The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1911-05-04
SECRETS


/ ton at Eleanor she stood like 4 minia-
! ture colossus, with Dor sandaled feet
spread apart, her head upthrown Her
hair stuck out Indignantly behind and
the bow on top Of her head fairly Quiy-
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 Roberta's
stupidity in not realizing that one had
duties toward ones guests.
Il don't carei" she famed. q don't
care a bit about your old secret! /
guess Milly was visiting me and
guess she had right to know what
knew Willie would just as soon as
not she knew, even if he didn't think
to say sol"
"Aw you're a tattletalei" Roberta
persisted Nobody was to know our
secret but me and you and Willie and
Jessie. and you went and toldl Jes-
sic wouldn't a-tuid I'm going down
10 play with Jessie!'
Eleanor sat and watched Roberta
marching down the street, her hair
bows still luttering angrily. She
watched until the bows had vanished
and then she wept into the hammock
pillows.
She knew what it meant for Roberta
to scorn her Roberta was a leader,
so it meant ostracism and ostracism
ate bitterly into ones soul. 1t was
unjust, she felt, because surely it
woull not have been polite to bar
Milly from the secret when Milly was
her guest. It was just like being in
vited anywhere-you took your guest
along, of course. Then, having a Sc
cret, why not share it with her? But
1t was very lonely on the porch by
ones self, so Eleanor wept on.
She knew what was happening down
at Jessicas. 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 ruinedl
She could hear Jessie giggle above
all the rest and she felt that she hated
Jessie. Though Jessie had a mild
face and way which made grown-up
people say: What dear, sweet little
grill" Eleanor was morally certain
hat Jessie would just as soon as not
ell any secret you had told her. Had
lot Jessie repeated to Eleanor every
hing she had promised her best chum
lot TO tell?
1t was dreadful to think that Willie E
was teaching Jessie that 4,
troke in croquet which he had prom
sed to teach Eleanor, Jessie would
'eguile Willie away if she could and |
toberta, too, because she had always
nvied Eleanor's popularity.
For two or three days Eleanor wan. /
cred disconsolately up and down the
treet. When she went by Jessie's
nd the crowd was there they laughed
cry loudly and pretended not to see
er. Once she met Roberta face to
ace and Roberta merely said "Pooh!'
D her appealing glance. She met Viii
e and said "Hello" feverishly, but
e only stumbled over his feet and
rev red
You toldl' he called back to her
fter he had passed.
Eleanor felt that life really was
arder than she could bear And it
as all Jessie's fault. Jessie had told
lat Eleanor had told and now Jessie
as reaping her reward, while Flea
or was out in the cold
Then one morning Eleanor was cleo
flied to see Roberta and Willie ap-
reaching the house.
Hello" Roberta said, airily. Lets
lay store!"
you can be storekeeper, Eleanor" II
lille FASTENED to add. "TIl get you
me pebbles for potatoes. III
The two visitors Wed with each
her to WOO back Eleanor, who re-
lived their advances in dignified |
1t was hard not to let
les joyful relief surge out above
les studied reserve, difficult to show |
at one was injured, innocent and in
ferent and yet not be too frigid | |
Dove ALL it was difficult to hide ones
nsuming desire to know what had
opened. II
1t was nearly noon when Eleanor
ally asked where Jessie was. III
Jaw, Jessie!7 said Roberta, in II
orn. 1--WE had a secret and crossed
r three little fingers and promised
t to tell-and she told her big
Otherp
Was it the same secret l told?7 |
eanor asked, breathlessly. III
Roberta and Willie stared at each
Ter minute Then Willie shook /
head. III
No. he said, q guess we've kinda +
got what that one was p IL