The Key West citizen., 1940-02-23
Chapter 80
Prosperity

Prosperity
lust before six, after an ex-
- hausting afternoon of furniture
placing and unpacking of books
and clothing, sweet Mary Hamp-
ton arrived with a hamper of
steaming food.
"What a lot you've accom-
plished!" she exclaimed admiring-
1y. "And what lovely old furni-
ture you have! That Chippendale
desk is beauty"
Sues face mirrored her aston
ishment. She was still more sur
prised when few days later she
found in the Hampton home
pieces far finer than her own.
She joined the local literary
club more to increase Bob's !uSi-
ness than in the expectation of
receiving cultural enlightenment;
and was jolted out of her citybred
complacency by finding most of
the members far better informed
on such matters than She was her
self.
Later she was to come in con-
tact with the petty gossip. the un-
bearable inquiSitiVeneSS. the mar
row standards which remain like
a sediment in the sparkling wa
terS of most country towns; but
for this first winter, everything
combined to present Queen City'S
most enjoyable side.
Sue had her sewing that pecu-
liarly charming and touching gar
Matchmaking of the young moth
er-to-be. She had the radio. with
world-famous voices, World-fa-
nous orchestras-and for the first
time in years, leisure to listen,
She had enough houseWork to
keep her in good health. not
enough to tire her unduly. She
had her interesting neighborS. She
had Bob, and Bob had her.
They grew closer together
every day. Bob talked over the
store with her, described his cus1
toners, asked her advice about
the spring orders. Gradually Sue
came to know those who bought
from him: first by his vivid. if
sometimes ridiculous descriptions.
later by personal ,acquaintapce,
She knew the Steinhausen girls
on the big farm west of town:
hard working daughters of "a
stingy farmer who would not
allow them, grown women as they
were, to select their own. shoes.
but himself came in to feel with
fingers hardly less leathery than
the article they explored the stout
lac oxfords. or thick-Soled
brogueS. Once Sue saw him jerk
from the WiStful touch of his
eldest a satin slipper at least four
sizes too small for her foot. 8
And once Sues heart was
wrung by a young father who
brought out four Soiled dollar
bills and said briefly they must
suffice for shoes for both his chill
dren. The oldest. a boy Of eleven.
turned anguished eyes from the
sturdy boots Bob's assistant took
Jaw. Pop aw, Pop" he stam-
meFed. Don't none of the fellers
wear boots to school any more!"
But you have to wear 'em in
the fields. son; and Pop can't no
ways git you two pair"
They looked long at each other,
worried. understanding. harassed
father and agonized little boy;
then the child gulped and nodded.
Sue nearly Wept with love of her
husband when he came forward.
saying pleasantly: 3sf ;fr7sss]
Did | hear you, saying some
thing about needing two pairs of
shoes for this Yeuhge- man. Mr..
Layton? Well, you're playing IN
luck today. you sure are! I'm clos
ing out a couple of lineS-hIS size.
too, what dyou think of that? -
and this is once in your life when
you can buy two pairs for the
price of one!"
Because she could not trust her
self to say what she thought of
this, Sue commented that evening:
do you have many days when
you'do business like that, Rob?"
He grinned sheepiShly. "Old
Pearson would fire me if he'd
overheard. wouldn't he? But-but
il might have been our kid, Sue,
you know!"
Sues Son
IN SPITE of such incidents or
L perhaps because of them, the
new store flourished. "Old Pear
son" wrote personally and en-
couragingly of its tiny success. If
il held up like that for two years,
they might consider starting an
other in Leighton. twenty-five
miles away.
Spring came, and the lilacs and
spice bush and Syringas burst
into fragrant bloom. The grass
was emerald beneath the apple
trees. The peachtree gloWed with
rose, with coral. Sue had a maid
now, a husky country girl whose
muscle was better developed than
her brain. It was only by conduct
ing the housekeeping along the
simplest lines that Sue managed
at all Pats and Allen. driving out
to late Sunday dinner. were dis
gusted and amused respectively
by the service of the meal.
you, Sue, of all people to live
like this!
whats the matter with the
way we live?" she demanded plac-
idly.
Her sister-in-law pointed elo.