The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-17
"A Page Planned to lease T1oo :~1~o So V7.....-
And Benefit the Women i TIC lAClIlllOllu v OuIl
THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE

haunted him all the way to the Office.
suddenly il came to him that he had
been selfish.
Perhaps she wasn't as purse-proud
ana naughty as his imagination had
painted her. He look up the tele-
phone ana called mp his sisters.
Look here he asked, do you
suppose that it's too late for you TO
accept that lunch invitation I've had
reason To change my mine about our
n~eighbor.
Betty. on the other end of the wire.
responded JoyfulIy. Maybe. If We
called her up We could nx things
So a~rtfuily did Betty make her
apologies for the refusal OF the night
before that |Jacqueiin forgaye her al
once, Please come over now she
begged. @Df cuurse J want you"
Arrayed in their best the Tour sis
ters sailed forth Ia he struck with
awe at the uaguifjcenlc Of the big
house, There were American Beauties
on Tho table and ~darqueiiu. in duIi
red crepe. was like a rose herself. for
excitement brought the color TO her
checks.
said.
IT vas lovely otyou to have us.
Betty enthuscd.
After lunch J~acqueltn entertained
them IN her music room. where a
harp and "A piano were the slaves OF
her skilled hands.
How beautifully you play the
girls exclaimed, How Bob would
~ 10 hear you; he loves music
is Bob your brother Jacquclin
asked. tinidly.
Yes they chorused.
Ferhaps Jaequeiin suggested
tiFntdly, The would come over with
YOU some evening
Perhaps said Betty doubtfulh.
When at last it WAS time for them
TO go, J|acquelin begged them to come
again. Come and bring your brother
some evening. and ven havr music"
lhe} repeated the invitation 10 Bob
that night.
she's very sweet" Betty said.
But she's rich, was Rob's ultima
tuH, and I'm poor. 1t is all right
Tor You girls. but she doesn't want
me hanging around"
So they made his excuses. aud after
that the girls went back and forth.
bringing into ~Jacqueiin's life much
that was joyous and helpful. and one
night they invited her over to the
little hro@n house.
i've always wanted 10 come she
SAID, as she sat in front of the big
stove in the living room and helped
them pop corn and pull taify. You
seemed to have such good times, ana
/ was SO lonely
From a corner of the room Bob
watched her. He had felt almost re-
%sentful al the intrusion OF this
wealthy woman into their poverty
stricken circle. Yet now his heart
was melted i'll him as he SAW her visit
ful face aud appealing manner
Gradually he began to talk to her,
and then 1t seemed as IL there was no
one else In the room. He monopoli2ed
her uniil Betty grew jealous.
Gracious she said that night.
after their guest had left. Il thought
you didn't Ike her. Bob"
+ think She is lovely" said Bob
with a queer catch in his voice.
Bob had fallen in love with her
hopelcsst1. but violently.
And J.@Queliu? No one knew what
went on III her little wise head, HUT
one day. after a month in which Bob
had dogged her footsteps and watched
her with hopeless eyes. she said to.
him abruptly:
You know I'm not rich
lie had been listening to her play
ing, and as he leaned on the piano he
looked at her through the rose-red
light TT the candles.
what he stammered.
Her, fingers played Il ripping ac-
compartment. I'm not rich" she re-
peated
The -four girls were not there. Bob
"a stolen away from them to have
n evening alone with the lady or
his heart. He had told himself 1T
must be his last evening. lie. a poor
man, had no right to finger near her.
And now she had made his as
founding statement.
II know" she went ON. THAT vnt,
have thetseht me II rich woman. But
the money is all my uncle's and he
cannot leave 1t to nae, for il comes
from ANOTHER side Of the family.
am here simply to be taken care OF
while he lives, and he Is an old mann
whom he dies l shall he alone
And you have told me this" Bob
SAID IN a trembling voice. why have
4on told ma this" 49,. .1-.s.~
Her fingers dropped from tbs keys.
ana she looked up at him. "Yon
know why" she said.
The next morning Bob made a Won.
derful announcement 10 his sisters.
= am going to marry J~aoquelin,. he
said.
They stared at him.
But she is rich. Betty exclaimed
How did yon dare ask her. Bob"
Bob eTa-ed the question. He was
not sure mat he had asked her. 1t
had all come upon him so suddenly.
bat he kne% he was supremelE happy
ne told them something Of what
she had said 10 him.
she isn't rich, and she's lonely.
and as soon as she is better and can
get the things made that women seem
to think they must have. she is going
70 marry me-, girls. and Wen live
happy ever after in tho Little Brown
House."