I don't blame her man for stayin' away. I'd as soon
be married to a fountain. When they can't find anythin' else to jaw me
about they take the laundries. An' selfish! There isn't one can see
beyond the reach of his fingers. I used to think that folks were put
into the world to be friendly an' helpful to each other but I've
learned different." He sighed and shook his head helplessly. "Mrs.
Bracken on the first floor has lived here as long as we have, two years
nex' October, an' I've yet to hear her give a friendly word to anyone
in the house. When little Miss Smith up on the third was sick las'
winter did her nex' door neighbor lend a hand? She did not. She was
just worried stiff for fear she'd catch somethin'. She gave me no
peace till Miss Smith was out of the house an' into a hospital. Peace!
I've forgot there was such a word. They won't stand for any kid in the
house when the lease says no childern, no dogs an' no cats."

"You can't tell me anythin' about _them_!" Mrs. Donovan agreed with
pleasant promptness. It is always agreeable to have one's estimate of
human nature endorsed. "An' the most of 'em look like thunder clouds
when you meet 'em. Ain't it queer, Larry, how few folks look happy
when a smile's 'bout the cheapest thing a body can wear? An' it never
goes out of style. I know I never get tired seein' one on old or
young. All folks can't be rich nor han'some but most of us could look
pleasant if we thought so, seems if. I want to tell that to little
Miss Macy every time I see her, but I know full well she'd say I was
impudent, so I keep my mouth shut. Maybe the tenants won't stand for a
child in the house. They haven't wit to see that the Lord had his good
reasons when he invented the fam'ly. But there's some way. There must
be! An' we've got to find it, Larry Donovan. Are you goin' to wash
Mrs. Rawson's windows today?" She changed the subject abruptly. "She
called me up twice yesterday to see they needed it, as if I had nothin'
to do but traipse aroun' after her."

Larry understood exactly how she felt. He had been called up more than
twice to see the windows and had promised to clean them within
twenty-four hours. Before he went away he patted his wife's shoulder
and said again: "It isn't that I don't want the little thing here,
Kate. She'd be good for both of us. It's bad for folks to grow old
'thout young ones growin' up around 'em, but a job's a job. It
wouldn't be easy