Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-03-05

Leila. "she is an adult. She'll under
I stand"
She went to the phone and called
j Ida Lynch Ida thought at first that
Leila was joking. Then she was an
noyed. Finally, she said for Donald
! to come anyhow. She would get her
aunt TO take Leila's hand. Donald was
waiting for the verdict.
You're to go anyhow" Leila told
/ him coldly. "I'll stay home. Mrs. Nor
rison will play in my place"
THE old girl can play bridge, said
Donald, but what the heckl This Is
a fine note"
Also" said Leila, you may as well
resign yourself to the fact that we are
not going to the country club dance
tomorrow night. Jane is going dancing
and we stay home"
'Do we have to sit at home because
Jane is going out?" said Donald in
dignantly. Cant she go to a dance
without us here at the house?"
"She can, but she's not going TO"
said Leila
When the dishes were finished Leila
went upstairs with Tommy and Betty
and got them off to bed. The doorbeu
rang and Jane flew to answer 1t. Leila
heard her laughing, heard Cheesie's
voice The mother smiled little. She
beaux and go to parties and have
normal girlhood.
Downstairs again, Leila found Jane
and Cheesie at the dining room table
with the giggles. They had few
school books spread about.
The lad had risen, clicked his heels
for Leila. She remembered that he had
been one of the rudest small boys she
had ever known. Now his manners
were excessively polite. They we're al
most as painful as his rudeness. He
was, like Jane, very thin and tall and
unfinished looking.
Leila felt resentful when Donald
kissed her and went of alone. she sat
under her lamp in the living room
darning socks and felt a million years
old.
At 10 O'Clock Leila sent Cheesie home.
It seemed to Leila that James friends
thought it unmannerly TO go home be-
fore they were sent. Jane kissed her
mother and went off upstairs with
stars in her eyes. Leila put out the
light and went to bed to sleep. She
scarcely stirred when Donald came In
at / o'clock
clock went off the next morning She
had not done that In months. She may |
have felt old the night before but this
morning she felt rested and refreshed. |
Donald, when she reused him, made q
terrific effort and got up and went
down to the furnace. Leila knew he
was little ashamed Of going out with |
out her last night.
As soon as she was out Of bed Jane
began q new and deadly onslaught. |
She had TO have q formal for Lyde's
dancing party. This was Saturday /
when Christobel, the colored cleaning
woman came, and 1t was Leilas one |
day Of semi-freedom.
Leila said firmly that Jane could |
not have a formal evening dress. It 1
was ridiculous. Jane answered that |
there were to be u girls at Lyde's and
everyone had formal. Leila said she /
could not afford 1t. Jane answered that |
they cost almost nothing. She could /
wear a size IA. They were cheap and /
you didn't wear much under them.
So Leila and Jane drove down TO
Hollis, just to look and Of course they
came home with garnet taffeta frock
with pulled sleeves and long skirt.
Donald came home sc 2 on Satur-
days. He lay down ON the couch and
fen asleep at once. About 4 o'clock a
ear stopped before the house and Ida
Lynch and her husband came ia, Dale
carrying q cocktail shaker IN his hands.
Donald reused az ones, rested and