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profitless conversation。
〃She's bought the house；〃 he said mildly； 〃and paid for it。 And it's
hers。 She's got a right to live in this neighborhood as long as she acts
respectable。〃
The Very Young Husband laughed。
〃She won't last！ They never do。〃
Alderman Mooney had taken his pipe out of his mouth and was
rubbing his thumb over the smooth bowl； looking down at it with unseeing
eyes。 On his face was a queer lookthe look of one who is embarrassed
because he is about to say something honest。
〃Look here！ I want to tell you something： I happened to be up in
the mayor's office the day Blanche signed for the place。 She had to go
through a lot of red tape before she got ithad quite a time of it； she did！
And say； kid； that woman ain't sobad。〃
The Very Young Husband exclaimed impatiently：
〃Oh； don't give me any of that； Mooney！ Blanche Devine's a town
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character。 Even the kids know what she is。 If she's got religion or
something； and wants to quit and be decent； why doesn't she go to another
town Chicago or someplacewhere nobody knows her？〃
That motion of Alderman Mooney's thumb against the smooth pipe
bowl stopped。 He looked up slowly。
〃That's what I saidthe mayor too。 But Blanche Devine said she
wanted to try it here。 She said this was home to her。 Funnyain't it？
Said she wouldn't be fooling anybody here。 They know her。 And if she
moved away； she said； it'd leak out some way sooner or later。 It does； she
said。 Always！ Seems she wants to live likewell； like other women。
She put it like this： she says she hasn't got religion； or any of that。 She
says she's no different than she was when she was twenty。 She says that
for the last ten years the ambition of her life has been to be able to go into
a grocery store and ask the price of； say； celery； and； if the clerk charged
her ten when it ought to be seven； to be able to sass him with a regular
piece of her mind and then sail out and trade somewhere else until he
saw that she didn't have to stand anything from storekeepers； any more
than any other woman that did her own marketing。 She's a smart woman；
Blanche is！ God knows I ain't taking her partexactly； but she talked a
little； and the mayor and me got a little of her history。〃
A sneer appeared on the face of the Very Young Husband。 He had
been known before he met Jen as a rather industrious sower of wild oats。
He knew a thing or two； did the Very Young Husband； in spite of his youth！
He always fussed when Jen wore even a V…necked summer gown on the
street。
〃Oh； she wasn't playing for sympathy；〃 went on Alderman Mooney in
answer to the sneer。 〃She said she'd always paid her way and always
expected to。 Seems her husband left her without a cent when she was
eighteenwith a baby。 She worked for four dollars a week in a cheap
eating house。 The two of 'em couldn't live on that。 Then the baby〃
〃Good night！〃 said the Very Young Husband。 〃I suppose Mrs。
Mooney's going to call？〃
〃Minnie！ It was her scolding all through supper that drove me down
to monkey with the furnace。 She's wildMinnie is。〃 He peeled off his
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overalls and hung them on a nail。 The Young Husband started to ascend
the cellar stairs。 Alderman Mooney laid a detaining finger on his sleeve。
〃Don't say anything in front of Minnie！ She's boiling！ Minnie and the
kids are going to visit her folks out West this summer； so I wouldn't so
much as dare to say ‘Good morning！' to the Devine woman。 Anyway； a
person wouldn't talk to her； I suppose。 But I kind of thought I'd tell you
about her。
〃Thanks！〃 said the Very Young Husband dryly。
In the early spring； before Blanche Devine moved in； there came
stone… masons； who began to build something。 It was a great stone
fireplace that rose in massive incongruity at the side of the little white
cottage。 Blanche Devine was trying to make a home for herself。
Blanche Devine used to come and watch them now and then as the
work progressed。 She had a way of walking round and round the house；
looking up at it and poking at plaster and paint with her umbrella or finger
tip。 One day she brought with her a man with a spade。 He spaded up a
neat square of ground at the side of the cottage and a long ridge near the
fence that separated her yard from that of the Very Young Couple next
door。 The ridge spelled sweet peas and nasturtiums to our small…town
eyes。
On the day that Blanche Devine moved in there was wild agitation
among the white…ruffed bedroom curtains of the neighborhood。 Later on
certain odors； as of burning dinners； pervaded the atmosphere。 Blanche
Devine； flushed and excited； her hair slightly askew； her diamond eardrops
flashing； directed the moving； wrapped in her great fur coat； but on the
third morning we gasped when she appeared out…of…doors； carrying a little
household ladder； a pail of steaming water； and sundry voluminous white
cloths。 She reared the little ladder against the side of the house； mounted
it cautiously； and began to wash windows with housewifely thoroughness。
Her stout figure was swathed in a gray sweater and on her head was a
battered felt hatthe sort of windowwashing costume that has been worn
by women from time immemorial。 We noticed that she used plenty of
hot water and clean rags； and that she rubbed the glass until it sparkled；
leaning perilously sideways on the ladder to detect elusive streaks。 Our
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keenest housekeeping eye could find no fault with the way Blanche
Devine washed windows。
By May； Blanche Devine had left off her diamond eardropsperhaps it