The Washington times., 1938-03-15

sure, SAID IOmmy evenly,
never felt better in my life. And a
good thing, too. I've fight sched-
uled for Friday night. Against
Gunner Smith. And what a guy
he isl"
'T m N.Y." Gloria persisted,
there's something wrong! I know
It'll"
Sure" said Tommy. There's
something wrong, all right. This
life I'm leading. People who never
get any mail asking me twenty
times a day to look in their boxes
for them. People calling down and
asking the damndest questions.
Old ladies losing their doorkeys
and expecting me to produce one
out of their boxes, like a magician!
And you ask me why I look wor.
ried. What a life!"
It was an explanation. Gloria
wanted to believe it, so she did.
Then Tommy said: by the way,
Aunt BesSie's illMother telephoned
about an hour ago and said for
me to tell you. She didn't even
have time to go to market before
she left for Midvale. don't know
how long she'll be gone. Aunt Bes-
sic probably hasn't anything but a
headache! If she wasn't a pillar of
the church, I'd swear she was hav.
ing hangovers. Or maybe it is a
hangover-from Isabel'S visit with
her!"
WHAT TO EXPECT
He laughed and then he was
completely serious. Speaking of
Isabel, wouldn't it be swell" he
said, "if she would have dinner
ready for us when we get home.
A steak about an inch thick,
mashed potatoes and :"
"Stop!" said Gloria, eravely,
you're taxing my imagination"
YEAH" said Tommy, "and
how! Isabel will be lying around
in something sirenish waiting for
us to dish out a bacchanalian
feast for her. For a gal who's
scared sick at the sight of a
kitchen, she can certainly pack
away the food"
Gloria was tired when the day
was done, and she was feeling
vaguely lonely because mother
would not be home tonight. For
one moment Gloria resented ISa-
bells laziness. Isabel had the whole
day free. She could have gone to
market; she could have had din
ner waiting. But she wouldn't
have gone to market and there
would be no dinner ready, and II
mother had left early, all the beds
would be mussed, dust would be
thick on the floors and furniture
and there would be a sink full Of
dirty breakfast dishes in the
kitchen. Then Gloria thought OF
Rodney and her own shining hap
piness and hated herself o little
for being resentful. She nugged
her own happiness about her like
a warm cloak and when she met
Tommy in front Of the hotel her
young face was radiant.
They stopped at a grocery.
Tommy said, as Gloria piled his
arms full of bundles: Boy, can
you make the Indians on your
pennies wahoo! Doesn't your con-
science ever hurt you?"
Then he laughed and there was
mischief in his blue eyes. you
know what I did. Clio? I tele-
phoned Isabel and told her that
you and I were staying at the
hotel for dinner on account OF
the convention. I said, Lady, If
you want to eat, you've got to fix
it yo' self!' Boy, she burned right
down to the ground. She said she
didn't have 10 cents in the house
and Peter had just telephoned
breaking his dinner date with her
because that Matthews baby is
getting himself born. What do
you want to bet, Clio, that Isabel
will go hungry before she'll lower
her Self-esteem by sticking that
classical nose of hers into the
kitchen?"
And I should lose my dough on
bet like that?" laughed Gloria.
TWO SURPRISES
They were still laughing as they
ran up TIE cement walk of the
bungalow and hurried through the
front door, market bundles piled
to their young eyes. Tommy yelled
out Justify: Surprise! Surprise!
You can eat after all, Isabel"
Then his voice trailed off and
Gloria found her heart pounding
and her eyes hot and burning in
her face. For in the parlor with
the lamplight glowing family sat
Isabel and Rodney. Isabel was
wearing white velvet lounging pa
jamas of extremely soft velvet
which fell away from her lovely
throat and left her white arms
bare. There were yards Of velvet
in the pajama trousers, quite like
a flowing skirt. There was less
velvet in the bodice. There the
designer had perhaps remembered
; that brevity has charms other
than wit. Or he might have an
ticipated Isabel.
It was the first time Gloria had
seen her sister in anything that
hadn't been made by their mother
and IT, made her altopether differ