Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-12-10
When History
Repeated Itself
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
Copuieh.. 1904. by Ina Wright Hanson

Miss Eugenie Barnett looked discnn-
tentedly across the vernnda at her
blond cousin in the cushion piled ham,
mock
You've no business to be so pretty,
Julia Knox. and to look so abSurdly
young. You are just as old as l am,
and that is twenty-s"-
"Hush.' The little widow sat up
quickly. You mustn't. Eugene. II
we think we are young and never ac-
knowledge that we are not young
we'll fool the people into thinking
a. pocket edition of blue and gold.
continued Eugene morosely. That's
what Dr. Hunt called you. and it suits
you too. tell you, Julia. it's little
short of tragedy to worship beauty as
l do and be homely as hedge fence
myself"
THE cypress hedge fence at the foot
of my garden is beautiful, l think"
said the widow, lying back among her
cushions again. Find another simile,
Eugenie."
The girl turned away impatiently
with smarting eyes. She was so tired
Of the continually booming breakers
and drearily whistling buoy. She wish
ed she hadn't come to California to
visit Julia Knox. II Julia weren't n
widow or II DIR. Hunt weren't spend
ing his vacation here or If Julia weren't
so pretty and she so plain or if
"Eugenie. dcar"-Mrs. Knox looked
out Of hnlf shut, baby blue eyes-"do
you think it was prenrranged for you
and frankie Hunt and me to play to-
gether as children and meet again ut
Santa Cruz as grownups? Don't you
think that Dr. Hunt
"Who filches my good name:"
When a tall young man came around
the porch corner he saw only Mrs.
Knox. Her cousin had disappeared
AS Eugenie entered her room her
Cousins clear tones tloated through the
open window.
"She is having one Of her spells
ugain because she isn't Il Helen of
Troy, and II reminds me of our school
days. DO YOU remember when she cut
off her hair in rage because it was
DTOWn UHu StTdlElt IllSledu VI yeliO"
and curly like mine"
Now. l cnli that mean of Julia" Eu
genie thought, her face growing Grim
son as she heard them laugh. If she
had not shut the window just then she
might have heard the doctors answer.
mo one but Eugene thinks her face
isn't good to look at"
n,, wi ,,Ig ocnonIo1 tho tn ire
and tapped Mt her cousins door.
"Dr Hunt has his auto here and
wishes us to ride with him. Get your
hat and come on"
Thanks. have another engage
ment"
".All right" answered the widow
swcetly. III try to make up for your
absence"
~ don't doubt It," observed Eugenie.
Mrs Knox went down five steps and
paused. She wrinkled her white brow
unbecomingly, sighed and went back.
Honey" she called softly, her pretty
lips at the keyhole, did no one ever
tell you that along with the Barnett
nose YOU Inherited the Barnett trick Of
making folks like your"
Eugenie's grim features relaxed.
Good little Julia" she sighed as the
red auto puffed away.
Her mind trailed back into the past.
She was a little dark faced girl again,
playing with frankie Hunt, her sworn
champion until her cousin, Julia Epps,
came to school. PersOnified daintiness
was Julia Epps, from the blue bow OH
her yellow curls to the black bows on
her tiny slippers.
One miserable, lonely noon hour Eu-
genie peered around the beech tree
where she and he had always played to-
gether and saw something the memory
Of which even after dozen years
made Il green flame leap into the wo-
man Eugcnie's eyes. frankie Hunt
was putting on Julia Epps' finger the
ring which he had been digging out of
n black button for her. Eugenie Bar
nett
Another day she and Julia sat on Ju-
las mothers porch eating cookies.
With her free hand Julia smoOthed her
rutiled white apron cOmplnccntly.
He says he loves me the best Of
anybody" she announced coquettishly.
Tomorrow is the last day of
school," answered her cousin, land my
mamma says l may wear my lovely
new dress. Then you'll see whom he
likes best"
The fair Julia tossed her golden
curls and answered grandly. II think
dresses won't make any difference In
his love"
"Youll see" Eugenie replied darkly.
That night Eugenie braided her some
what curtailed tresses into numerous
tight little braids. Next day. arrayed
In the new dress-how well she re-
membered the gay plaids-with fiutter-
ing ribbons. kinky locks and the mlen
of a conqucror. she entered the school
room after the other children were
seated.
With cleverly assumed carelessness
she glanced in Julia's direction. That
young lady was wearing the same
dress she had worn several times be-
fore. and. glory, that same old white
apron! Eugenie wore no apron. She
had been forced to start with one, but
II was lying ingloriously under a stone
in a fence corner RetributiOn lay
within its crumpled folds, but retribu-
ton could wait.
Just before recess she looked at
/ Il. N