Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-04

Judith's voice ran up into a
dangerous key. the crescendo of
a rising hysteria. And why not.
please? And why not. Lucy
Grange? Is it because You have
a little money of your own? Is
it because you've been spoiled
and petted and babied and given
princess-airs by a lot of ignorant
kitchen folk? Is it because your
father never had the sense to
put you over his knee and spank
you until you had a proper notion
of the Importance of a bad, small
girl?
'Many's the time my hand has
itched to do that service for you.
And. even now. it's not too late
for you to be punished in a way
that it will hurt your pride .,
and your feelings. know how to
chastise such girls as you. Be-
lieve me. And I'll do so if you
keep up your attitude of def
ance' An ugly attitude. Unbe-
coming to you. Lucy Grange.
You imagine that you are sac
rosanct because you have tn e
sort of face they paint on the
covers of candy boxes and cheap
calendars to please morons. Who
but such a creature has ever adj
mired you. I'd like to know?
I've heard of nobody?
you think because a cook and
an old nurse and some wretched
stable boy who was it at that
school? falls at your feet
that you can play the role of
little queen with everyone. You.
hardly able to read and write.
who couldn't keep your place
above the primary grade"
Aunt Judith, please! Just be-
cause we both want to do some
thing nice for Jackie for
Jacquelinc"
"Ah, now l see. You're jeal-
Gus Of your stepsister I never
gave Miss Lucy Grange a party!
That's it. That's why you are 60
ng to defy me, to belittle. if you
can. my compliment to another
girl. Now let me tell you some
thing, my pretty Lucy. Do you
know why | prefer Miss Jacque-
line Seymour to Miss Lucy
Grange? It is because l like
women to have character and
brains. You have neither. You
seem to have combined quite ex-
pertly your mothers dullness
with your fathers common
placeness."
A DVANCING, Lucy stood close.
~ opposite and above her great
aunt and put down her two young
hands on the desk. But first she
struck the desk top with one
palm. Please stop. Don't insult
my mother and father 1t isn't
because of my stupidity you hate
me. I know the real reason you
bate me. I've always known il.
And 80 :" cried Lucy,
blind ruthlessness that had the
color of scarlet and the feel OF
fire being upon her, a sensation
she had never felt before in all
her dreaming youth, g. and so
has everyone. l believe. if you
dared, Aunt Judith, you would
throw acid in my face
Seeing the really terrible eff
feet of these words, Lucy would
have snatched them back out OF
the air. But it was too late In
stead, she turned, calling for help.
almost colliding with Aunt Lu.
who had taken her courage in
both hands, quietly opened the
door and witnessed the end of the
turbulent scene.
Aunt Lu put the agitated girl
aside and went in. For an in
slant. Lucy, astounded and in
tears, saw her, with her distort-
ed gentle face and awkward
hands, take that figure into her
arms, hiding that face Not
beautiful" thought Lucy, horri-
fled, not beautiful at all" 8.
gathering together the frantic,
breath-seeking hands. She signed
to Lucy to go away at once.
When Lucy was safe in the
woods. she fell down in the first
grassy spot. She was still shak-
ing. still in tears. Her emotions
plucked at her mind, pulling her
this way and that like the hands
of scared children at their moth
er's skirt. She was ashamed d.
of her cruelty, her loss of mag
nanimity, she, so young and
strong!
5 She was enraged remem-
bering the smile of that dull"
mother, the steady strength Of
Daddy" whose sweetness was
so far from commonplace; she
was hurt for it was true