Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1948-08-13

ways said. Scrubbing the bathroom
floor, Mrs. Garrity remembered
all the dresses she had given her,
the rich perfumes, books for the
children, and never forgetting to
ask about Mr.. Garrity's health.
Of course, they couldn't have a
house, not with her in Hollywood
so much. But they had made the
hotel rooms cozy and home-like.
And when she was in the city, they
had such good times.
1t had never occurred to Mrs.
Clarity to doubt the item in the
column and she was not unduly
surprised when she saw the suit
cases in the bedroom. That was
why Mrs. Miller had come back
this time, then, to take the things
of hers that were in the room.
There was a short note on the
dresser.
"Please take the black dresses
in the closet, Mrs. Garrity," it
said.
Now wasn't that just like her,
Mrs. Clarity thought, remember
ing me, even with all her sad
ness. And her heart must be so
heavy today. No, it wasn't right.
Even if they were apart a lot. 1t
probably had been some foolish
argument they would both get
over in time. Hadn't she argued
with Mr.. Clarity? Yes, many
times when they were younger.
And it was nicer than ever when
you made up.
The idea Of gardenias came sud-
denly to Mrs. Clarity in the maze
of memories that were flashing
through her mind There wasn't
much time. Mrs. Miller was prob
ably only out for lunch and would
be back any minute.
Mrs. Clarity reached into her
pocket, pulled out small wad of
bills. She counted them carefully.
There were seven. Well. the grocer
would just have to wait She went
down the service elevator and
hurried to the flower shop on the
corner.
81 want seven dollars worth of
gardenias," she told the florist.
He stared at her, bewildered.
Seven dollars worth,' she repeat
ed, looking at him sternly. He
shrugged his shoulders and started
to work. She walked rapidly back
to the hotel with the large box.
In the rooms again, she hurried
to the typewriter and fingered the
keys idly, her rough, gnarled
hands looking strange in this po-
sition. Now what should she say?
1t was very important what she
said. 1t had to erase a lot of things,
it had to say lot of things.
She started to type with great
care and deliberation BECAUSE
THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL LIKE
YOU - Yes, that was all
right Maybe he would be able to
put it better, him being writer,
but that is what he would mean.
q. AND TO WISH YOU HAP
PINESS WHEREVER YOU GO
... " Yes, that was all right. She
felt almost romantic. reading it
to herself again. with ALL MY
LOVE She smiled as she
typed his name
Hurriedly she filled two vases
with water, put the gardcnias in
them, placing the note auspiciously
beside one. and then she began
to clean the rooms, working spir-
itedly, feeling much better now.
She managed to finish her work
before Mrs. Miller returned.
Reading Hal Boyd's column on
the subway the next morning, she
felt her heart Quivering with in
tense happiness, felt a Tilt there
that she could rardly believe was
possible for woman of her age.
Her eyes glazed with tears as she
read the item for the fourth time:
"DMreN Miller and bis missns
Marianne Lane. way il isn't so that
they are thr0ngb and they bare
message for Mrs. Garitr fbe
message: IF VOC THINK IT'S
THAT IMPORTANT. SO DO We"
Mrs. Clarity got off the subway,
her eyes dreamy, walked proudly
into the basement of the hotel