7 N FICTION CORNER THE FIFTH OF AUGUST by helen longworthy i anna had always been a devoted housewife and mother so it camo came as a shock to her that her family could boo be so indifferent to her needs at a time when she felt they should be generous and helpful NNA read tho tha letter A ANNA three times it teem seem believable lie vable nothing she decided had made her to so happy haby since the day the war ended I 1 but it was like anna fan ant to told old the tha letter neatly and go on about the business 0 of getting din ner for jim ruth and lillian without even so eo much ashiking as asti taking king time to cau call one of them on the tha phone to tell them the good news it was wa 9 after dinner that sho sh told them it came bit all in a happy rush of words belle bella mandrel has asked me ma to visit her clear across the country there wn was a long silence it wa was ruth the librarian who spoke first ruth was as proud of her knowledge knowli I 1 of important people as of books almost reverently she breathed not the belle bella mandrel anna felt cross for an instant her memory of belle mandrel was ith the happy go lucky girl of their col I 1 lege days ruth was thinking of the belle balle mandrel who was an imbor barit ad adviser to the tha politicians politician arid and who last week visited the king of england puss fuss and feathers said anne anna lightly im not afraid of delle belle mandrel in fact I 1 think ill the words word hung shung in the tha air 41 of course go jim finished heartily the girls and awill I 1 will manage manage do you goodill good ile he gave her a beaming smile that after years still gave anna a thrill think of all hove have to talk about too lillian chimed in it vai was like ilke lillian the tha teacher to think of that anna knew that lillians fifth graders would be ba told the big news early tomorrow when la Is the great day jim asked the fifth ot of august anna an almost like a pronouncement it had been easier easter than she had bad hoped they were the finest family ever to bo be in favor pt of her going on that long trip in the ae days thit that followed anna wm was 0 retell h her ii plans for the trip dozens of times everyone wa was interested te to find and that she was a friend of the great delle belle mandrel there was a short write up in the newspaper about annas trip lillian worried over what ghe aha would do without a big biff supply of 0 the tha satin slips her mother made for her in her competent way anna 11 told her that she would make an 1 extra supply before she left fussing over the satin she know she could have told lillian to buy her slips at the tha store but lillian had b been een babied too long anna told ier heri sell self with a nappy happy smite smile very shortly ruth knowing she would be b cook while her mother was away fretted that she would be left with lots of canAl canning ng anna assured her she would got get it to in before the left the house of course must be spotless it it was in one of the few breathes ing spells anna allowed herself that she rummaged around in hi her clothes closet and decided that i scarcely any of her clothes were wera suitable for the futh fifth of august they were fine for small town church societies but anna wanted to lo 10 look nice when she started on the trip the family would want her to look well too she wondered tf if oneff one of the i girl sor jim would slip her a nice check and suggest she buy a now outfit it was going to bo be auril there came cam the momentous day that ahat jim placed a very businesslike envelope on her plato plate at dinner anna opened it t expecting tho the check for or her clothes instead it was her train ticket find and sleeping car reservation jim gave a hearty laugh just wanted you to be ure sure you could go he told her well pleased with himself tanna anna opened her mouth to say she had known all along a ticket was required unless she walked but how about some money then the she decided to wait the family famil y would me like to think it surprised h her r at least etwas it was comforting to know they were well able to provide for her from then on every place they went jim had her take the long ticket from heta purse and show it off annas smile began to wear thin n at the corners as the family forgot the check in their pride of her ticket coming home from a movie around the first of july anna made a big bi geffort effort to have jim see a new drees she had bad noticed in the don bon it would happen that it was the very next day that both lillian and ruth checked up on her to sie gee it if the canning was done dona and the fussy assy ussy slips all made anade Every things ready but met me anna told them pointedly oh make it lillian as ared her comfortably anna sure that she wanted to sho she wished tor for an excuse to stay at home there were times when she admitted to a few doubts on whether she had the most thoughtful family ever the day that anna began hauling old suitcases from the attic jim come came home early anna was looking at the suitcases with disgust they were relics kind of old arent they jim asked her they were old in 1000 anna told him she waited expectantly forkim for i jim to say here take this get yourself a couple of good bags but jim sat down to hi his s newspaper Nel neither ther did the girls make tiny any comment when the saw the ancient suitcases anna was desperate from her jewel box she removed the broach her mother had left her bears years previous and hurried hursted to the jewelry y store her thoughts were wera bitter that she should be forced to pawn her treasured broach to provide just ordinary clothing for her t she wondered if old maids really deserved pity after all the jeweler was an old friend and looked at her in wonderment Y 41 F W nr 7 az lillian was wa opening a jewel case go to display a pair of earrings to match your good broach sho she explained ton store window there were two I 1 but anna much preferred the one with tho the white collar always she had pointed out her wants wanti to jim and he would say a ay go get it but tonight jim seemed too tired to even glance at the store window annawau anna Ann awas was quiet for or a block waiting for jim to say aay 0 K pick it up tomorrow INSTEAD Jim began talking about a weekend week end fishing trip planned for mid august anna almost jave gave up hope i on the fifth of july she spread out material on the kitchen table and began pinning pin ninga a pattern on it sho she had always hated making dresses for herself and would not have attempted this ume time if her family had been cooperative in an hour anna was crying softly softly to herself the dress drebit was going to be unsatisfactory and besides what of a coat hat shoes and all those extra remembering the many times she had them all to the last detail anna could have shook them separately or together she would not actually ask for money it if she traveled in a burlap sack she told herself when she asked to sell the broach lie ito stalled around and finally anally offered her ten dollars silently anna put the pin back in her purse her last hope was gone its iome something thing like the earrings lillian bought here last week the jeweler told her anna never knew what she answered so lillian an was decking herself out like a a totem pole and meanwhile letting her mother go next to ragged on her ber trip I 1 the fact that sho she had not shown the earrings it at home proved that she was ashamed of jerown greed it was evening at last the family sat relaxed and contented after one of annas usual good meals relaxed all but anna I 1 1 I dont know how we will manage without you jim said from the davenport and only a week until the fifth of august ruth chimed in anna was silent her mind had been scurrying trying to think of an excuse not to go she wondered if she should plead a sudden sick spell the fam ilys thoughtlessness was sufficient suHl clent cause for a sick spell lillian went to the hall and came back with a loud thumping noise there was a moment of silence and then the three shouted almost in unison Surp anna turned in her chair slowly suitcases the newest kind were in lillians hands open them k lillian said gleefully the two suitcases were carefully packed full of new dresses long house coats satin slips filmy underwear anna even saw three pairs of new shoes in towels she sha gasped and looked at the label of the topmost top most dress it was too much to expect that the things would fit oil oa fit ruth told her proudly we certainly checked and rechecked she unfolded one dress and anna saw it was the companion dress to the one she sha had forced jim to view trust jim to remember the wrong onel anna was stunned she tried to say you were wera wonderful wonder fuLl but the words stuck lillian was open in gnp a jewel case to display a pair ox of earrings to match your good broach she explained that brought a tear to annas eyes they had tried to help they had been thoughtful in their way tho the anxiety they had caused her they would never naver know ruth huth was proudly showing her the fussy silk underwear that anna like jim was beaming all ah over the place anna still find worda we thought we would save sav you time ruth huth told her lillian felt playful and teased why you even have hav thought of your clothes until august