The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-03-16
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BIZ JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE

! reminder of my love to her."
Mrs. Waters had convinced her
self that little place in the coun-
try was an ideal memorial. The
furnishings were scanty and
primitive, oil lamps the only il
Elimination and a two-burner oil
stove the only cooking convent
ence. But since the declaration
of war and the subsequent ru-
mors of shortages and restric-
tons, the value of the place as
a storehouse had risen in Mrs.
Waters acquisitive mind.
She had abandoned her needle
work, although she still bought
thread and yarn against the day
when she should resume her COM
plicated patterns. The girdles
she so eagerly purchased would
probably never be worn since she
went without corsets in the house
and for the street preferred old,
comfortable and shapless founda-
tons with trained curves. Her
shelves of cosmetics might have
kept beauty shop going for six
months, but she found it too much
trouble to use even cold cream.
Nevertheless she bought lipsticks,
powders and rouge as in fren-
w and saw her own madness re-
peated in the behavior of other
women. Mrs. Waters was not
completely indifferent to public
opinion and the thought that she
might be unfavorably criticized
occasionally ranked.
Once she remarked to Candace
Thane that she liked to think
that she would be in position
to shelter her friends who might
happen to be bombed out. "Peo-
pie don't stop to think that you
can't feed dozen or two emer-
gency guests, unless you have
made previous preparations" she
reasoned.
''But could you get two dozen
people in a two-room cabin?''
suggested Candace. IF you had
blankets, they could sleep out,
suppose-but it might rain
Candace asked Andy if he
thought that Mrs. Waters did her
lavish shopping with the thought
of taking care of the more I'm
fortunate who were not in po-
sition to hoard. II mean those
who can't stock up. I hate to be
uncharitable, but I keep remem-
boring her six girdles."
She might be planning to rent
them out, Andy offered amiably.
'In the days when there are no
girdles, a woman may be glad to
rent one by the hour or week.
About the food I'm suspicious.
What 1 really think our neigh
bors intend to do is to set up a
Black Market over here"
Il suppose it helps her to feel
secure, to have all those things at
hand" Candace admitted. eve
all want security, but we don't
all seem to spell it the same way.
It's safer, don't you think, Andy.
not to set up things as your SYM
bols of security?"
Like canned salmon?" She
smiled and understanding quick
ened between them. Andy ran
his fingers through her hair, pull
ling the soft pompadour Of her
new hairdo down to her eyes.
''The heck with canned salmon!
It reminds me too much of Mr..
Waters and his favorite war"
Had they only known it, can
ned salmon held something of
the same association for the boy
at the cash grocery store and the
slim young cashier who presided
over the money cage. A case of
the timed fish, to be opened and
the cans arranged in place on the
shelves, has been the morning
task allotted to Hervey, the boy,
as an occupation for him in the
absence of the manager.
Him and his goldfish" the
cashier said scornfully. MAYBE
I'm not tired of his stories"
The lad grinned. 'They must
have a stock as large as ours, by
this time"
Kitty, from her cage, thought
it likely. But she was growing
tired, she declared, of Mrs. Wa
ters' complaints about the fresh
vegetables. "She comes in near
ly every day to tell Mr.. Locke
that the stuff is wilted, or speckl-
ed, or just plain mess. Why don't
you give her break once in a
while?"
'Where do you suppose she
puts all the food?" asked the boy.
The cashier decided that the