Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-23
LOVE AND
YOUTH
MARJORIE HENDRICKS


For some time after the young peo-
pie had tr1pped down the steps and
across the lawn to the inn, where the
musicians were already tuning up for
the hop, she sat alone gazing unblink
lngly out into the moOnllt grove. Then
faint perfume stole over her shoulder
and well known voice sounded be-
hind her.
"Oh, Miss Whelan, l am so glad to
find youl We are trying TO make up a
game OF bridge. You VIII play, won't
your
II am awfully sorTy," said Anna, rs-
ing but | am a wretched player and
always rouse the ire Of my partner.
Besides, | have a wee headache to-
night. which would make me more than
ordinarily stupid at the game. Some
other time
Il hope you will feel better tomor-
row. Is there anything I can do for
you? Some salts
Nothing, thank you" said Miss
Whelan, with a smile
She wished she might have been
more obligtng. The invitation had
come from one Of the most popular
women in the hotel. popular, but mid
die aged, and Anna Whelan was not
ready TO be middle aged. Alone again,
she dropped back In her chair, leaned
her head against the high wicker back
and closed her eyes. And for this-to
be left alone on the piazZa-she had
saved part OF her salary all winter,
had invested part Of her savings In
the Quaintest of summer finery, had
counted the days until her vacation
began.
She recalled the enthusiasm with
which she had heard the other girls
plan for the stay at WiSconset. There
were six OF them In all who lived In
bachelor maids apartment in town,
and for q month or more the one topic
OF conversation had been the sailing
parties, the daily bath In the sea, the
clambakes and the nightly hops for
which Wisconset was famous. The
girls had insisted that Miss Whelan
come with them, and she now realized
that they had done everything to make
her one Of them since their arrival at
the shore. They had always dragged
her into their merrymaking plans. She
was with them. yet not OF them, and
she knew wherein lay the fault. II
was in her years.
Her cheeks somehow had retained
the delicate pink flush Of girihood. but
the soft gray hair waved above her
forehead told the bald truth of her
years Her pretty frocks were more
dainty, more costly, than those worn
by the girls around her, but Miss Whe-
Ian's taste in dress had always been
good, and with advancing years she
had adopted the more subdued color
ings and simpler styles. Her summer
wardrobe was that OF a chaperon rath-
er than that OF a debutante. Yet at
heart she was a'summer girl. She felt
as young and took as keen an interest
In youthful pleasures az any eighteen
year-old girl. Sitting there IN the moon
| light, she realized that, once robbed OF
youth, a woman could not buy the lost
treasure back at any price.
Her childhood had been narrow, pen
ned IN by poverty and an invalid moth
or pettish and eXacting. Death had
carried away ono burden, that OF un-
appreciated nursing, only 70 lay upon
her shoulders another that Of part
| housekeepsr, part breadwinner. She
had gone into a shop as cash girl and
| had attended TO the household duties
| night and morning. When she was
sixteen years old she sat up until, near
| ly daybreak three nights In succession
| to set stitches in her sisters connrma-
ton dress The sister went through
the high school, as did the younger
brother, and while they studied Anna
was steadily advancing In the store
When she became buyer for her de-
partment and took her first trip abroad
II brought back the pink in her cheeks
that fed before her tenth birthday, but
Anna was now three times ten.
On her return from Europe she found
| that the same disease which had wreck
ed her childhood and carried away her
mother had again entered her home
| This time IL carried away IN quick sue
| cession brother and sister. Anna found
herself alone and lonesome. She ded
TO the bachelor maids apartments for
companionship and was made vel
come by these girls ten years or more
her Junior. With them she had grown
young again. She had almost forgot
ten the gray hair. IL had taken the
thoughtless boys In blue serge and
white duck to drive the iron into her
heart. They were nice to her because
they knew that the girls would not for
give them II they were otherwise. But
that was not youth and the right to be
Young and joyous and silly. Anna sat
up very straight She had become pos
sessed Of a sudden desire to Giggle, yet
many q time and Oft she had reproach-
ed the little cash girls in her own de-
partment for Riggling.
Laughter and music noated across
the lawn. They hurt. She rose abrupt
ly and fed 10 her room. The headachs
now was real. She tore OF her pretty
gown and 6ung II heedlessiy across the
bed and slipped into an easy Sowing
kimono. Than she sat down by the
window, thinking bitterly that fate had
cheated her out Of the greatest thing.
the Joy Of being young. Suddenly,
as she sat In the quiet, the sound Of
a sob reached her ear. SomSthtnG very
like a patter Of bars feet came to her
from the hall She sprans up and threw
open her door. A small figure huddled
against II fell in toward her.
"Oh. please, I'm so frightened all
alone! May l come inT'
You surely may" said Anna as she
drew the shiveFing, weeping child into
the room.
She recognized her now. II was the
serious faced little girl who had room
two doors beyond She had often seen