The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-04-06

Cynthia paid the dressmaker's bill.
The dress was beautiful. a triumph of
taste and skill. But with a revulSion
of feeling Cynthia folded L in its box.
and covered il with soft tissuH-paper.
She was glad that her roommate was
at a recitation when the parcel ar
rived.
Into the fartheSt corner OF the top
shelf in the closet she thrust the box:
then she sat down and wrote in fury
Of hope and fear on the thesis that
meant so much more to her now, than
ever thesis had meant before. She
must win at all odds.
But everything blocked the way. An
inopportune attack Of grippe laid her
aside for fortnight. and when she
recovered ii was 10 face an accumu.
lation of work that mad 10 he made up
She lost Instead Of gaining ground with
The professors, who began to complain
that she was dreaming and spent
lime I'm wool-Gathcr!ug when she
should have been alert.
The dean, I'm 4 frank conversation.
said that she was not doing herself
justice. because she had oycrworkcd
and the Latin tutor detained her after
class one day To ask If she did not
require some special assistance Gym
thia gaSped. She. who had aSpired to
coGchiaG backward students, to be
placed with the backward ones her.
self.
However. she toilcd valiantly at her
thesis. Although her sentences were
leaden anC her pen dragged. she kept
stubbornly on, and at the proper time
handed in her manuscript.
Then followed a weary month Of
waiting for the verdict Not once in
all this time did Cynthia so much as
glance at the white gown. which had
assumed in her eyes the form OF a
hateful penitential robe. One word.
less prayer was in her heart by night
and 10y day, that she might receive The
prize and be able to repay her great
aunt
She checked off the dates on her cal.
cndar. The days were most contra
dictory. slow i'm one aspect ana swift
in another. Now and then her modest
littlc allowance came fro. home. from
The father who trusted her, and it
smote her hcart rs she received it.
At last, one morning, the names of
the prize-winnerS were posted on the
bullctin-board in chapel.
Cynthia Lanes was not among them;
she stood far below the necessary
mark. and was nowhere near the Top
Of the competition. Another c."l had
won the money prize. Cynthia had
honorable mention ana a scholarship.
The dean was sitting in her private
parlor that evening when. after
slight tap for admittancc. Cynthia
Lane entered, ana threw herself down
in sobbing heap. The dean rcmon-
strated.
Cynthia. You are not crying in. this
way because you've lost the prize
I'm crying because I've been a cow
ard and a cheat. and don't know what
i'm the world TO do. Dear Mrs. Morgan,
may l tell YOU all about it,
stop crying Cynthia. or I can't
understand. There there. Nothing
is helped by tears. Let me hear what
has happened. Then maybe | can see
Il way out"
Cynthia did not spare herself. She
told the story just as it had occurred.
and when she had finished, the dean
was silent.
There are two things you can do.
Cynthia she said at last. "aud one is
this: tell your father what you have
just told me-
Cynthia sat up straight
go Mrs. Morgan. | couldn't, I'll die
Of shame! If you knew how hard my
father has TO work and how little
money there is, you wouldn't say tell
your father"
Eyes. dear, I would still say it,
Fathers have hearts that children may
turn to. Tell him. You must pay your
debt to your grcat-aunt, and your
father will enable you TO do so. If
he speaks some plain words TO you,
YOU cannot wonder. Haven't you de-
served them: Write 10 your father by
the first mail. Believe me, dear, it is
the right thing TO do"
"And then"
"Then write 10 madame. and explain
to her that YOU made a mistake i'm pIIr-
chasing this costly fro"k, aud that You
have not worn il, and that it is un-
suitable for you at plcsecL Ask her
10 take it back. or to dispose OF it for
you. 60 not think there VIII be any
difficulty. And if were YOU. Cynthia.
I would either go home for Easter OF
stay here with the few who cannot
leave. would not make another Chi
cago visit yet
Cynthia went back TO her room and
wrote TO her father. In trepidation
she waited for his reply. It came by
telegraph.
To Cynthia Lane.
Elmorc Hall Winstcd. Wisconsin.
Your received. Remittance sent.
Letter tomorrow John Lane.
And the fathers letter said:
In this world we learn some lessons
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