The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-02

name of Tormentilla had she so richly
deserved it as she did nov. ga tor
ment to myself and every n else!"
she cried. but in spite of that she
knew it wasn't fair. SIS had done
he? very best 10 make two apparently
brcken-hearted lovers happy by every
means in her power, and they hac
themselves o]ve-thrown her scheme.
| How was she to know that they no
longer lovedo Even Michael had
gone ~chcc:fnlly of to his new post.
OF wjicl he w9s quite understanding,
and which he was totally unified to
fill. and although he had returned
5ohn Edwards check. with the e.
cention of twenty pounds which he
had already melted and hoped to re-
turn to him almost Immediately, re
had behaved throughout in the most
disappointing way.
You don't EXPECT a Tilted lover on
the bridal day to remark with cheer
FIJI philosophy that perhaps it's all
for the best, and hadn't they better
all try to put it out of their minds
and order lunch?
John Edward had explained it all
by saving that he'd known the man
was mad from the first moment he
set eyes on him, but Tormentilla
found no comfort in that. Neither
| Audrey nor Michael locked upon her
as a benefactress, Or anything but a
meddle.ome little girl.
Then Lise-Lise. whom she really
liked and admired Tremendously
what had she done for her? In a
foolish attempt to smooth matters
between her and her husband. she
had only made them far worse, and
been the cause of a most tremendous
row; perhaps widened the rift in
their already cracked lutte forever.
Lise didn't seem to bear malice. it
was true, but Tormeatilla didn't s'lc-
rose things would Y be quite the
same a@ain. In which she was IN
doubtedlv correct. And then. when
she got in that afternoon she had
found a little round-hand letter on
pink. ciit-ed2ed paper, with a Green
rose rostmarx on the latter, wnich
had seemed the last straw, and made
her want to take Minnie By the Shout
ders and shake her.
"Dear Miss Tormilia:
This is to hone it finds you as we'll
as it leaves me at present, and please
Miss l wish you hadn't never got me
this place. The work is too heavy,
and there's no pleasing some peoDle,
and William has changed something
cruel since we came here. He is
walking out with another young wo-
man called Ruth Heap, and when l
ask him Yesterday why he has
changed so cruel, he said it was on
count OF her smiling face, aud he
preferred smiles TO tears any day Of
tie week.
please Miss Tormi!la, I should
like to come bac,; to Ma!inder soon.
was a young man in the gar
den rs was Z true +; lend to me before
l walked out with William.
Yours respectfully,
Minnie"
Tormentilla could have laughed
over this letter, If it hadn't sent her
into such a red-hot rage.
She stood at the window for a.few
minutes with wet eyes and an aching
heart, then turned desperately TO
gaze at the paie-faced, red-eyed Great
ure with untiGy hair and a shabby
dress who stared at her from the
looking-glass. The old blue pinafore
dresses had grown horribly shabby,
and she wondered what her mother
and sisters would say if they knew
how she still chung to garments they
had always condemned. She looked
ct herself steadily for a long time,
and at last the Goleful aprarition
filled her with disgust, and she pulled
herself together with a little shake.
You aren't pretty" she said fierce
~, but you needn't be a coward.
White-faced thing"
Even as she stared at the woe-be-
gone, looking-gla5s Tormentilla, a
little pink color crept into its pale
cheeks.
He fell in love with you because
you we're such q good sport. Do the
sporting, them"
The color in its checks changed
from pink to red.