle?"
What struggle?"
you know what I mean. Work.
ing-trying to keep house, giving
it up and having most of our
meals out?"
Eyes! Don't your"
He lit cigaret, inhaled slowly.
II can't say that it's been heaven,
on the whole. And I'm darned if
I know why you invited the whole
tribe over today. 1 did think we
could go over to the country club
and get in a SWIM"
I'VE don't belong, as far as I
know!"
mo, we don't as yet. But Helene
does. and she's invited us"
I'm sorry. We're entertaining
your relatives. Not that it makes
any difference one way or the
other. It's all the same to mel"
Anything for me to do?" he
asked formally, as he deposited
her at the apartment house door
His plan for flight was all too
apparent.
Lots" she said. lid like you to
peel the potatoes and shell the
peas while I set the table-that
is, unless you have something
more important to dol"
He was finished long before she
was through struggling with the
table, which insisted upon looking
crowded, no matter what she did.
Her face stiff with smiling,
Marie lowered between the guests
and the kitchen. It was almost
two, and they'd expect to have
dinner right on the dot. Was the
roast beef done? Maybe she
should have put it in sooner.
The Wilson's, showing the ef-
fects of waiting uncalled for, ar
rived with Edward, at last.
They sat around the table, their
chairs-the four straight chairs
from the living room, the two bed
room chairs, the two kitchen
chairs and the two kitchen chairs
borrowed at the last moment from
the girl downstairS-So close they
scraped together.
Pop sat at the head Of the table
and carved the roast. "Who likes
it well done?" he asked joVially,
as the knife he had sharpened
carefully, slid off the first brown
outer slice.
1t took more than an hour to
scrape things, get ready to wash
dishes, and Edward wasn't back.
He might come and wipe them
for me, she thought.
Tears mingled with the dish
water.
On her shriveled finger the wed
ding ring worked loose. She
looked at it dispassionately. Held
her finger down, let it slide as far
as the fingernail. Then she slid
it back.
August was gone. The first Sep
TENDER criSpness was in the air.
Walt was showing her San Fran
cisco. He thought it was a crime
that she'd been here more than a
half year and hadn't been to all
the show places and beauty spots
yet. So their lunches were always
exciting. One day they'd go to
the italian quarter for "the best
spaghetti" in town. Another day
they'd be at Fisherman's Wharf
for sea food, just out of the water.
In spite of her bright letters to
Julie, Marie was nearly mad, try.
ing to decide how things were
and how they'd be next.
There was no use pretending
any more. Edward didn't have a
JOB. He hadn't had one since
early in August.
Things got so bad that they
could hardly speak without quar-
reling, so she tried not to mind
when he was away. The part that
hurt the most was that he was so
completely ungrateful for all that
she'd done. Every bill that came
in was paid with her earnings,
even his tailor. and the haber-
daSher who sold him the gray
Stacks and the imported yellow
sweater. The very food he ate
she paid for, the cigarets he
smoked
1t was her money that met the
payments on the car. Her money
that paid for oil and gas on the
car that he drove. heaven knew