Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-02
THE EVENING STORY.
fconrrIrht. 1a1s. hy ". wernerl

Copyright 1913. by W. Wernero
Miss Betsy laden with the fruits of her
mornings marketing. was taking longer
walk than usual She was going clear
round by Pink street, though she well
knew that her neighbors and acquaint-
ances would have stared in disdain to see
her there 1t was not disreputable, but
unfashionable That was why Miss Betsy
had moved away.
She had been made TO do by her
dominating younger sister Clementine,
and she had never ceased to be sorry.
Now as she entered the beloved. dearly
familiar thoroughfare. her steps faltered.
her eyes dimmed with eager remembrance.
II was the street where Miss Betsy had
been born and where she had lived all
her life till half a dozen years before.
She had walked the sid walks as q child.
as girl and as woman. in JOY and
hcarthicak. i'm hope and disillusion. Each
and everything bore witness 10 her OF
thu sweet and sad things Of her life.
Past tho double array of dinSy houses
Hiss BETSY Passed and came at last to the
,linGicst OF all-and the dearest. She
paused AT the gate to gaze at It, The May
hush beside tho feeble porch was budding.
Its grown = yard higher. she thought.
Md that biggest branch was the littlest
orioles ever build i'm the old maple now.
! soc the daffodils back there have come
up as usual. I'd like to know If they've
blussomcd this year. | thought they
needed attention last fall. That was the
last time l was here. Walking isn't so
easy for me il once was
She sighed and rubbed the gate post
with her finger. 1T needs fresh paint,
but I guess it'll have to do without for
spell yet" she thought. "Clementine
wants another piece of mahogany. She'll
have it. of course. And there goes the
paint money. Well. this paint has hung
on well. And the folks don't seem very
particular. | wish they'd pay a little
faster. They're quite a good deal back
on their contract, Lawyer Birdsall says.
And we need the money to live on. 1t
seems like eating up the body of friend
TO live on the old place this way.
Clementine wouldn't hear to that. If
you rent it you'll want to go back to it.
she said. Maybe she was right. Maybe
j would. l can't go back to it now, for
house we live in. Well, l must go on,
Clementine's expecting me. She hoisted
up the net bag. heavy with parcels. and
started to move on.
Betsy, Betsy Bush
The cracked old voice behind her made
her turn quickly.
''Dor;nda's been watching YOU out of the
window, said old man. She sent me
To see III IL was YOU. We am seen you
in so long most weren't sure How do
YOU do. Betsy? How's sister? Amt you
coming in To see us" Stay TO dinner.
Betsy. Seems like you might. You amt
been on this street before in | dom know
how long
steven White, you're the fastest talker
| ever heard. Miss Bets" said. letting
her hand linger on his and smiling. But
it's good to hear You again. | declare.
You and Dorinda never get over on our
street. do YOU?
''Landy. no, You're too STYLISH for us
in that big house and all How d YOU like
your big house, Betsy? How's Clemen-
tine like il p"
'Clementine likes it. But / can't come
in this time. Steven. and l can't stay. !
just slipped away long enough to get
peep at things over here. I'm not as good
a walker as ! once was. and | keep i'm the
house more. But / don't forget if / don't
come. | guess | don't. She averted her
face lest Steven see the tear on her cheek
Goodbye Steven. Take my love and
plenty of il to your wife. Tell her | wisi,
/ was right back here beside her. Tell
her-oh. pshaw, What's the use? Good
bye. Steven.
She went as hastily as her parcels,
her rheumatism and her blinded eyes
would let her. Sometimes. she thought,
Il feel like I'd never go near that place
again, it upsets me so. Clementine can't
understand it. but then she's sixteen years