Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-02-10
DRESSING
UP

~ Elizabeth Armstrens

fcoDyrighs. Hsrr. by Associated Literary Presa)
A rainy day In early summer sent
Jim Bomar's motherless girls to the
smAtic to rummage In the capacious
chests for old-fashioned dresses, In
s7Ehich they arrayed themselves with
sxreat glee.
@0h. but aren't we fne?" cried
father"
Father might make us take EN-
on" rejoined practical Grace; he's
,44sseling sad anyway"
'spose the house bothers him
~enaose It's SO kind of mussy since
Mrs. Mott left, but I tried to scrub
hat kitchen Just last Saturday, and
fsther washes the dishes himself
whenever we leave EN- long enough"
And Mamie sighed over q house
kesper's trials.
Poor Jim Bomar was used to cold
meals and a general lack of cheer.
Even before his wifes death. the
hofise had borne a down-at-the-heels
sspect. and Jim had been wont to
ffNetear~lSV w tAk0 htAA nGc6 IoVtA 49, NAc
s-sarn, where he could find order and
peace
As a refuge the harness room was
exceptional. Besides being clean. 1t
: was warmed In winter by a small
wood stove. and made airy In sum
! ner by two enormous windows. The
2 west window had the advantage OF
TTnnktnp ri hA nf,1aataad whorn
Mary Andrews had lived alone since
tEhe death OF her mother. Mary's
younger sister Jennie was Jim's wife.
6fe had never understood just how IL
happened that she had supplanted
iaary, IL not in his heart, still to all
sTstents and purposes In his life. He
7nad Mary had been sweethearts for
wears. and at last he had written
ssa6tng her to tell him where he
rzsntgbt see her for most particular
talk. He knew that Mary would I'M
Sierstand. and he had laughed, when
the gave her the note, at his little
Nssoterfuge. when he might so easily
2aaye told Mary he loved her then
and there But Mary craved ro-
Hns,anee, and Jim was doing his hum
txse best I'm arranging this dark plot
9vS her entertainment.
Mary ran up the steps with his
s.ss3ts In her hand. waved her hand at
.sagn in good by--and he had not seen
.asr again In months. She did not
i.pswer the note. and gave Jim no
arlaanoe to ask an explanation OF her
: sorange conduct. Deeply hurt. he
learned the next day that she had
1sane for long visit to her aunt In
rssse city.
Tim took his dismissal hard, and
seBnie was full of sympathy when he
lame. night after night, for news OF
MARY She did not tell him outright.
TTit limited delicately that Mary had
Been counting only in fun and had
f1slsen this way Of letting him down
Easy. And after a time Jennie's
ssseeetness won Jim to believe that
F4sS heart was pure gold and 1t was
ais fault II he could not appreciate
,Hssr AZ be should SO on the night
sshs told him that Mary was to wed
OK man In the city whom she had
SHOWN for several years. Jim asked
lssemnie II she would care for what
Wan left OF his life. and Jennie ad-
united that she would.
lsSary did not return for Jennie's
,-cgss8ding. nor did she make any prep
zarntions for her own; and when she
Eazd lived quietly with her mother
fgor number of months doubts as
cssjled Jim concerning the truth OF
S,as wife's story of her engagement
During the ten years of Jim's mar
rrsed life Mary went In and out Of his
home and his children took their
sxraess to her more readily than to
ss.hea- mother. But Jim had seldom
sspss-i her, and for several years he
Avs rot crossed the threshold Of the
Ar, 'aws home.
~ he looked over the fields green
-slva sprouting grain and saw the ap-
ssss, orchard at the homestead in
Nasa ON. he imagined that he could
s.sss Mary herself walking among the
ssJea.s in the sun that had just come
9zv1 and was coaxing the earth TO
Qy4sorn and laughter. He knew
coat her brown head would be barred
tlgz ne breeze and her eyes filed with
- yye for all growing and blooming
Il Tugs. He recalled the last time he
nan walked along the orchard path.
,sxhen. after Mother Andrewss death
d he had gone to Mary in an impulse
NJ syrnpathy, but had unfortunately
managed to convey some expression
If his long repressed love. Then did
-sIary's brown eyes fash and her
.sentle mouth stiffen to rebuke.
~Jim Bomar. never let me hear
ssarch words from you. There can be
ssothing between you and me after
asaat has passed And | cannot bear
he sight of your deceitful face"
AIM. sorely wounded. was reused
"a reply In anger. Very well. Mary
2 Twill never enter your door until
Foo send for me-"
While Jim was dreaming In the
rom Mania and Erana diu