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Her own charms, compared with Birdie's generous ones, seemed absurdly meager, as she watched the older girl blow rings from the cigarette which she held daintily between her first and second finger. Nance had been initiated into smoking and chewing tobacco before she was ten, but neither appealed to her. Watching Birdie smoke, she had a sudden desire to try it again.
"That's a beautiful stitch, Mrs. Schimm. When I finish this centerpiece I start me a dozen doilies too." "I can learn it to you in five minutes, Mrs. Lissman. All my Birdie's trousseau napkins I did with this Battenberg stitch." "Grand!" "For a poor widow's daughter, Mrs. Lissman, that girl had a trousseau she don't need to be ashamed of." "Look, will you? Mrs.
Then with a sudden burst of gallantry, "If I had I don't guess there'd be no Birdie Mason chasin' around these parts unbespoke." The girl's eyes developed an almost childish simplicity as they looked up into his foolish face. "What d'you mean?" "Mean? Why, jest nothin', only " Toby laughed uneasily. And a shadow crossed Birdie's face.
He became dimly aware of a sudden hardening in Birdie's eyes, a mounting flush to her cheeks and forehead, a sudden, astounding physical movement, and then the work-worn palm of her hand came into contact with his cheek with such force as to prove the value to her physical development of the strenuous labors which were hers. He never thought a woman's hand could sting so much.
We'll just be a couple of 'Rag-Time Follies' taking a night off." "Don't she look cute with her cap on?" cried one of the girls. "I'd give my head to be going!" Nance put on a borrowed rain-coat which was to serve as evening wrap as well and, with a kiss all around and many parting gibes, ran up the steps in Birdie's wake. The court outside the stage entrance was a bobbing mass of umbrellas.
Then one Tuesday morning as she was coming to work, she spied a bill poster announcing the appearance of the "Rag-Time Follies." Rows upon rows of saucy girls in crimson tights and gauzy wings smiled down upon her, smiled and seemed to beckon. Since Birdie's departure from the alley, eighteen months ago, Nance had heard no word of her.
But when he became aware of Birdie's condition and realized the use she had made of him, the tragedy broke upon him in all of its horror. Then he, too, lost sight of the shore lights, and went plunging desperately into the stream of life with no visible and sustaining ideal to guide his course, but only the fighting necessity to get across as decently as possible.
And on the first page was Miss Birdie's father, the mortician and arterialist." "The what?" we exclaimed. "Undertaker and em-bammer. He's an expert, too. Why, Miss Birdie was a-tellin' me " I ventured to interrupt him. "I don't think, Jasperson, I should like an undertaker for a father-in-law. Have you considered that point?" "I have, gen'lemen. It might come in mighty handy.
At last, rather tired by my long day, made my way back, stopping at Birdie's dugout en route. Boarded the Mosquito; sailed for and reached camp without further adventure. General Douglas of the East Lancs Division is here. He has dined and is staying the night.
Birdie's advice had been to quit the factory, and Nance had taken the plunge without any idea of what she was going to put in its place. For some reason best known to herself, she never mentioned that episode in the factory yard to either Birdie or Dan Lewis. There were many things about Birdie that she did not like, and she knew only too well what Miss Stanley would have said.
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