The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-05
Chapter 16
Patsy's Bitterness

Patsy's Bitterness
THERE was an embarrassed lit
l. tie silence. Sues cheeks burned:
not because of the broadness OF
Patsy's hint but because Barbara
had heard it.
well go shopping soon, Patsy,
and see what can be done about
the gaps in your wardrobe" she
promised.
after Patsy had departed, Bar
bara reproached her friend.
"That means, / suppose, that
you'll take her downtown and out
fit her completely Sue, why do
you let yourself be imposed on
like that?"
ooh, l shan't buy her much.
Allen would be hurt if l did. An
evening gown to take the place of
the one Marie appropriated, and
maybe something smart for after
Moons"
"Well-" Barbara shrugged
considering the way she treated
you while you lived with Allen,
] do think you're an angel to her."
Sue yielded to an impulse to
confide in this sympathetic lis
tener.
81 don't like her bit better than
Ibid, Babs! In fact, there are times
when it takes all the self-control
! have merely to endure hel sell
fishness, her greed; but | can al
ways stop myself from saying hor-
rid things to her by remembering
that Aliens happiness is in her
hands. If I can make something of
her in the end, it is Allen who
will benefit"
Babs murmured something
about silk purse. Her young host
eSs, secretly convinced that her
task was futile but stubbornly de-
termined to keep at it, sighed and
changed the subject.
The first winter of her marriage
passed rapidly and pleasantly for
Sue Trenton. If the passionate love
she had hoped to feel for Bob as
his wife did not develop d very
real and warm affection did.
It was impossible not to be fond
of a person who was as generous,
as light-hearted, as concerned
with the happiness of others as
was Bob, she thought contentedly,
Believing herself to be funda-
mentally cold. she urged herself to
the greatest possible response to
his caresses, to a wifely care for
his comfort, an interest in his buSi-
ness affairs which deceived Bob
utterly. Again and again he re-
minded her triumphantly Of her
earlier fears.
"You see, you did fall in love
with me after ALL" His wide smile
disclosed his big white teeth. 81
believe you were just fooling me
all along, you little fraud! Tam
talizing me, weren't you-just 20
increase my idiotic madness over
you? Well, you succeeded! I'm the
worlds most besotted husband"
She would smile at this, and re-
turn his deep kisses with warmth
she did her best to feel. 1t was a
small price she paid for the hap
piness of her life. She loved her
OAEs DIduLlAu1 IlOQoC. OllC w do
youthfully proud of her dignity
and importance as the wife of one
of the towns richest men. It was
fun TO be able to dash down to
Kansas City for a new evening
coat. if she could not find anything
in the shops at home to please
her
She had always been interested
in helping those less fortunate
than she was, and now she could
buy season concert tickets for i'm
pOverished young musicians, send
flowers laViShly to the frail old
ladies who hungered for them, slip
a hundred dollar bill into a plain
envelop and mail it anonymously
TO young mother just out of the
hospital and worrying about how
the bills were to be paid.
Bob aided and abetted her in
these pleasant charities. He turned
a generous sum over to her every
month for the purpose. 1t was Sue,
as matter of fact, who imposed a
definite limit on their expendi-
lures.
Sense OF UneaSe
I'VE MUSTN'T overdo it, dear
w It's as bad to err one way as
another. Besides, in these precari-
Gus days who knows what might
happen? The business might
fail"
mot i'll" was the careless an
swer. Tive got sense enough to
stick 70 the policy which built il
up in the first place. That's the
reason that most rich mems sons
fail, think, Sue: they get swelled
heads. think their dads were toe
conservative. and begin to splurge;
and first thing they know they're
bankrupt. Not II figure Dad was
a good psychologist to appraise
the needs of the average man and
woman when it comes to footwear:
and I'm going right along as he
started the TTeddonS.
The stockholders would like
me TO move East to live" he con-
tinued thoughtfully. Il suppose we
shall have to-Sometime But not
yet Suel | love this town, I'm
crazy about the house. I'm always
afraid somebody else will like our
location so well that a building
boom will start up out here. Never
mind, they can't come very close
&c us, I've seen to that. We own