Evening star., 1937-02-14
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not attend moving picture with him. She
would keep saying, Cant have your cake
and eat it, too," and other things which
meant, Someone must deprive herself, if you
60 around buying mufflers.'
Mrs. Keek was very old and she had been
through lot. Ernest thought she was great
He told the men at the Office, MY mothers
wonder" But once in while, in his heart,
he wished that she had not been through so
much because then, perhaps, he would not be
lonely at forty-three, addicted to Herbert's
Preparation and so inarticulate in front of
Marjorie
The muffler made an interesting gray
package in his desk drawer all afternoon.
He looked at it, trying to think how he could
get Pete Shaw at the next desk to come and
look at it. Pete had a muffler his wife had
given him for his birthday. 1t was yellow
and ugly. Pete wore it with his chin up. The
chin said, MY wife picked it out, and think
it's swell!'
Maybe, Ernest thought, he wouldn't show
Pete the muff1er. Maybe, it would be kinder
not to.
That night, Mrs. kleek saw the parcel
bulging from his overooat pocket. Ernest
produced it proudly. Honest, Ma, it's a
beauty"
She was trying to be good sport. She
held the muff1er in tremulous old hands and
said, Eyes, Ernest, if you like it." Then she
folded it neatly and returned it to him.
At dinner neither of them was hungry She
cho1 tho fol
looked at him out of weak, hurt eyes.
Eat, Ma. Go ahead"
I'm not hungry"
What you need is good rest" He threw
down his napkin and came over to her chair.
Listen, want to ask you something Would
you like it if brought girl home my
wife mean and she could take things over?
You've worked hard"
Are you mad?"
"Mad?"
do you think woman would look at you?
You're forty-three and bald, and you 60
buying mufflers like fool!'
Ernest shrank back. Don't you think a
woman might love me? I've got right.
haven't l. MAJ"
Bah" she exclaimed, then began to cry.
I'm tired, tired. I've been through such
a lot!'
In the morning, Ernest wore the muffler.
He was fool. His mother had said so. He
would wear the thing as reminder. And he
wouldn't 60 into the file room anymore He'd
send boy in for what he wanted.
Pete Shaw saw the muffler first. Its
swell, Ernie" Then his chin went up. Like
it almost as well as nine" Everyone noticed
the muff1er. They slapped him on the back,
told him he was pretty gay, and the sting
of his mothers words, You're forty-three
and bald and - fool!'' melted away.
In the hall at noontime, he met Marjorie
waiting for the elevator He tried to remain
aloof but she smiled shyly. Her shiny hair
lay close to her cheeks under the small,
brown hat. 'You look different today, Mr..
Kleek,' she said, when they reached the
ground floor. Il know - it's that scarf What
lovely taste you have"
The weight which had pressed all morning
upon his heart vanished. He was tongue cited
with pleasure. They walked along the avenue
past Walbrook's. Miss Morse Il mean
Marjorie - what about lunch?"
She didn't answer. She was standing close
to the store window. "Will you look at that"
she exclaimed. They both stopped to peer in
at the untiring explorer in his salmon pa
jamas, his gaze fastened relentlessly on the
rnocn,rit0 netting over the tent fan did