| Show THE FA THE FIFTH OF AUGUST by helen longworthy anna had always been a devoted housewife and mother so it came come as a shock to her that her family could be so indifferent to her needs at a time when she felt they should be generous and helpful NNA FARRANT read the letter ANNA three times it didn dian t seem be ile vable nothing she decided had made her EO so happy since the day the war ended but it was like anna farrant to fold the letter neatly and go on about the business of getting dm din ner for jim ruth and lillian with out even so much as taking time to call one of them on the phone to tell them the good news it was after dinner that she told them it came all in a happy rush of words belle mandrel has asked me to visit her clear across the country there was a long silence it was ruth the librarian who spoke first ruth was as proud of her knowl edge of important people as of books almost reverently she breathed not the belle mandrel 1 anna felt cross for an instant her memory of belle mandrel was the happy go lucky girl of their college days ruth was thinking of the belle mandrel who was an imbor tant adviser to the politicians and who last week visited the king of england fuss and feathers I 1 said anna lightly I 1 m not afraid of belle mandrel in fact I 1 think in the words hung in the air of course you 11 go jim fin ft dished heartily the girls and I 1 will manage do you good I 1 he ile gave her a beaming smile that after twenty five years still gave anna a thrill think of all you 11 have to talk about too lillian chimed in it was like lillian the teacher to think of thail anna knew that lil LU llan ilan s fifth graders would be told the big news early tomorrow when Is the great day jim asked the fifth of august anna an almost like a pronounce ment it bad had been easier than she had hoped they were the finest family ever to be in favor of her going on that long tri trip p in the days that followed anna was to retell her plans for the trip dozens of times everyone was in te rested to find that she was a friend of the great belle mandrel there was a short write up in the newspaper about anna s trip lillian worried over what she would do without a big supply of the satin slips her mother made tor for her in her competent way anna told her that she would make an extra supply before she left fuss mg ing over the satin she knew she could have told lillian to buy her slips at the store but lillian had been babied too long anna told her self with a happy smile very shortly ruth knowing she would be cook while her mother was away fretted that she would be left with lots of canning anna assured her she would get it in before she left the house of course must be spotless it was tn in one of the few breath ing spells anna allowed herself that she rummaged around in her clothes closet and decided that scarcely any of her clothes were suitable tor for the fifth of august they were fine for small town church societies but anna wanted to look nice when she started on the trip the family would want her to look well too she wondered if one of the girls or jim would slip her a nice check and suggest she buy a new outfit it was going to be funi there came the momentous day that jim placed a very business like envelope on her plate at din ner anna opened it expecting the check for her clothes instead it was her train ticket and sleeping car reservation jim gave a hearty laugh just wanted you to be sure you could go he told her well pleased with himself anna opened her mouth to say she had known all along a ticket was required unless she walked but bow how about some money then she decided to wait the family would like to think it surprised her at least it was comforting to know they were well able to provide tor for her from then on every place they went jim had her take the long tick et from her purse and show it off anna s smile began to wear thin 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 effort to have jim see a new dress she had noticed in the bon it would happen that it was the very next day that both lillian and kuth ruth checked up on her to see if the canning was done and the fussy slips all made everything s ready but mel anna told them pointedly oh you II 11 make it lillian as her comfortably anna wasn gasn t sure that she want ed to 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 haul ing old suitcases sut su teases cases from the attic jim came home early anna was looking at the suitcases with dis gust they were relics kind of old aren t they jim asked her they were old in 1900 anna told him she waited expectantly tor for jim to say here take this get yourself a couple of good bags but jim sat down to his news paper neither did the girls make any comment when the saw the ancient suitcases anna was desperate from her jewel box she removed the broach her mother had left her years ous and hurried to the jewelry store her thoughts were bitter that she should be forced to pawn her treasured broach to provide just ordinary clothing for her trip she wondered it if old maids really deserved pity after all the jeweler was an old friend and looked at her in wonderment F A s lillian was opening a jewel case to display a pair of earrings to match your good broach she explained I 1 ton store window there were two but anna much preferred the one with the white collar always she bad had pointed out her wants to jim and he would say go get it but tonight jim seemed too tired to even ven glance at the store window anna was quiet for a block wait ing for jim to say 0 F pick it up tomorrow I 1 INSTEAD anstead jim began talking a about bout a weekend week end fishing trip planned for mid august anna almost gave up hope on the fifth BM of july she spread out material on the kitchen table and began pinning a pattern on it she had always hated making dresses for herself and would not have attempted this time if her family had been cooperative in an hour anna was crying softly to herself the dress was going to be unsatisfactory and besides what of a coat hat shoes and all an those extra things remembering the many times she had outfitted them all to the last detail anna could have shook them separately or er she would not actually ask tor for money if she traveled in a burlap sack she told herself when she asked to sell the broach he stalled around and finally of fared her ten dollars silently an na put the pin pm back in her purse her last hope was gone its it s something like the earrings lillian bought here last week the jeweler told her anna never knew what she an so lillian was decking herself out like a a totem pole and meanwhile letting her mother go next to ragged on her trip the fact that she had not shown the earrings at home proved that she was ashamed of her own greed it was evening at last the daml ly sat relaxed and contented after one of anna s usual good meals relaxed all but anna I 1 don t know how we will man age 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 had been scurrying trying to think of an excuse not to go she wondered if she should plead a sudden sick spell the family s thoughtlessness was sufficient cause tor 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 Sur surprise anna turned in her chair slowly suitcases the newest kind were in lillian s hands open them 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 wrapped in towels she gasped and looked at the label of the top most dress it was too much to expect that the things would fit 04 they theau H fit I 1 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 had forced jim to view trust jim to remember the wrong onel one anna was stunned she tried to say you were wonderful but the words stuck lillian was open ing in a jewel case to display a pair ol 01 earrings to match your good broach she explained that brought a tear to anna s eyes they had tried to help they had been thoughtful in their way the anxiety they had caused her they would never know ruth was proudly showing her the fussy silk underwear that anna didn dian t like jim was beaming all over the place anna still couldn coulden t find words we thought we would save you time ruth told her lillian felt playful and teased why you wouldn t even have thought of your clothes until au gust fifth |
