Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-02-15
LADY BOUNTIFUL
A Christmas Story
By Martha kcCuiloch- Williams
copynzh,. 1908. by Martha MeCuloch- Williams

shut away sunshine. Lettuce knew lnat
very well, being that she was country
bred and spiritually as well as actual
" daughter OF the open. But in this
pinch the knowledge did not help her
that is to say. she did not think of the
parallel between clouds actual and
lnetaphorical. The sun had shone for
her so blithely. with such strength and
newer, the shutting away left her in
manner numb. Notwithstanding she
had one consolation-the Farnham girl
did not know. She never should know
If Lettice could help it, no matter what
the keeping her ignorant might cost
Lettuce herself.
They had never quarrcled-Lettice
was too thoroughbred for such n thing
and the Farrham girl too politic--but
from the beginning they had been in
tuitively antagonistic, although envi-
ronment enforced a certain surface cor
diality. even friendliness. between
them. Both were western. with yet
subtle difference. Fate had, ii appear
ed. an eerie, even malicious. pleasure
in throwing them in each others way.
They had been classmates in the same
fresh water college three years before
they found themselves. wholly by
chance, fellow dodgers in Mrs. Vanston
Quigley's New York apartment
Necessity and inclination had brought
them there-each to try for a literary
career BY help of honest ignorance
lmpid innocence. a heart ever joyous.
an industry that never tagged. Lettice
was now a full tledged newspaper wo
man. with salary beautifully suffi-
cicnt II none too large, whereas Faith
Farnham. in spite of undeniable clev-
erness joined to a personality as strik
ing as it was INSCRIPTIONS, had still
much ado to make ends meet.
That went hard with her in face of
the fact that she had an oriental de
light in luxury and was wlthal indo-
leut. In excuse she pleaded "tempera-
ment," whatever that may be. With
out these keen appetites. susceptible
senses. she said, or with them starved
and thwarted. she would never be able
truly to express the genius burning
and writhing within. Lettice had smil-
ed over the excuse until she found Il
her money on yiolets ut their costlieSt
and leaving her laundress a month uh-
paid. although the poor creature falteT-
ed out something about hungry chill
dren and rent day. Lettuce, overhear-
ing by chance. thrust n bin into the
woman's hand and mentally set her
down to be thrice remembered at the
Christmas tree the paper she worked
for was even taen planning. She said
nothing to the FarnEam girl-exce1t,
that is, what was eloquently spoken
by her altered manner, Urluckily Miss
Farnham chose to hear In It othe-
things than it was meant to express.
Il fear / shall have TO 20 away; /.
hurts me so to have anybody Jealous o:
me- she cooed to Philip Arran as Let
lice flashed in ana out of the parlor,
with the barest brief greeting to t-r
two. Ever since the Century aske.l
me to let it share my work with Scrib-
ner's Lettice-I ought really to say
Miss Lane-has been as you see her.
OF course | make allowances. 1t must
hurt dreadfully when one is ambitious,
and she is frightfully so. to find you
can do only low and common things.
! should starve If l tried newspaper
work, and l feel that would rather
starve than try 1t. Yet l AIN SO glad
Lettice is wiser. She really does very
well at It. But, only fancy, she isn't
the least bit satisfied. Mrs. Quisley
says Sundays-you know she never
goes to church-she writes things-sto-
ries actually-and sends them to the
Magazines
Arran smiled at her behind his hand
Nature made him critic. Fate gave
him money; some i'll fairy thrust upon
him aspirations for playwriting-asp
rations that had Powered into super
fuous success. Lettice had written a
Sunday special about him and in writ
Ing 1t had so managed to strike the
middle line between ridicule and pane
gyric as to come warmly into the king
dom of his regard. They had been
CHEEKY comrades until Faith Farnhan
had somehow managed to turn the du-
ct into a trio. After that everything
went wrong. Slight. sinuous. ethereal,
IN delicately colored. high wasted,
A+AAS ipANp. WIN AWAY AAOl Va
violets at her breast, she easily put
Lettice, with her rosy cheeks, her
hearty laugh, her walking suit and
trim hair, out of court. Arran yielded
himself joyously to her destinations.
shes reversionary type, and rare
one" he explained to Lettice. II like
to study her. to see how she makes up
TO herself for all the things her ances-
tors felt it was religion to do without"
Take care" Lettice had answered,
smiling smile openly. honestly, I'M
easily.
That's your part-you are to take
care Of me always" Arran had an
swered, speaking very low and trying
10 take her hands.
Then the telephone bell had rung.
with the result that Lettice found her