The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-03-07
. SERIAL STORY
SIS A WEEK
By LOUISE HOLMES
Copyright. 1910. SEa Service. Inc.
CONTINUED from Page 81

She adjusted the smart little nat
Suddenly she vas crying.
Il can't do it, she sobbed fun
ously. Darn it all-whats the
matter with me- I'm a coward.
I've put on the brakes for so long
that 1 can't let go
Removing the gsrdenia, she
threw it on the work table. An
grily she snatched the hat from
her head. Il won't 60 step she
muttered fiercely. Il absolutely
refuse to make a fool of myself.
I'll drop the whole crazy business
and forget it. For the rest of
my life I'll just-just twirl my
thumbs
Her chin wobbled and her voice
shook. For fun and excitement
I'll look across the alley at that
young man. When l want TO be
really hilarious I'll go to the Cen
ter and make dress that no one
will ever see" She sat down.
burying her head on a bent arm.
Maybe when I'm old won't
care" she sobbed.
After a while Ann lifted her
head and stared about the clutter
ed room. This and another room,
not quite so cluttered but no more
beautiful. were her life. She had
no one, not a single person of her
own. All her life would be like
this. Again she wept. Then, out
of emotional chaos, she remem-
bered that another person, just
like herself, so lonely that he had
flung his desperation to the four
winds, would wait in front of the
Blashfield painting at the public
library.
Ann again applied scented pad
to her face. She put on fresh
powder. She pulled the little hat
to just the right angle. Examin-
ing the gardenia for signs of
bruise, she firmly pinned it to her
lapel.
She had decided upon course.
Shed locate herself in the reading
room where she could view the
Blashfield painting without being
seen. When K295 appeared she
would be able to take snap
judgment as to his possibilities. If
necessary, she could dispose of
the gardenia and thus obviate a
difficult situation. The plan was
not exactly fair, it. definitely put
K295 at a disadvantage, but it was
protective measure and Ann
prepared to act upon it.
With decision, her naturally gay
spirits again came to the fore and
she giggled at the thought that
k295 might also be in hiding. re-
connoitering, as it were. Wouldn't
it be funny if they caught each
other in the act of peering from
behind door castings?
Ann ordered an egg salad sand
wich-there was no tax on a 10
cent sandwich-in a drug store
near the shop. She noticed the
mattresses and the cashier How
much did they make? Were they.
too, scrimping and saving within
the confines of a budget? Perhaps
some of them lived with their
families. Would SIS a week go
farther or less far if you had a
family? That, she supposed, would
depend upon the earning power of
the family.
The mattresses laughed and
joked among themselves and Ann
envied them. Friends. Did they
appreciate what it meant to have
friends? She heard one girl tell
another that her boy friend had
been given a raise-S1s a week
now. The girl spoke proudly, her
eyes shone. Dividing her happi-
ness made it seem more real, more
precious.
Ann remembered something she
had read. Grief can take care of
itself, but happiness must be shar-
ed. She wanted to tell the wait
ress that she was glad about the
boy friends raise.
AS she left the drug store she
heard a boy whistle. Glass" he
said, obviously referring to her.
Il wish someone would tell me
where DANES find the swag to
dress like that"
Fortified by the obscure compli-
ment, Ann wandered slowly along
State street to Randolph. Turn
ing here, she went on to Wabash.
Her knees shook as she went into
the library. Ito BE Continued)