The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-01-23
The Age Of
Romance

the lawn.
Lucy. Who had been engaged In
ooaxing the kitten into q Of nef
dolls dresses, suddenly became aware
q Nsllie's studied case. It worries
hss. Though only two years younssr
than her sister. Lucy had . deep'
rooted respect for Nsliiss opinion.
Perhaps Nellie thought II vsEy Silly
10 dress the kitten. She held IT, paw
through one slesve and called out
bravely: Wont It look funny. Nell!
Nellie continued 70 sass - Il lost
IN thought Lucy tucked the hah'
dressed kittsn under her arm and .
Fed owe to Nellie's rocker.
Are you mad. Nellief" she asked.
apprehensivsly.
why. no. dear" Nsiiie's superior
tone implied that she had never
Known such . state Of mind.
We'll. you're something" insisted
the pushed Lucy.
II VA Just wondering whether
ought to tell you OF not"
Nellie spoke in . dreamy way. still
looking into the distance.
"Tell me whatf Have you a secret?"
breathlessly.
Eyes, q secret really shouldn't
tell you. Sit down on the grass"
Lucy followed directions. III never
tell. What 10 IT."
Nellie began very slowly. i've been
wondering for . long time whether
ought to tell you or not"
Go on! Honest, / won't tell"
Let me see. You're nine now.
You'll know In q few years. anyhow.
But 1t may make you feel bad II l tell
you"
II don't care how I feel. Go on and
tell me-"
Nellie clasped her hands over her
knees and glanced down pensively at
Lucy.
TT h all 20 strange" she murmured.
But you may as yell know. am
NOT your sisterl I'm IN adopted
| child"
You mean like Jessie out In the
country?" The words came in .
spasm.
Wees. Only not like Jessie. Shall
! tell You about my own ~parsntsf"
Yes. Go on!"
my parents were both very veal
Thy. was born In Paris. France.
Paris. France. u. across the ocean.
! lived there with them In . grand
house. but they both died when | was
. mere babe. The-the person who
had charge Of my wealth knew your
father aud mother and brought me
over here for them to take are of.
Do you see? I'm living just like you
BOW. but. Of course. when I'm eight
9 I'll get everything l own-the
grand house with the park around it
Standardization Of dollars. Lucy.
l-may 70 over to Paris. France. to
i've"
The little sister regarded her in Z
nervous. frightened way. Nellie's
look Of abstraction quite awed Lucy.
"Of course I intend to divide with
you. You see, have no relatives Of
my own" Nellie sighed.
Whats your real namef~ Lucy
asked.
my real name isn't Nellie Smith.
At courzs. It's Elfnor D. Maupretr
"Oh!"
They'd tell you some day. anyhow.
But nov you know what mean
when ! say. Some day you1l be sorry
Would you mind seeing II l dropped
my hair ribbon on the front porch?
And II It isn't on the front porch u
YER and ask Bess Johnson II l
dropped II In her yard It's my Sun
day ribbon"
For the next two days Lucy waited
On Nellie hand and foot She carried
messages across the street and down
the block without q word of protest.
She expressed glasses Of water and
cookies from the kitchen to the lawn.
hardly knowing what power forced
her. She felt strangely inferior and
awkward. She addressed Nellie stin-
y and followed her at a distance with
wide. frightened blue eyes. The knowi-
edge that her father and mother knew
not that she knew" weighed upon her
fearfully.
The third night after the revelation.
Lucy was sitting on the veranda with
her father. watching her sister play
tennis with the girls acros the street.
For some time she sat counting her
fingers with perfect self-control. But
she had never beer SO bottled up in
her life before. and when her father
asked her what made her 80 quiet.
she burst into tears. Once ip his com
forting arms she could moi restrain
herself. then-oh. Neutrality-suspicious.
she knew It she had given him all her
| share of the secret
As she lay there quietly awaiting
further light on the mystery Of Nellie.
she felt him shake. Looking up to
see what emotion this might express.
she detected q wide. satisfying. grin.
You're easy. -cy." he told her
tenderly.
Nellie rushed up the stairs . little
later and kissed her father with her
usual unrestrafped heartiness Z
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