The guardian., 1940-12-28
The Little BUG
By OSCAR MELLOW
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.l
WNU Service.
BURDICK had always
- been laughed at because she

was an admirer of high society.
First thing you know you'll lose
your head over the big bugs" her
Aunt Teresa said. That was when
Dora was young But nothing could
ever put an end to her hunger for
knowing about the wonderful people
who were as separate from Cedar
Lake people as royalty is from the
bourgeoisie. Some of these people
came to their great estate adjacent
and Dora caught glimpses of them
during the summer. Winters she fol-
lowed their movements through the
society columns of the Sunday pa
pers. In time the name of Joslyn
became almost as familiar to her
as her own.
In time also Dora married Albert
Burdick, who did not amount to any,
thing at all, as her Aunt Teresa
said. But Dora had faith in him.
She had little money of her own
and she spent it trying to find the
proper business for Albert to en-
gage in. She was always hopeful,
loyal, confident. When some venture
came to a grand fzzle and her
friends groaned she simply smiled a
little more and started right in again
to get her square peg out of the
round hole and into a fitting one.
Then when things were looking
very dismal indeed she made what
she suspected was her last effort to
establish her husband. She took the
remaining bit of her money and set
Albert up in the photograph busi-
ness, at which he had been dab
bling for good many years.
"When he plays out there you can
go to the peorhouse," Aunt Te-
resa said disagreeably. There Al
bert will find profession that isn't
crowded"
Suddenly, however, Albert began
to succeed. Even Aunt Teresa had
to see that he had found a business
he loved and could make profitable.
He had a knack for photography.
Albert made even Aunt Teresa look
like a medieval saint (and nobody
could do more than that when at
last she consented to his taking her
picture.
Money began to come in and
Dora's smile became more sponta-
neous. Dora's olds friends, who had
been rather cold Tor a long time,
began to look her up again. 1t was
when Albert got his new car that
people started to speak of him as if
he were of some Importance in the
world. In passing one may say that
Aunt Teresa felt herself entitled per-
manently to one corner of the back
seat of the car and occupied it when
ever the Burdicks drove out.
One day there was great excite
ment in Cedar Lake. For once the
Tattler had something interesting to
put on the front page. The Joslyns
were building a great chapel on
their estate and the cornerstone was
to be laid with all possible ceremo-
n.y. Bishops and archbishops, null
timillionaires, great singer, and
other notables without end were to
witness this interesting event. And
Albert Burdick had been asked by
the family to make the pictures of
the scene!
Dora was so happy that her pale
face Lit up into semblance of youth
and beauty. She began to wonder
what clothes she should wear, for
Albert insisted on her going with
him. Even Aunt Teresa, who, too,
was going, bought herself a new
bonnet.
1t was a glorious day. Dora moved
toward Joslyn wood in sort of
translation of ecstatic emotion.
When they reached the scene she
of course expected to take up a
humble position among the hosts of
onlookers. But somehow in cross
ing little ditch her narrow skirt
impeded her and she fell. Crimson
with shame, she picked herself up,
feeling less the hurt, which was
considerable, than the gaze of many
people. At the very beginning, it
seemed, her day was to be spoiled.
AS she brushed her dress and
choked down her chagrin a servant
came to her. He bowed beautifully.
"If you will come with me, mad
am, l will find seat for you" he
said.
Amazed, Dora followed. lie led
her past the horde of which she had
considered herself a part to the lit
tie circle of chairs reserved for
honored guests. Placing one of these
chairs for her, he invited her to sit
down.
Dora, after a moment of breath
less astonishment, began to gaze
about her. She saw Albert's surprise
and felt that she was again attract
ing attention. But just at that in
stant the choir boys began to sing.
Albert, in the foreground, was talk
ing pictures as fast as he could. 1t
was a wonderful hour.
"Well," said Aunt Teresa as they
drove back home, "if you'd fallen
down on purpose, Dora, you couldn't
have had it work out better It tick
led me most to death to see you
sitting up there with all those big
bugs. You certainly got your hearts
wish for once"