Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-02
The Daily Story
Work for Sylvia


a,.,a dressmakins shop
u. like spring wanted to git in
- she remarked precariously
- me mouthfui OF pins Whleh sne
ssf,iy transferring 70 tne ioios o.
saming white satin gown a,s. alapeo
- lovely girl VINO s.oou pa'ieHtiy
g s ~ her. She continued;
- .u,v not 10 be as happy as the
..,,t let you be, Nelly, ! don We. let
iefa 80 too old to forsit that. tog
.rrv be az happy es YOU eal. ~, ~, .
snd so.hrre--ain't that sleeve sweet
fe good' ~. dress OF yours done this
Foi 20 sar cit at Annie Paine,si
Heek se.,s ~ Tune, too. It's the Lord
htr wedui for weddin's, and there had
own fnon'l another besides yours and
oueht 20 ,tia village" Nelly's respen-
annie m ss n the glass made her ask
dent imese
apssn'y .,s., wedding do you mean?"
What 9snsis p.ei ana Alice Whltes"
"John .ranssered the Mt of her little
Nelly 6g. she said carelessly
sirale ,sly.ye been engaged forever
'Why. ~. nsed to II. l guess they are
Eveisg,..'.s. or they'd do something ABOUT
themsstog ~ Harry would not walt that
h q c,e--he--he cares too much
way 81. mother and her father that
~ way. They are selfish old
sAaq y stand IN the way Of the chill
eo happlness Even IL Alices tathet
W. anv one to look after nim' l a9upl l
nae ~ Atlee. who is the sweetest thlng
whether "a lived. could get along with
sna. r,otber She's a heady old piece,
Johs 4 smart and handsome. and she
Y y avn way too well to want
ike - th...,,.Iaw 20 have first place In the
oaueu f.hn has earned and built with his
hoesP srds His father was no earthly
aa,,nt W. and folks do say all Mrs. lNlng
-esrisd him for was to spite Cornelia
Yonss, who was dead in love with him'
ona was never married on that account,
thev say" Sylvia took the sort SATIN
ssrstuliv on over the girls pink shoulders.
Ee,ivSs sympathy was aroused. AS she
dressed she made laughing proposal
.1uaiI something ought to be done, and
,ps work for you, Sylvy; you're always
seftin gthings straight for people why
donit the old folks get themselves out OF
she way? Why, they might get married
they might marry each other! You at
tend to it-you've done harder Things
and I'll help you outP
Al the girl stepped out into the sunshine
Sylvia sank into a chair.
,ishe beats timel" she muttered. But
Il amt a bad idee. 1t ain't a bad idee,
and I wonder at myself for not tmnKln'
OF H."
Meantime Nelly sauntered toward the
Kiua cottage, where Johns mother was
Al work among the flower beds. The
widow was a tall slim old lady, as neat
rs wax, and still handsome In a warlike
sort OF way, with very black. snappy eyes,
white teeth and thick gray hair. Nelly
stopped and leaned over the fence.
nGood morning, Mrs. King" The old
Indy came along with her trowel to smile
al the pretty girl. She was extremely
fond Of any girl who was engaged, or not
likely to want her son John. Nelly chat
ted away.
s1ye been for the last fitting Of my
wedding dress. Sylvy's a genius! She's
perfectly lovely When is-John going
10 be married. Mrs. King?" she inquired
innocently. The old lady stiffened, but
Nelly continued: I'm so happy that l
want everybody to be- Sylvy says that
Cornelia Jones is setting her cap at Alce's
father, and hope she gets him. so Alice
can come here with you and John. She
would take the work off your hands, and
she's so sweet But I'll be rather sorry
for Mfr White; cornelia is such a desper-
ate old maid, and no cook or housekeeper
at all, and he's so good looking and well
of that he deserves a better woman to
take care OF things. Well, men are queer,
and she certainly must have been awfully
pretty once"
Mrs. King snorted.
she was never a mite pretty. to my
mind. She set her cap at Johns father
when we were girls, hut she didn't get
him Oh. must you go?"
Toward evening Sylvia went to see
Alice White, though she knew perfectly
well that the girl would be at choir
practice. She fingered a moment on the
porch, where Alice's father sat smoking.
lie was straight, blue-eyed old man.
Sylvia sat down on the steps TO rest.
7 been awful busy" she remarked.
Folks viii get married. and that means
weddin' dresses. I'm just f1nishin' Nelly
Dams, and next It win be Annie Paines.
II what l hear is SO, perhaps it'll be
your Allces before long" The old man
sanirmed and asked what she meant
he wanted no son-in-law, though he could
not object TO John.
Why you don't believe It. but that
half-blind, hobbling old Judson is maxi
ing up to the Widow King they say.
She's handsome and young-looking. and
Nell-heeled, the best cook In town, and
economical, too. She's good-tempered--
except about Johns marryin' Aliee-and
/ Kind Of hate TO see her throw herself
away but Judson's a sly old coot Any
noH hope she marries and leaves John
ifee He and Alice have waited long
enough--it aint right! Well. got to be
goin You tell Alice I was here" she
walked off, leaving the old man with
new fear-and with a new idea IN his
mead That Jndsonl lie and hudson bad
always eenhicted. He grunted and lit
spfing passed into early summer, and
n =. sane Nelly and Harry, and Annie and
faenara were married Alice. sweet and
sl@Fe and dark-eyed, Gang at the wedding.
iisf rich soprah> .-as Indispensable. John
watched her in love and despair, and be-
san % wonder H. after all. prudence and
eaaiion were not sometimes vices as well
e virtues. Would he never be free 70
take Alice to his own homer Would she
never leave her father to come TO him7
iae went to see her much oftener than
Aaa neen his habit and. strange to say, OF
evenings her father disappeared. no one
sfHsd where, and left them to them
ssiRes John and Alics were again al
NOS he boy and girl lovers OF 10 years
80 fhey took twilight walks ana long
efssss anmolested and unqueAuoned and
we're very happy
J. ~ surprise, John began to realize
- - ias mother no longer nagged him
aneal ais engagement, nor had dts Of
"sse.ass Hefing which she declared that
ne HAs selng to make her a stranger
A,la ~ asRsaasnt in her own house.
~ solt September morning John, with
: = = BE pocket, drove TO her door
- Ioid hsf father he was going to take
- TOT aFtge TO Lynnville 10 miles
Ag, =. ana thal they would not be back