Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-04
THE EVENING STORY.
AT EIGHT YEARS.
Copyright, 1914. by W. Werner

Ellen sat on low gate and swung her
bare legs carelessly and impudently. She
was eight years old, thin. freckled and
tow-headed Her wardrobe made one
think Of rainbow. because it was so I'M
like one. both in color and charm orls-
inally her somewhat soiled gown had been
a pretty brown and pink plaid ginsham'
but 1t had been worn successfully by her
big cousin Edith in the city. then py hei
small cousin Eta, then by her three
year-old sister Linda, and when, a1ter
numerous launderings and remakinss' II
had come to her, the brown ana pil'A
SQUARES were blotches of drab and mug
Siness.
ITS cause of it." grumbled Ellen to
herself, and east sour eyes upon the
linn soiled skirt But Immediately she
assumed a blatantIy cheerful expression
and sang, with IA loudness of voice in
tended to carry lar:
There is sunshine in my soul today.
Sunshine ble-e-s-sed sunshine.
Down the opposite street strolled
group of other eight-year-olds, white
socked. white shoed and bright sashed.
their hair a-hutter with pink or blue
ribbons. They spoke to Ellen condescend-
ingly. They were acquainted with her.
Oh, yes, they knew her well. having gone
TO the same school teacher for over two
years But they had been invited to Annie
Smiths party and Ellen hadn't Ellen
was hardly ever invited to parties-she
didn't fit at parties. Their fathers DIDN'T
go much on Ellen's father He worked
on'y sometimes at odd jobs. Mostly he
tinkered at Ellen's home. And Ellen
mother didn't associate much with theH
mothers. Mostly she was sick-a pain IN
her side she said, and Ellen said-lazy.
their mothers said, and they added:
Treat Ellen nicely and be polite to her.
but don't play with her
So they didn't. Ellen looked after them
oddly 1t is hard to keep your face
creased as required in carollns
Blessed Sunshine" when one wants to
cry. Ellen blinked her eyes. At parties
they have ice cream. and Ellen had hearo,
from gossip at school, that at Annie
Smiths house they had two kinds OF ice
cream, also a delicious sort of candy
that stores never sold. She Whiried from
the gate and started down the street IN
times of great grief Ellen found soiace
looking at the post cards in the window
of the news store downtown. But present
ly she turned and came slowly BACK.
Somehow today post cards IN a WINDOW
didn't appeal. She turned in time to col
1lde with grim. old, whlskereo man "ho
carried a Satchel.
He was looking for Ellen's father.
Dunno" yawned Ellen. She wasn't IN
a mood for talking, although at times
she would have been glad of the diversion.
ct s'pose though" she added. with some
of the disgust she had seen in her thin,
tired mother. that he's home tinkerin:
That's where We live" waving small
hand at the shabby house. The old man
looked at her carefully, then he went up
the shabby walk and knocked.
And then Ellen forgot all about him.
Through the lilac bushes in the yard at
the end of the street she could see the
green grass beside Annie Smiths pretty
white and green home. They were play
ing there That was Mabel's blue sash
that flashed past the opening between the
two tall shrubs She could even ontch