Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1910-11-08
SECRETS

"You told"
When Roberta hurled this denuncia-
ton at Eleanor she stood like minia-
ture colossus, with b1r sandaled feet
spread apart, her head upthrown. Her
hair stuck out Indignantly behind and
the bow on top of her head fairly quiv-
cred with righteous wrath. Eleanor,
sitting uncomfortably bolt upright in
the hammock, felt herself quail, but
she, too, held her head high. She was
equally Indignant because of Robertas
stupidity in not realizing that one had
duties toward ones guests.
Il don't care!" she famed Il don't
care a bit about your old secret
guess Milly was visiting me and
guess she had a right to know what
knew Willie would just as soon as
not she knew. even If he didn't think
to say sol"
Jaw, you're a tattletalel" Roberta
persisted. Nobody was to know our
secret but me and you and Willie and
Jessie--and you went and told! Jes-
sic wouldn't a.told! I'm going down
to play with Jessie!"
Eleanor sat and watched Roberta
marching down the street, her hair
bows still 6uttering angrily She
watched until the bows had vanished
and then she wept into the hammock
pillows.
She knew what il meant for Roberta
to scorn her Roberta was a leader,
ca o,,l -.
ate bitterly into ones soul 1t was
unjust, she felt, because surely 1t
would not have been polite to bar
Milly from the secret when Milly was
her guest. It was just like being in
vited anywbere-you took your guest
along, of course. Then, having a Sc
cret, why not share it with her? But
it was very lonely on the porch by
ones self, so Eleanor wept on.
She knew what was happening down
at Jessica's. Roberta and Willie and
some others were either painting mag
azine pictures or playing croquet Or
they were laughing and racing around
the house, none of them giving a
thought to her They didn't care
whether she was on earth or not
Maybe they had their heads together
giggling over another secret, a secret
she was destined never to know. She
had been socially ruined
She could hear Jessie giggle above
all the rest and she felt that she hated
Jessie. Though Jessie had a mild
face and a way which made grown-up
people say: What a dear, sweet little
girl!" Eleanor was morally certain
that Jessie would just as soon as not
tell any secret you had told her. Had
not Jessie repeated to Eleanor every
thing she had promised her best chum
not to tell?
II was dreadful to think that Willie
probably was teaching Jessie that
stroke in croquet which he had prom
ised TO teach Eleanor, Jessie would
beguile Willie away if she could and
Roberta, too, because she had always
envied Eleanor's popularity.
For two or three days Eleanor wan
dered disconsolately up and down the
street When she went by Jessies
and the crowd was there they laughed
very loudly and pretended not to see
her. Once she met Roberta face to
face and Roberta merely said Pooh"
to her appealing glance. She met Viii
lie and said "Hello!" feverishly, but
he only stumbled over his feet and
grew red.
You toId!" he called back to her
after he had passed.
Eleanor felt that life really was
harder than she could bear. And II
was all Jessies fault. Jessie had told
that Eleanor had told and now Jessie
was reaping her reward, while Flea.
nor was out In the cold.
Then one morning Eleanor was cleo
trifed to see Roberta and Willie APP
preaching the house.
Hello" Roberta said, airily. Let's
play store!"
"You can be storekeeper. Eleanor"
Willie FASTENED to add. IN get you
some pebbles for potatoes"
The two visitors Wed with each
other to WOO back Eleanor, who re-
ceived their advances in dignified
mystification. 1t was hard not to let
ones joyful relief surge out above
ones studied reserve, difficult to show
that one was injured, innocent and in
different and yet not be too frigid.
Above all, it was difficult to hide ones
consuming desire 10 know what had
happened.
II was nearly noon when Eleanor
finally asked where Jessie was.
Jaw, Jessiel" said Roberta, in
scorn. I'VE had a secret and crossed
our three little fingers and promised
not to tell-and she told her big
brother!"
WAS it the same secret / told?"
Eleanor asked, breathlessly.
Roberta and Willie stared at each