The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-02-03
River, Don't Tell
BY LORANNA JOHNSON
g Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

as Jim's fiancee.
Jim was afraid, too, it seemed to
Minetta, after all his gay bravado
on the way from the city to the
farmhouse where he had been born,
and his father before him. "Think
you can endure being a farmers
wife, darling, after a debutante's
education?" he had bantered.
SILLY! Of course, if the farmer
is you" there had been a little
breathless pause while their eyes
shared the implied absurdity. "But
will your mother and the girls APP
prove Of"
"How could they help it?"
"You said, once, nothing would
suit them better than for you to
marry Albertina Schneider" she
had reminded him.
"Albertina's their first choice.
Might have been mine too, if a
certain little. ebony-haired gal
hadn't popped up in my chem
class" Jim had admitted.
Now, she could feel Jim's mother
cycling her in way she might some
culprit on reprieve. She could feel
Jim's sisters, Frieda and Bertha,
disappearing her backless print and
literally rouged mouth and long
bright nails; hating the kind of girl
they judged her to be.
"Albertina's here Jim" Frieda
glanced toward the house and called
Come on out, Bert
And Albertina, blond and lissome,
came down the fagstones to meet
them. 'Hullo, Jim," she said, Civ
ing him large, sunburnt hand.
She turned to Minnetta as Jim in
troduced her with a stiff, con-
strained, How d'you do, Miss
Timm?"
Frieda and Bertha started to
move more wicker chairs out on the
lawn, but Jim stopped them. "How
about a picnic supper on the river,
Mother?" he asked.
Everybody did something. Every
body but Miretta who sat nervously
on the edge of a kitchen chair and
watched their preparations without
offering to help.
''Do you know how to clean a
chicken?" Bertha asked her, taking
down platterful
"No. But I'll learn, I guess"
Minetta hesitated.
Then Frieda put in, did you
make the dress you have on?"
''No-no, I haven't learned to
sew yet. Besides, it's just about as
cheap to buy clothes ready-made, -
Minetta defended.
"The lunch is ready" Bertha an
nounced.
Lets get into our nautics," Jim
suggested might want to take a
swim in the river"
Smoothly slim all over in a wisp
of scarlet, Minetta walked beside
Jim down the slope, along by the
apple trees to the river below. Al
bertha, with nice easy stride that
whipped the fullness of her skirt
about her went ahead of them all.
"Think I'll have a swim while you
womenfolk spread the lunch here
in the shade of the sycamore" Jim
said, and was off toward the saffron
and purple sunset.
Even as Minetta looked, expect
ing to see him streaking across the
river in his good American crawl,
he seemed to be having trouble only
a hundred feet out. Another in
slant, and she was sure she heard
Jim's cry for help. And then moth
ing except the rivers own sounds,
and somebody's terrified, ooh,
Lord! Can't anybody save him?"
Minetta hardly knew when she
kicked off her sandals or ran down
and dived off the boat dock. But
once in the river her arms rising
and falling clearly, thoughts gath
cred round her. clear and helpful.
Jim was in danger of drowning
She was the only who could do for
, him now! Elation carried her along.
Maybe she couldn't milk a COW or
dress a chicken-yet. But she
hadn't won the Gilifred Trophy for
the most competent "Tired Swim
mer's Carry" for nothing.
Her head functioned coolly
through it all. Her arms and legs
did their part, too.
Presently she was in motherly
arms; words beating all about her.
Then one voice became low, seemed
meant for her ears alone. You've
courage and common sense, dear.
You'll make my son fine wife"
Minetta and Jim sat alone in the
warm night air, and heard the river
ripping down below. Jim said: 81
thought sure you'd catch on, dar-
ling"
"Catch on?"
eyes. That I was shamming. In
the river"
"I-I didn't think of that" Min
eta said slowly.
"No, of course not, but l did!"
Jim chuckled.
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