The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-05-24
FOR turning your back on US ana going
off on the Gypsy"

nine full pages. 1t was received with
some pleasure and q little vexation by
Alice.
MI. Mason and his sister are coming
here Monday" said she to Aunt Susan,
land we must put ON our best bib and
tucker, I suppose. But how we can
contylve to entertain his sister Is be-
yond me-" Nevertheless, she was
rather pleased at the prospective visl-
tation. Her school had been closed
for over a month and her daily life
was becoming decidedly monotonous.
When Albert had written regarding
the invitation the Nasons had extend
ed, she believed 1t was due solely to
Franks influence, and when that
young man tried to obtain her consent
to join q yachting party, providing his
mother and sister decided to 20, she
was morally sure Of 1t. But 1t made
no difference. for if the supposedly
aristocratic Mrs. Mason had sent her
n written invitation she was the last
person in the world to accept 1t. TO 80
go out of her way for the possible op-
p%ortunity Of allowing the only son OF
q rich family to pay court to her
was not characteristic of Alice Page.
Rcthcr a thousand times would she
teach school In single blessedness all
her life than be considered as putting
herself in the way Of n probable
sutton. OF her WI feelings toward
Frank she wns not at all sure. he
was q good looking young fellow and
no doubt stood well socially. At first
she had felt q little contempt for him,
due to his complaints that he had hard
work to kill time. When she received
the letter announcing his determine
ton to study law and become a useful
man In the world she thought better
of him. When he came up in juno
1t became clear that he was in love
with her. So self evident were his
feelings that she at that time felt COM
PEELED to avoid giving him n chance
to express them. Her heart was md
always had been entirely free from the
pangs Of love, and while his devotion
was In q way quite iattering, the one
fnsurmountnble barrier was his family.
Had he beer more diplomatic he would
never have told her his mother
frowned at him when he danced twice
with n poor girl.
4 uh u DOoE SlIl, AllCc u III,
when he made the admission, but I'll
wear old clothes oil my life before his
naughty mother shall read him II lee
ture for dancing twice with me-"
Ever since the day Mrs. Mears had
related the village gossip to her she
had thought q good many times about
the cause of it, but to no one had she
mentioned the matter. Her only as
sociate, good naturcd Abby Miles, had
never dared to speak OF it, and Aunt
Susan was wise enough not to.
Now that Frank and his fashionable
sister were coming to Sandgatc, Alice
felt n good deal worried. Firstly,
She knew her own stock of gowns
was inadequate. While not vain OF
her looks, she yet felt his sister would
consider her countrified in dress or
else realize the truth that she was
money her brother gave her go rs far
as possible. Her own small salary
was not more than enough to pay cur
rent expenses. When the day and train
arrived, and she had ushered her two
guests to their rooms, her worry began.
a trunk had come, and as she busted
herself to help Aunt Susan get supper
under way before she changed her dress
she was morally sure Miss Mason
would appear in n gown fit for Il state
dinner. But when she was dressed
and went out on the porch, where her
guests We're, she found Miss Blanch at
tired in a white muslin, severe In It's
simplicity. 1t was n pleasant surprise,
md at no time during their stay did
Alice consider herself poorly clad.
During the conversation that evening
Blanch gave an interesting description
of her life In the mountains, who were
there, what gowns the ladies wore, the
hops, drives, tennis, croquct and whist
games, and when that topic was ex-
haustcd Alice turned to Frank md
said, "Now, tell us about your trip"
There Is not much to tell" lie an
swcred in a disappointed tone. "The
fact is, my yachting trip was n failure.
| had n two weeks trip all mapped out,
no end of stores OH board, and nntici-
patcd lots of fun, but 1T didn't matcri-
nliZo. The second day Bert got left OH
the island, and we didn't find him I'M
til the next day. In the meantime he
had found Il pretty girl and acted MS If
he had become smittcn with her. Then
VIC ran to Bar Harbor, and the rest OF
the boys found some girls they knew
and decided that n gandcr cruise had
lost It's charms. SO 1 threw up my
hands md turned the Gypsy over to
Bert, and for all i know or care he IS
using her to entertain his island fairy"
Alice joined with Blanch in n good
laugh at Franks description of his trip.
When the chitchat slowed down Alice
said: II don't know how to entertain
you two good people in this dull place.
There are mountains and woods galore
and lots Of pretty drives. And" look
Ing at Frank, ~ know where there Is
n nice mill pond full of lilies and an
old moss covered mill and n miller that
looks like a picture in story books.
There Is also n drive to the top of the
mountain, where the view Is simply
grand. 1 have a steady going and
faithful old horse, and we will go wllcr-
ever you like"
ID not worry about me, Miss Page"
replied Blanch. "Tf | can sec mountain
and woods L am perfectly happy"
When the evening was nearing Its
close Frank begged Alice to sing, but
she declined.
"Do you play or sing, Miss Nasonf"
she asked cautiously.