Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-01-27
When History
Repeated Itself
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
coOnisA 1904 By Ina wdsh, H.a.oa

Miss Euesnie Barnett looked discon-
teptedly across the veranda at her
blond cousin In the cushion piled ham
mock.
you've no business to be so pretty,
Julia Knox. and - look 50 absurdly
young. You are just as old as / am,
and that is t~wenty-s"-
"Hushr' The little widow sat up
quickly. You mustn't, Eugene. If
we think we are young and never &C
knowledge that we are not young
wen fool the people into thinking
"tA pocket edition of blue and gold I"
continued Eugene morosely. That's
what Dr. Hunt called you, and It suits
you too. 1 tell you. Julia, it's little
short Of tragedy to worship beauty as
/ do and be hOmely as a hedge fence
mysclfg'
''The cypress hedge fence at the foot
OF my garden is beautiful, I think"
said the widow, lying back among her
cushions again. Find another siinile,
Eugenie."
The girl turned away impatlently
with smartfng eyes. She was so tired
Of the continually booming breakers
and drearily whlstling buoy. She wish
cd she hadn't come to California to
visit Julia Knox. II Julia weren't a
widow or IL DIR. Hunt weren't spend
ing his vacation here or II Julia weren't
80 pretty and she so plain or IT.
"Eugenie, dear"-AIrs. Knox looked
out of half shut, baby blue eyes-"do
you think 1t 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 hat DR.. Hunt
'WhO ilches my good namef"
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 hoated through the
open window.
''She is having one of her spells
again because she isn't n Helen Of
Troy, and il reminds me of or school
days. Do you remember when she cut
of her hair In II rage because It was
DNOhA nAu EAlAlknA AAolC1u VI yGAlOW
and curly like miner"
"Now, l call that mean OF Julia" En-
genie thought, her face growing Grim
son as she heard them laugh. II she
had not shut the window just then she
might have heard the doctors answer.
mo one but Eugenie thinks her face
isn't good to look at"
BY and by Julia assembled tho stairs
md tapped at her cousins door.
CDR. Hunt has his auto here and
wishes us to ride with him. Get your
hat and come on"
Thanks. l have another engage
meht."
"All right" answered the widow
sweetly. "IIl try to make ny for your
absence"
81 don't doubt It," observed Eugenie.
Mrs. Knox went down FIVE steps aud
paused. She wrinkled her white brow
unbeeomingly, sighed and went back.
Honey" she called softly, her pretty
lips at fhe keyhole, did no one ever
tell you that along with the Barnett
nose you Inherited the Barnett trick of
making folks like your"
Bugenie's grim features relaxed.
Good little Julia" she sighed as the
red auto pulled away.
Her mind trailed back into the past.
She was n httI4. dark faced girl again.
playing with frankie Hunt, her sworn
champion until her cousin, Julia Epps,
came to school. Personined dnintiness
was Julia Epps. from the blue bow on
hnw vnII0wv u,s-I. q. A.. Hiatt. Ru.u. -.
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 a dozen years
made n 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. Eugenie Bar
nett.
Aaether day she and Julia sat on Ju.
lin's mothers porch eating cookies
With her free hand Julia snoothed heI
RULED 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 COLDER
curls and answered grandly. 81 thinI
dresses won't make any difference ii
his love"
you'll see" Eugenle replied darkly.
That night Eugenle braided her some
what curtalled tresses into numerous
tight little braids. Next day. arrayed
in the new drcss-how well she re
membered the gay plaids-wlth hutter
ing ribbons. klnky locks and the mIer
OF a conqueror, she entered the school
room after the other children wer,
seated.
With cleyerly assumed carelessnes'
she glanced IN Julla's direction. That
young lady was wearing the same
dress she had worn several times be
fore, and. glory. that same old white
apron! Eugene wore no apron. She
had been forced TO start with one. bui
II was lying lnglorlously under a stone