The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-10-11
TWO MOTHERS.


By Winifred Kirkland.

'+4iA'Ahr NANh AVfNs wv thbhEhA htlh
= Agatha had in all those five years
which she had not spoken into the ear
of that shadow mother. "She knows,
she knows. she knows" said Agatha
! to herself.
Now Agatha spoke low: "Mother, is
1t true what Kate says? In any crisis
Helen would not choose rghtY Be
cause, if that is true, then l have
failed, and you told me to take care of
Helen-you told me to take care of
hel four years ago. I've only two
weeks left to be with her; but you'll
help me. won't you? You've helped all
the time. 1t ought to do some good,
somehow, all my wanting you"
Agatha pressed her tense hands over
her eyes and buried her head deeper
in the chair cushions, but there were
no tears; there never had been any
tears in Agatha's loneliness.
The gongs changed out G O'clock
and Agatha rose and lighted the gas,
and began dressing for dinner. Half
an hour later a dainty little person in
a white muslin of Partisan make,
little person whose eyes and cheeks
Glowed brightly, and who hummed a
bit of a Brittany sailor song, passed
out of Agatha's door, and went tripping
down the hall.
Other girls. rustling out for other
doors at the dinner summons, called
Agatha to wait for them and linked
arms about one another's waists. so
that they were six abreast by the time
they reached the dining room. But
there in the doorway another girl was
waiting for Agatha, and for this girl
Agatha slipped away from her other
friends.
Helen had stood there waiting for
fully five minutes. not unconscious
for all that dead-earnest face of hers,
of the admiring glances of certain
freshmen. and the more familiar, but
also more fattering glances of her
classmates. She heard the words of
one of these last, knowing that it was
more than half-meant that she should
! hear them:
"What a stunning creature the Shell
| is, 10 be sure" Little did the freshman
dream that any one had ever dared
to call the glorious Miss Shellhammer
"Dutchy"
Kate had been right when she called
hei most regal young person. Big
ishc was, most certainly, but graceful
and stately. Beneath her dark hair
her black eyes burned eagerly.
AS little Agatha slipped a hand into
hers, Helen's face frightened, and the
two walked together down the hall,
| and seated themselves side by side
1t was a beautiful dining room, with
its dark, carved wainscoting, its great
fireplaces, its old English windows, its
candle-lit tables Never before she
came to college had Helen Shellham-
mcr seen any of these things.
Helen was eager with her news.
what do you think. Agatha? PreXy
sent me summons to-day, and told
tee that Miss Ainsley is considering
/ giving up the secretaryship, in order
TO live abroad with her invalid brother.
1t isn't settled yet Miss Ainsley is
taking two weeks to decide; but if she
does decide TO go. Prexy wants me to
take the postionl o Agatha, think of
] Dtr4AE Il+E ~ stay AtAt III fblt-ts
can hardly stand the waiting"
1T would be beautiful Helen" an
swered Agatha But" she added.
"but how will your family feel about
| having you stay on here"
They're expecting me to be at
home" answered Helen a dark shad-
ow coming over her glowing face
Have you written them about it?'
| mo"
But you will"
"Why?"
"Because-" But Helen interrupted
in low. eager tone: Il couldn't give
up the chance if it comes. | can't! You
! don't know what ii means-you who've
| had all this, and much more, all your
life! Why, Agatha" and the red in
Helen's cheeks deepened, lat home
they. my family, talk Pennsylvania
| Dutchm
Agatha's hand stole into Helens as
! she whispered:
"But in your heart you know they
want you, Helen. You will write and
ask them. anyway
But Helen said nothing. She turned,
after a moment, and began talking to
the girl on her other side. Hel lips
were set in sullen way that Agatha
knew well. There was no use saying
any more that evening or, as Agatha
discovered. saying anything more in
the days that followed, for Helen
steadily avoided further condolences.
and Agatha could only wait.
Those last two weeks are the busiest.
the most bewildering in all the four
years. II is just as well. perhaps, that
one is too hurried 10 realize how much
II hurts to go away.
Then toward the end the relatives be-
gin to arrive, welcomed so joyously by
those to whom they belong. and re-
garded with such frank curiosity by
those to whom they do not belong.
| There ran an awed whisper through
college, Have you seen the Shells
| motherY There were rumors- mot H.