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Jo's eyesa wrinkle that had no business there at twenty…seven。 Then
Jo's mother died； leaving him handicapped by a deathbed promise； the
three sisters； and a three…story…and…basement house on Calumet Avenue。
Jo's wrinkle became a fixture。
〃Joey；〃 his mother had said； in her high； thin voice； 〃take care of the
girls。〃
〃I will； Ma；〃 Jo had choked。
〃Joey；〃 and the voice was weaker； 〃promise me you won't marry till
the girls are all provided for。〃 Then as Jo had hesitated； appalled： 〃Joey；
it's my dying wish。 Promise！〃
〃I promise； Ma；〃 he had said。
Whereupon his mother had died； comfortably； leaving him with a
completely ruined life。
They were not bad…looking girls； and they had a certain style； too。
That is； Stell and Eva had。 Carrie； the middle one； taught school over on
the West Side。 In those days it took her almost two hours each way。
She said the kind of costume she required should have been corrugated
steel。 But all three knew what was being worn； and they wore itor
fairly faithful copies of it。 Eva； the housekeeping sister； had a needle
knack。 She could skim the State Street windows and come away with a
mental photograph of every separate tuck； hem； yoke； and ribbon。 Heads
of departments showed her the things they kept in drawers； and she went
home and reproduced them with the aid of a seamstress by the day。 Stell；
the youngest； was the beauty。 They called her Babe。
Twenty…three years ago one's sisters did not strain at the household
leash； nor crave a career。 Carrie taught school； and hated it。 Eva kept
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house expertly and complainingly。 Babe's profession was being the
family beauty； and it took all her spare time。 Eva always let her sleep
until ten。
This was Jo's household； and he was the nominal head of it。 But it
was an empty title。 The three women dominated his life。 They weren't
con… sciously selfish。 If you had called them cruel they would have put
you down as mad。 When you are the lone brother of three sisters； it
means that you must constantly be calling for； escorting； or dropping one
of them somewhere。 Most men of Jo's age were standing before their
mirror of a Saturday night； whistling blithely and abstractedly while they
discarded a blue polka…dot for a maroon tie； whipped off the maroon for a
shot…silk and at the last moment decided against the shot…silk in favor of a
plain black…and…white because she had once said she preferred quiet ties。
Jo； when he should have been preening his feathers for conquest； was
saying：
〃Well； my God； I AM hurrying！ Give a man time； can't you？ I just
got home。 You girls been laying around the house all day。 No wonder
you're ready。〃
He took a certain pride in seeing his sisters well dressed； at a time
when he should have been reveling in fancy waistcoats and brilliant…hued
socks； according to the style of that day and the inalienable right of any
unwed male under thirty； in any day。 On those rare occasions when his
business necessitated an out…of…town trip； he would spend half a day
floundering about the shops selecting handkerchiefs； or stockings； or
feathers； or gloves for the girls。 They always turned out to be the wrong
kind； judging by their reception。
From Carrie； 〃What in the world do I want of long white gloves！〃
〃I thought you didn't have any；〃 Jo would say。
〃I haven't。 I never wear evening clothes。〃
Jo would pass a futile hand over the top of his head； as was his way
when disturbed。 〃I just thought you'd like them。 I thought every girl
liked long white gloves。 Just；〃 feebly； 〃just toto have。〃
〃Oh； for pity's sake！〃
And from Eva or Babe； 〃I've GOT silk stockings； Jo。〃 Or； 〃You
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brought me handkerchiefs the last time。〃
There was something selfish in his giving； as there always is in any
gift freely and joyfully made。 They never suspected the exquisite
pleasure it gave him to select these things； these fine； soft； silken things。
There were many things about this slow…going； amiable brother of theirs
that they never suspected。 If you had told them he was a dreamer of
dreams； for example； they would have been amused。 Sometimes； dead…
tired by nine o'clock after a hard day downtown； he would doze over the
evening paper。 At intervals he would wake； red…eyed； to a snatch of
conversation such as； 〃Yes； but if you get a blue you can wear it anywhere。
It's dressy； and at the same time it's quiet； too。〃 Eva； the expert； wrestling
with Carrie over the problem of the new spring dress。 They never
guessed that the com… monplace man in the frayed old smoking jacket had
banished them all from the room long ago； had banished himself； for that
matter。 In his place was a tall； debonair； and rather dangerously
handsome man to whom six o'clock spelled evening clothes。 The kind of
man who can lean up against a mantel； or propose a toast； or give an order
to a manservant； or whisper a gallant speech in a lady's ear with equal ease。
The shabby old house on Calumet Avenue was transformed into a
brocaded and chandeliered rendezvous for the brilliance of the city。
Beauty was here； and wit。 But none so beautiful and witty as She。 Mrs。
erJo Hertz。 There was wine； of course； but no vulgar display。 There
was music； the soft sheen of satin； laughter。 And he； the gracious； tactful
host； king of his own domain
〃Jo； for heaven's sake； if you're going to snore； go to bed！〃
〃Whydid I fall asleep？〃
〃You haven't been doing anything else all evening。 A person would
think you were fifty instead of thirty。〃
And Jo Hertz was again just the dull； gray； commonplace brother of
three well…meaning sis