The guardian., 1941-05-03
Red-Checked
Curtains
By C.. CLEVENCER
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU Service. }

- ing pastime when riding on a
train than that of studying the pas
sengers.
You soon know all about the stout
woman in brown satin who sits
across the aisle surrounded by a
bird-cage, three suitcases, a lunch
box, a bulging String-bag and two
cretonne pillows. Having listened
all the way from Dodge City to La
Junta, you learn that her son is
to be married next week to a Slip
pety-upperty who works in an office;
and that she is going on a week
ahead of plans to have everything
ready for housekeeping before the
arrival of the bride.
It'll be much easier" she's nev-
er failed to explain, ethan tryin' to
get things done after the wedding,
with them a-billin' and cooin' around
all the time. l brought along a
whole trunk full of curtains and
quilts and pictures-things I'll new
er use, or else am tired lookin' at.
1t takes lot of money to set up
housekeepin' and l want to save
my boy every cent l can. l expect
Juniors girl would rather have new
things, never thinkin' about the cost.
But if, when she gets there, I've got
everything fixed up nice already
there amt much she an say, now,
is there?"
At La Junta there is a fresh in
| tiuX of passengers.
One of these, a young girl bearing
two bags in her newly gloved hands,
pauses near you and says to the
woman in brown: please, may
l sit here?"
why, hello, you," she says to the
bird.
His names Dicky," Mrs. Smith
speaks up. 81 raise 'em. This ones
! for my son Junior, in Trinidad.
He's getting married and l thought
Dicky would make his new home
seem more like his old one. I'm 60
ing down there to set up housekeep-
ing for him. His girls been in an
office all her life. l expect the only
thing she knows about housekeeping
is how to cook fudge"
''You may be wrong, you know"
the girl interrupts. Don't condemn
her just because she's a business
girl. l work in an office myself.
And I'm getting married. Today.
But I'm sure l can manage a cook
book and a check-book."
The woman looks the girl over
appraisingly. "Well, you seem diff
ferent. You look like you've got
some sense" ".---.u ... ,-.,... ...,.,.,....,
maybe your new daughter-in-law
has sense, too. Better not form your
opinions in advance. Lack of under
standing between in-laws wrecks a
lot of marriages. I'm fighting that
kind of battle myself-trying awfully
hard not to resent my mother-in-law
before I've seen her. It's wicked of
me to mind her coming, isn't it?"
''When's she comin'?"
Next week. That's why I'm get
ting married today. You see, Jack
got crazy idea that he wanted his
mama there to fix up the house for
us. AS soon as l found that out l
packed my bags and wired Jack
after l was on my way. Well
get married this evening and I'll
have whole week before his mama
gets there. It'll be too late, then,
for her to fix anything"
| "Oh!" Mrs. Smith colors up.
"You see, every girl has her
dreams about the home she's going
to have some day-even Office
girls" there is a mischievous twin
kle in the young eyes. "Why, ever
since can remember I've had my
mind made up about my kitchen
curtains. If they aren't red-checked
| gingham, it won't seem like home to
me-"
"Red-checked gingham?"
eyes, and the chairs and things
with red trimmings. 1t won't cost
much to have things the way want
them. I can do the work myself. I'll
have plenty of time with Jack gone
to the store all day."
ooh" The face grows longer.
"And what did you say his name
is?"
"Jack Smith. John Smith, really,
but | call him Jack"
"Jack Smith" Mrs. John Smith
from Lesterville, Kansas, leans for
ward. "And where did you say he
works? What town you goin' to?"
"Why-Trinidad."
"Ohi" The woman settles heavily
into her seat and looks out of the
window. A lonely ranch passes.
Another. And another. Trinidad is
called The girl takes her bags off
the rack. Her companion continues
staring out the window. The girl
looks at her.
Didn't you say you were getting
off here, too?"
''No Albuquerquel"
Albuquerque! But you said"
The woman turns now toward the
girl. Her eyes hold an expression
that reminds you of a little dog you
ran over in the street last summer.
"I'm goin' on to Albuquerque-to
visit my sister,"
''But your SON.
ooh, maybe l didn't tell you,"