The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1905-01-25
When History
Repeated Itself
by INA WRIGHT HANSON
Eopyishk 1904. by Ina Wright Hanson

QutChAy. lou muSCn {, Eugene.
we think we are young and never &C
knowledge that we are not young
we'll fool the people into thinking
"a pocket edition of blue and gold
continued Eugene morosely. THAT.
what DIR. Hunt called you. and it suits
ysSf~teo. l tell you, Julia, it's little
short of tragedy to worship beauty az
do and be homely as a hedge fence
myself!'
THE cypress hedge fence at the foo
of my garden is beautiful, l think,
said the widow, lying back among hel
cushions again. Find another simile
Eugene"
The girl turned away impatiently
with smarting eyes. She was so tire6
Of the continually booming breakers
and drearily whistling buoy. She wish
ed she hadn't come to California tc
visit Julia Knox. If Julia weren't q
widow or if DR.. Hunt weren't spend
ing his vacation here or If Julia weren't
sc. petty and she SO plain or if''-
"Eugenie, dear"-Mrs. Knox lookel
out Of half shut, baby blue eyes-''do
you think it was prearranged for you
and frankie Hunt and me to play to-
gether as children and meet again at
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 Eugene entered her room her
Cousins clear tones f1oated through the
open window.
"She is having one of her spells
again because she isn't Helen of
Tsoy, and it reminds ME of our school
days. Do you remember when she cut
off her hair in a rage because it was
brown and straight instead of yellow
and curly like mine?''
snow, / call 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.
"No one but Eugene thinks her face
isn't good to look att
By and by Julia ascended the stairs
and tapped at her cousins door.
'FE4Dr. Hunt hrs his autv hero and
wishes us to ride with him. Get your
hat and come on"
'Thanks. l have another engage
ment"
"All right" answered the widow
sweetly. "I'll try to make up for your
absence"
II 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 youT"
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 little, dark faced girl again,
playing with frankie Hunt, her sworn
champion until her cousin, Julia Epps,
was Julia Epps. from the blue bow on
her yellow curls to the black bows on
her tiny slippers.
One miserable. lonely noon hour Eu-
genie peered around the beech tree
she and he had always played to-
gether and saw something the memory
of which even after a dozen years
made green flame leap into the wo-
man Eugenie's eyes. frankie Hunt
was putting on Julia Epps' finger the
ring which he had been digging out of
a black button for her, Eugene Bar
nett.
Another day she and Julia sat on Ju-
lia's mothers porch eating cookies.
With her free hand Julia smoothed her
ruftled white apron complacently.
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-"
You'll see," Eugene replied darkly.
That night Eugene braided her some
what curtaAed tresses into numerous
light little braids. Next day. arrayed
n the new dress-how we'll she re-
nembered the gay plaids-with flutter-
ing ribbons, kinky locks and the mien
If a conqueror, she entered the school.
'oom after the other children were
seated.
With cleverly assumed carelessness
The glanced in Julia's direction. That
7oung lady was wearing the same
iress she had worn several times be-
ore. and. glory. that same old white
lpron! Eugene wore no apron. She
lad been forced to start with one but
t was lying ingloriously under. stone
n fence corner Retribution lay
within it's crumpled folds, but retribu-
ion could wait
Just before recess she looked at
Frankie Hunt. His eyes had been fix
ID upon her all the morning, and now
le smiled entreatingly. Eugene mod
'stly lowered her eyes. At recess she
stayed in her seat. being very busy
with her geography. frankie Hunt
was tying a refractory shoe string.
When the teacher was out of sight he
jumped over four intervening desks to
Eugenie's seat.
"You look awful nice, Genie. Will
you be my girl?" he said.
And Eugene answered solemnly, III
you'll cross your heart and hope to die
you'll always love me better'n Julia
Epps."
The woman Eugene laughed and
came back to the present
History sometimes repeats itself.