Those Lucky Pullens

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1929, Page 14

Those Lucky Pullens

By

MALCOLM DUART

Julia Pullen, pretty and nineteen, lias fallen out with her boy friend. Sam Carlile, because he has teased

her about a little blonde—who does not exist. She has another caller, young Mr. Parks, a lawyer, to whom -•"her mother, Elsie Pullen, tells how

angry Julia was about the blonde. Julia sends Parks home, after he tenderly tells her he loves her and tries to hold her hand. The girl rebels, and after Parks is gone tells her

mother that she can’t stand Mrs. Pullen’s romantic endeavours to get Julia engaged. As the last chapter ends Mrs. Pullen comes to the girl’s bedroom, and finds her awake, sitting at the window. Their house is crowded with new furniture, a gift ,Jftom an unknown friend.

CHAPTER XXXV.

The girl stirred and turned her face h away from her mother without replying . .'“Are you angry at me, Julia?” Mrs. (Pullen asked. She seated herself on the edge of the now bed. Julia was curled on the further of the old one, her shoulder resting against the windowcasing. ' , “I’m just—kind of sick,” the girl said, her eyes still looking into the dark sky. . The window was open, and she drew her robe more closely around her shoulders. *‘l’m sick of the way things happen, about Mr. Parks and the fat man, and Sam.” She paused, and then went on. • f'Can’t you see that I’m grown up, inama? That you mustn’t tell a lot of things to strange men that come here, , and try to marry me off to fellows that I don’t like? I just can’t stand it!” i Her mother, concerned, worked her jjvay across the two bods, and leaned herself against the headboard at Julia’s aide,’ ' “Julia,” she said, “I won't come in ‘ any more young men are here, if you don’t want me to.” She gulped. “I don’t want to make' my only little daughter unhappy! I’ll go right upstairs yhen they come.” k Her voice was full of misery, and •' Julia, touched, quickly threw her arm civer her mother’s shoulders. “I like to have you come in when I have company,” she protested. ‘T haven’t ever had many callers. But, iriama—when they’re here, couldn’t you talk about something besides me — about something besides kissing and getting engaged? It just embarrasses mo to death. And then,” she added resentfully, “papa has to go and get up a silly joke with Sam Carlile! The idea Of Sam wandering around here talking about blondes! As if I care how many blondes he has! I’m simply not going jto speak to him.” She drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. Iler mother stroked the girl’s dark head tenderly. “It’s too bad-poor little lamb!” fcrooned the older woman. “I’m so •orry.” She lifted the bedcovers and gently forced Julia beneath them, drawing the soft blankets to the girl’s chin, Then she traversed the now bod and returned to her own room, where she cried a little while before she went to sleep. i Mrs. Hamilton made her promised call upon Julia’s employer the next day. Julia brought word of it when she returned homo in the evening. ’’ “She passed mo in the hallway between the offices,” she said, tossing her fur scarf over the stair railing, and gave me the meanest laugh! She didn't speak, but looked at mo and sneered just' wickedly.” . '■ Pullen hatted in his effort to arrange h chair in the living room so there would bo room for his legs. Mrs. Pulton camo with a paper 1 of chops in her hand, and stood listening. .< / “I pretended not to notice her,” Julia . [Wont on, “and pretty soon Mr. Murty said he would seo her. I’d told him all

about it—everything I could remember. And. when she got through and went away ho called me in and told me what (dio said. Mama—papa, it was awful.*’ She took a seat on the couch, and toontinued: “Ho said she talked for nearly an hour without stopping, and he just listened. Mama, she said you ->..!tvere making mo a bad girl I She said you used mo to ontico the fat man to the house! And she said you met the \fttt man hero alone, and when ho escaped he had to got a policeman to come With him to got his hat and coat. And then she recited the whole list of new things wo've got—all the pieces of furniture, and tho automobile, and your iooat, and my ring! Sho told him he ought to bo warned what kind of family I como from.” “What did ho say?” asked Pullon. ‘•Well, he waited until she was all and then ho said, coldly—he Bhhowed mo just how ho said it: ‘Mrs. ■Hamilton, aro you consulting mo as an Sho said ‘no.’ Thon he said: case, Mrs. Hamilton, you have MRI yourself liable to heavy damages Br slander/” ■ “I’m so glad that’s over,” she said, “radiant happiness in her face. “You’ll never know how those terrible stories me. It’ll bo nice to have tho ladies all speaking to mo again.” “But how will that make them speak to you?” Pullon wanted to know. ‘ “Why, Mrs. Hamilton will have to tell the truth now, won't she? She'll be afraid we'll suo her.” “Maybe so,” said Pullen, doubtfully. “Julia, is Mr. Murty a married man?” Mrs. Pullen inquired. The girl gavo her a glance of quick Buspieion. “No, he’s an old bachelor,” gho said, “Isn’t that lovely I" Mrs. Pullon clasped tho meat in both hands, and raised |t to her bosom. “I can see ho likes you, Julia, and maybe—” * At this moment sho caught her daughter's oyo, and dropping tho sublect? she boat a hasty retreat to tho kitchen. “It was nice of Mr. Murty,” Che concluded, lamely, as she passed through tho door. k “I wish,” said Pullen, “that ho had told that Hamilton woman to see the ,women around here, and conless to them how she’s lied.” ‘ “Ho did tell her to do that, Julia gaid. “But I didn’t want to tell mama i—she’d count on it so, and I’m afraid Mrs. Hamilton won't confess anything. You know how she is.” Unfortunately for Mrs. Pullen, Julia’.' fear proved to bo well grounded. It was on Sunday morning that tho family) preparing to enter their new tear before the house, encountered a group of their former friends. A bevy of women, chattering, came down tho Sidewalk, evidently on the way to

church. Mrs. Pullen’s foot was on the running-board of the machine, but now she drew back to the curb and waited, smiling. • “Good morning,” she said, brightly. They raised their eyes to her, ceased their conversation, and without acknowledgment of her greetings passed by. Mrs. Pullen stood watching them, until they were at the corner. Then, her lips very white, she climbed into the sedan, and sat in a corner of the rear seat. “I’ve known some of them for nearly twenty years,” she said, when Julia took her seat, and gathered the older woman’s hands into her own. Mrs. Pullen’s voice was toneless, as if she were very weary.

“It’s unspeakable,” said the girl. “I don’t care if they don’t speak to me — but it means so much to you.” Pullen was glumly starting his motor. “Most women ought to be abolished,” he told them, pulling at the smallest of the knobs bn the instrument board. The motor settled into its regular quiet hum. “What earthly good is that bunch of females, anyhow?” Mrs. Pullen pressed her cheek against tdio cold glass beside her, and looked Out at the familiar dwellings along the street. “Not one place where I’m welcome any more,” she’ said. “And I always did so love to have friends.” ‘"Mrs. Carlile was the worst of the lot,” said her daughter. “She showed her teeth in the nastiest way. I saw Sam yesterday, and I hardly spoke to him, and I’m glad of it!” “What did Sam do?” inquired her father, from the front seat. “I thought you and he were pretty nearly engaged.” “Sam?” The girl gave a short, high laugh. “To him? Why, papa, what do you think I am?” “Got the wrong idea, I guess,” said Pullen. “When he was at tho house the other night, I supposed you and he were on bully terms —almost ready to clinch.” . ■

“Ho,” returned his daughter. “Just because you and ho were around talking about blondes! I’m not interested in his blonde friends!”

Her father showed surprise. “I thought your mother told you about that,” he exclaimed. “There wasn’t any blonde. That w-as just a joke—l suggested it.” “But he hasn’t any right to think he can tease me about other girls,” she informed him, heatedly. “It’s terribly presumptions of him. He’s assuming that I’m in love with him, and am interested in his flirtations. But I’m not!” She straightened herself, and added: “And I’ve told Mr. Parks he can come to see ma to-night, if he likes!” THE STORY SO FAR. The Pullen family in San Francisco have received a houseful of new furniture, a motor-car, a diamond ring and other costly gifts from an unknown friend, ’ but their happiness is marred by malicious stories against Mrs. Pullen, started by Mrs. Hamilton, a neighbourhood gossip. Julia, pretty daughter of Fred and Mrs. Pullen, hasrquarrelled with Sam Carlile, her boy friend, because of his ■ mischievous references to a “little blondo” —who does not exist. The Pullens are driving in their new car when Julia tells her father that she has invited young Mr. Parks, a fledgling attorney who has tried to make love to her, to call at the house that night. CHAPTER XXXVI. Pullen carefully drew up to the curb, stopped his car, put on the brake, and turned around to face Julia. “What in tho dickens is the matter I with you?” ho demanded. “Why?” she asked, innocently. “You know why well enough,” he said. “Sam is one of tho best young fellows in San Francisco, and he’s going to bo a whizzer at selling real estate. Ho’s sold one cottage already, and now he’s almost closed a deal for a now business block out in Oakland. You don’t like this young squirt Parks. I’ve hoard you say so. What do you mean by treating Sam this way and inviting a poor prune like Parks to tho house?” Julia pursed her lips and lifted her chin. “Of course, if you and mama are going to pick my friends for me,” she began, “I’ll—” A sigh from her mother halted the sentence. Julia quickly squeezed the unhappy Mrs. Pullen's hand, and shifted hor attack.

“If you don’t want Mr. Parks to come to the house,” she said, “I can call him up. We might go to a movie or something.”

“Have him at tho house if you want to,” hor father announced irritably. “I don’t caro who you bring to the house. But I think it’s just plain foolishness to snub a good friendly boy like Sam in favour of a long, gangling, insufferable pup like this Parks.” Without warning Julia began to giggle. Her father stared in astonishment. “Don’t you think Mr. Parks is relined and elegant?” she asked, carrying her handkerchief to her lips, her eyes twinkling and her biisom quivering with merriment.

“You—” began Pullen severely — “you ought to—” Ho turned and jerked the gear lever toward him. “You’re talking nonsense, and you know it,” ho concluded, as tho car began to move. “I don’t want to hear anything more about it.”

They had intended, when they started, to drive to Cliff House, but this plan was abandoned. Mrs. Pullen sat in her corner, eyes downcast, deeply troubled over her disgrace. Ordinarily their family excursions were enlivened by a steady flow of conversation from the wife and mother, with only occasional remarks by Pullen and Julia. To-day the silence proved oppressive. Before they had reached Valencia Pullen turned the car around and started toward homo.

“Maybe there’ll be somebody waiting at the house with another surprise package,’’ ho ventured, in an attempt to cheer his wife.

Mrs. Pullen made no response. “Suppose it should bo a set of fine new china!’’ Julia suggested. Tho mother only made a little hopeless gesture. She shrank back into tho angle of tho cushions when they turned into their street, putting both her hands upon Julia’s arm. “I feel ashamed to be where anybody can sec mo,” she said tremulously. *'l feel as if I had done something terrible,

and folks in all these houses were pointing at me behind the curtains." At . their own house she bowed her head and fairly ran up the steps, patting her hands together nervously until Pullen could open the door. Inside she dropped her new fur coat upon the couch and sank into one of the arm chairs in the hall. . “Just you and Julia try to have a good time, Fred,” she said. “I’m terrible company,. I'm afraid. Don’t pay any attention to me.” Her husband and daughter spent the remainder of the day in efforts to dicer I her up. Pullen read aloud from the I comic sheets, and she smiled without mirth. Julia read to her a lively and detailed account of the new styles in dress as displayed in Paris. The mother scarcely listened. They made her lie down and close her eyes while they prepared dinner, but when they camq to call her she was sitting with her forehead resting upon the edge of the piano, between her outstretdied arms. “Daddy,” said Julia, “you’ve got to get mama out of this, and get her out right away.” They were finishing their meal. Mrs. Pullen, after a vain attempt to cat, had gone to her room. “I ought to do something,” he admitted. “But I don’t know how to make the neighbours speak to her.” “Can’t you take her away on a trip ■ —go somewhere where there are a lot of people she can talk to?” He considered the idea for a time.

'‘lt’ll bo darned hard for me to leave

the office,” he said. “I’m green at the work, you know, and it’s about all I can do to handle it. But I’ll ask her, anyhow.” While Julia cleared away the dishes, Pullen went upstairs to talk with his wife. He was still there when Julia’s guest came, an hour later. Julia opened the door, and smiled pleasantly enough. “Miss Pullen,” said Parks, holding her

hand and looking earnestly into her eyes, “I’m so glad you permitted me to come back.”

“Don’t take your overcoat off,” she said, pulling her fingers away. “This house is so crowded with furniture there isn't any place to sit. Shall we go to a movie?” “Surely, surely,” he said. His hand slid cautiously into his pocket, and his face brightened. “And afterward shall we have a sandwich—ha, ha!—just a bite to cat?” '

He remained standing in the open doorway while she donned her hat and coat. Ho helped her carefully as they descended the steps, and his hand remained on her elbow as • they traversed the dark street.

They returned early. Julia did not invite him to enter, but bade him goodnight briefly at the door. “Must I go?” he asked, dropping his voice to a deeper note. “Yes,” she said. “Then—” he turned away, tragically —“good-night, good-night!” “Mush!” said Julia, as the door closed and she camo into the hall. Iler mother was waiting for her. sitting uncomfortably on one end of the couch. “Julia,” she said, placing the tip of her forefinger on her lips. The girl tossed her coat and fur and hat on one of the chairs. “Do you want to know why I said ‘mush?’” asked Julia, joining Mrs. Pullen. The mother nodded. “Because he’s mushy,” the girl explained. “The whole time we were walking he held my arm, and made his voice shake as he talked to me. And when we got to the movie he'kept his shoulder against mine, and when anything happened on the screen he’d pretend to forget, and put his clammy hand on my wrist. So I said I had a headache and wanted to come home.”

“Julia,” Mrs. Pullen began, “I don’t want you to be mad at me again—” “Go ahead,” the girl said.

“Well, I think he's very distinguished locking.” “He’s mushy,” declared Julia. “But young men have so many ways of showing their love,” pleaded Mrs. Pullen. “Your papa used to show it by being awfully cross, if any of the other boys were around. And the boy I told you about—he used to read poetry, you know—he used to steal my locket and my rings and wear ’em.” Julia laughed. “I think Mr. Parks was going to steal my diamond. But I made him give it back.”

, “You haven’t the true spirit of romance,” sighed her mother. “It’s so

lovely to have a young man wearing your ring. I wish your papa weren’t so practical. One time I pinned my wedding ring to his vest before he put it on

in the morning, so he'd wear it over, his heart. And all he said was; ‘Good lord, Elsie —your ring’s got stuck in my clothes, I might have lost it!” Tho girl received this with a burst of merriment, in which her mother did

not join. “I think it was a pretty sentiment,” declared Mrs. Pullen. “But men don’t understand sentiment. At least, they don’t after they’re married.” She sighed, heavily, as she returned to the problem of Julia’s affections. “It would be so nice if you had a lot of boys hanging around the house. It would be such a comfort to me. It would take my mind off all this trouble, Julia.”

“I know what you want,” the girl said. “You want the boys to call on you.”

“I don’t either!” denied Mrs. Pullen. “Aren’t you ashamed to say things like that to your mother?” Julia put her hand upon the older woman’s hair, and impudently ruffled it. “I’m not ashamed, and you’d have tho time of your life if boys came to see you,” she laughed. “My, but wouldn’t your father be mad!” tho mother reflected. “He used to be terribly jealous.” Somewhat cheered by this conversation, Mrs. Pullen kissed her daughter goodnight, and retired to the upper floor where Pullen already was sound asleep. Julia had finished her bath, and was snugly tucked in bed, long before her mother had finished pattering around on the small errands that always preceded her retirement for the night.

The girl could sec her looking into the closets for burglars, and later there were sounds from the guest room

indicating that she had opened the desk her husband had given her, and which she had installed by tho front window. The stairs creaked, and a bump from below gave notice that Mrs. Pullen had thought of an errand on the ground floor. Thon, in a startling shriek, came her voice: “Fred! Fred! Julia—come quick!’’ (To be Continued.)