The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-23
THE FORTUNATE SISTER
BY GEORGE sHBDD.

ried Frank when she knew that he was poor and when she knew that Mamma ana Papa were so set against tns maA
 they would not give her anything. wish they would reient and make ner little more comfortable. Dear knows ! don't want to profit by her misfortune ana I would feel very much more contortaoie if they would give her her share. Why I saw her on the street this afternoon as I was riding home from Madame Catllats. where had been trying on my love Of a gown for the De Reuter- reception. ana she was just coming out or q cneap ae. partment store. Just as my carriage passed she came out into the street and hailed crowded street car where I knew she had to stand up-and she lives away out at one of those streets with figure higber than ever learned to count. smiled ever so pleasantly, for I love my sister Flo dearly and am very sorry for her. and she waved her hand bravely. She always was brave girl I noticed that her glove was quite shabby-and she has always been so dainty about shoes and gloves-used to scold me fearfully If wore glove the least bit soiled, or even of color inhar- monious with my gown. ] would Ike 10 have stopped and taken her home In my carriage. but I know how fearfully proud she is and afraid of offending her and receiving a rebuilt
 Well. I'm awfully glad had sense enough to marry man with money Of whom Mamma and Papa approved. for l certain " never COuld live without the and comforts I always have had It fairly makes me ache to think of Florence living in a stuffy little flat away up there in the midst of hundreds of other flats all just alike-and having to count the cost of every gown or garment she buys and to wear the same old clothes, and to make them over and to clean her gloves ani to attend to her own household with only one maid to help her. And Florence always did appreciate nice things so much-more sk- ahA had 1ttnk fiutt temperament and such keen appreciation of music and pictures and things. Pow | erty must be for her than would have been for me. Why. they say Frank | only gets eighteen hundred dollars a year Goodness, Flos dressmaker bill was nearly | twice that the year before she was married I suppose 1t costs us fifteen thousand just i for our establishment. to say nothing of | travelling and my personal expenses. Poor Florence.
 Of course Frank is a handsome fellow | and clever and smart and all that. and he | was a beautiful lover-but stinting and | economy and sordidness soon destroy TO mance. Of course there not much romance in my marriage and of course any | sirl would like to have a strong. handsome. | dominating lover (like Frank, for instance) come and carry her away. But she also l wants to be carried to castle and not to ! a hut-or forty-dollar flat. We'll, MT. Hawson is not so young as Frank nor so handsome. and, I have to confess. did his | courting most awkwardly wand made no l love at all. But he is good and kind and l almost courtlv sometimes And he is very | generous and just throws money me. | And papa an all the other men speak so highly of him and defer to his opinion so much that I am awfully proud of him. Papa says he Is a power on the street | whatever that means. Yes. I am very proud | of him and proud to sail into the drawing | rooms the most expensively Eowned woman | in the room and hear them whisper. There | Is tha rich Mrs. Hawson-Hawson of the Corn Corner you know"
 Yes, I am very sorry for Florence. I dc l wish Mir. Hawson was a little less cold and formal and a little more lover-iike Well.
 1 must dress for the De Reuter- reception. l Poor Florence.
 April IT.
 | saw Florence again last highland ot | all placesl We occupied our box at ths | opera and entertained the Fraiicks and a | MT. Mcdonald and his wife from the West
 MT Eawson is engaged in some sort of a
 business deal with Mcdonald. who Is a,
 coarse and loud and uninterssting as hii
 wife is dull and tresome. The Fralicks ars
 dreadfully proper and know they were
 shocked. was having c most uncomfort-
 able time. although knew half the womer l in the house were admiring my new Pari. | gown. when l looked up and saw there ir
 the balcony-in the balcony. mind you-ir those two-doliar seats sat Florence ana
 Frank. She caught my eye and smiled
 and nodded. I knew she must have beer
 dreadfully embarrassed. but she carried II
 off bravey I was terribly embarrassed too. because I could not fail to gree Florence under any circumstances, but f | was dreadful to have to bow to the balcony You see people would not understand fl | her birthright for a silly romantic mar
 riage. and 1t must have caused no end o
 surprise that had friends who sat in tn,
 balcony. don't care. I will speak tc Florence whatever they say. MT. Hawsor
 scowled dtsapprovingly and expected tc
 get a scoldng But he never said a word
 l don't believe 1t any form anyway
 to bow to your sister in the balcony thar
 to sit and talk business with @ coarse, to-
 bacco smelling man at box party. ant
 about. ~s-
 There was another couple with Florenc,
 and Frank in the balcony. and they seemed
 10 be having no end of a good time betweer
 the acts talking and laughing. It really fl wonderful how Florence manages to keeI
 her spirits up under the- circumstances.
 wonder what they were talking and laugh
 Ing about. Maybe Frank was making som,
 of his droll and clever comments. He is
 most witty person.
 Dear me. I'm awfuiiy dull tonight, and
 can't think of anything to do. Mir. HawsoI
 Is down in his library. guess I'll g,
 down there Nc. I guess will not afte
 all l haven't got a thing in the world |, I
 me will be commonplaces I have heard
 hundred times. l guess I will have Mari
 ring up the Masseuer and take a rub ant
 then have Marie read me to sleep out O
 some of those stupidly new novels I can
 get over Florence sitting in the balcony
 Poor Florence.
 October 4-
 l saw Florence again today for the frs | time In don't know how many months | We had just returned from a most stupi,
 summer at Newport, where we occupied
 new summer house for the first time.
 quite anticipated the change because I wa
 so tired of the humdrum round there--th same old dressing the same conventiona
 talk. the same round of functions and no
 an emotion or thing to interest me.
 What was writing about? Oh. yes,
 saw Florence today and don't know afte
 all if she Is to be pitied so much. She cer
 tainly looks hearty and happy, But then
 Florence always was one to put good fac on things l riding in the park an, feeling dreadfully bored when l caush
 sight of Florence playing tennis. was s
 surprised that I gasped because it was il one of those public tennis courts. Dear nae
 and Florence used to be a member of tn
 most exclusive tennis clubs in the city
 Why. her tennis costumes and outfit used l.
 cost her half as much year her hus
 bands entire income amounts to. She wa playing splendid game. too-she used |
 be champion in her clubs-and her cheek
 were rosy and her eyes sparkling with tn excitement of the game. stopped the car riage to watch her play. Frank was ther
 too-Saturday Is a half holiday in the city l believe. He is as active and handsom and athletic as ever. .ss,aSsi Flo saw me d time and came owe to the carriage. and l got out and kisse her. and we greeted one another as warm } as though nothing had happened. She cer tainly does look awfully we'll and happy to