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Page 60
"Give and take, that's my motto," he muttered, wondering if more toast
would choke him.
"Be a row back there, of course," said Grandma, "but Julia's going to
marry off the other child after her own heart, and it's only right for
me to have a little say about this one. You're a better man than he is.
You have a good situation and he's just a waster; couldn't buy his own
cigarettes if he had to work for the money, say nothing of his gloves
and ties. Born to riches, born to folly, say I. Still, Julia will fuss
just about so much. Of course, Jim--"
"Oh, poor old Pops!" The flapper gracefully destroyed him as a factor in
the problem.
Bean was feeding toast to Nap, who didn't choke.
"She always has to come around though when the girl makes up her mind. I
haven't had that child in my charge for nothing."
"I have a right to choose the--" The flapper broke her speech with tea.
"I have the _right_," she concluded defiantly.
Bean shuddered. He recalled the terrific remainder of that speech.
"I thought we better have this little talk," said Grandma, "and get
everything understood."
"'S the only way to do," said Bean, wrinkling his forehead, "have
everything clear."
"I had it all perfectly planned out long ago," said the flapper. "I
don't _want_ a large place."
"Lots of trouble," conceded Bean. "Something always coming up," he added
knowingly.
"Nice yard," said the flapper, "plenty of room for flowers and the
tennis court, and I'll do the marketing when I motor in for you. They
won't let me do it back there," she concluded with some acrimony; "and
they get good and cheated and I'm perfectly glad of it. Eighteen cents a
head for lettuce! I saw that very thing on a tag yesterday!"
"Rob you right and left," mumbled Bean. "All you can expect."
"Just leave it all to me," said the flapper with four of her double
nods. "They'll soon learn better."
"Hardly seems as if it could all be true," ventured Bean in a genial
effort at sanity.
"It's just perfectly true and true," insisted the flapper. "I knew it
all the time." She placed the old relentless gaze upon him. He was hers.
"The beautiful, blind wants of youth!" said the Demon, who had been
silent a long time, for her. "I remember--" But it seemed to come to
nothing. She was silent again.
He paid the waiter.
"It was just as well to have this little talk," murmured Grandma as they
arose.
The car throbbed before the steps. They were in and away. A reviving
breeze swept them as the car gained speed. At least it partially revived
one of them.
In the back seat he presently found a hand in his, but his own hand
seemed no longer a part of him. He thought the serenity of the flapper
was remarkable. She seemed to feel that nothing wonderful had happened.
There was something awful about that calm.
* * * * *
The car stopped before the steam-heated apartment. There were but brief
adieus before it went on. Cassidy sat at the head of his basement stairs
with a Sunday paper. He was reading an article entitled, "My Secrets of
Beauty," profusely illustrated.
"I wouldn't have one o' the things did ye give it t' me," said Cassidy.
"Runnin' inta telegrapht poles an' trolley cairs."
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