Alice Adams

noon he asked Miss Perry to call his da

"I'll go see." And she returned from the brief errand, her impression confirmed by information fro

llowed the nurse as she went back to her rocking-chair by the window, and her placidity showed him that there was no mystery for her in the fact that Alice walked two miles to ask so simple a question when there was a telephone in the house. Obviously Miss Perry also comprehended why Alice thought it important to know what

e clothing she had seen. At such times, if Adams was present, he might recognize "organdie," or "taffeta," or "chiffon," as words defining certain textiles, but the rest was too technical for him, and he was like a dismal boy at a sermon, just waiting for it to get itself finished. Not

a sound recognizable throughout most of the thinly built house. Alice had just retu

did sh

"She gets that way sometimes, and pretended she hadn't made up her mind

Adams inquired, as Alice arrived at the top of the sta

s never worn it but once, and of course she wouldn't want to

d stepped out. "Your father wants to know if

to the room, Miss Perry remaining outside. "What's the matter, pa

Adams said, as she patted his han

you'll have poor times when you go and do just exactly wh

a moment, then asked her to sit beside the bed. "I

like,

impulses toward both humour and apology. "I just thought maybe I ought to've said more to you so

retended to slap his hand crossly. "Isn't that exactly what I sai

ing. "I just thought maybe it wouldn't been any harm if some time or othe

ickly. "That's just what mama and I have been

ve h'isted it a little every two years all the time I've worked for 'em. I've been head of the sundries department fo

mber of the firm? That's what they

to excuse himself for taking a little pride in this title. "Yes, sir; they say I'm their 'oldest stand-by'; and I guess they know they can count on my departme

they depended

'd like to see a better established wholesale drug business than Lamb and Company this side the Alleghanies-I don't say bigger, I say better established-and it's kind of funny for a man that's been with a business like that as long as I have to hear it called a 'hole.' It's kind of funny when you think, yourse

motion had sufficient effect upon Alice. She bent over him suddenly, with her a

t how things ARE down there. I got to thinking maybe you didn't understand it's a pretty good place. They're fine people to work for; and they've always seemed to think som

" she said,

n our department, Alice. Well, they are in all the departments,

han you do at home 'some day

, I didn't mean that-I di

nking eyelashes. "I'm sorry

d, gently. "It was yo

I did

it was only becau

him. "I'm going to talk to her

r: "You better let her alone. I just wanted to have a little

want you to quit worrying! Everything's going to be all right and

closed the door her face was all pity; and her mother, wa

Alice? What did he s

or eyes and suffused nose, gulped, then suddenly and desolat

matter with him? Sometimes you act as if he were

ink I'm pretty s

say yo

're both a little selfish to try to make hi

oughtful. "Oh, that'

give it up. I didn't drea

esn't he

at I know

here are more ways than that of hurting people. When a man sticks to a

, mama. We have what we need-if I wer

hat the other girls you go with have. And you CAN'T have what you ought to as long as he doesn

ought to try any m

seemed to be about as much as most of the people we knew. But the town isn't what it was in those days, and times aren't what they were then, and these fearful PRICES aren't the old prices. Everything else but your father has changed, and all the tim

t cost him anything at all any more." And she

-you're just at the time when your life should be full

trived the semblance of a protest. "I don't have such a bad time not a good DE

limousine to go to that dance to-night? I suppose you've only got to c

s reminded of really serious matters. She got up from the bed and went to the door of the closet where she kept her dresses. "Oh, see here," she

splayed it upon the bed, and Mr

you could get

ssing a thoughtful hand over the fabric. "It o

ng," Alice said, absently, adding, "And I'm sure we

examination of the dress. "Did you

tn't to talk to him ab

we'll

rd to him about it," said Alice. "It'll be a great deal