The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-06-21
A MATTER OF BUSINESS
-
BY OLIVE MA5IE.
Copyright, 1915. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
BY OLIVE MABIE.

|
The three girls looked at the law
yer in frightened unbelief.
1t could not be possible that their
fathers fortune had been such a hol-
low mockery. How had they lived all
| these years in such quiet comfort?
'It was the nature of his business"
explained Mr.. Ames; "a broker never
| really knows whether he is a rich
| man or a pauper. Your father was
undertaking a big coup when his i'll
ness and death put a finish to every
| thing He was on the wrong side of
| the market when he was stricken.
/ There will be nothing left for you ex-
cept the place in the country-your
| mothers old home"
"But that is only house and fur
niture. How can we earn our bread
and butter?" asked Kitty.
eve might take summer boarderS,' |
suggested Dorothy gravely.
THAT isn't bad ideal" said Mr.. |
Ames 'I'll send you all the people |
can. Can any of you cook?"
81 cam said Dorothy proudly. 81
have taken prize at cooking school
June found the henderson girls set
tied in the old house in which they
had been born.
Old village friends called upon
them, and, to Cousin Keziah's great
satisfaction, several young men were
attracted to the Henderson house.
Tom Bixby, Walter Mott and Paul
: Clarkson had all been; to the village
school with the Henderson girls.
S Lillian Henderson, the eldest sis
ter, was ambitious. She had deter
mined that her sisters, as we'll as
] herself, should improve their fortunes
by good marriages. And with that
q end in view she discouraged the atten-
tions of the village doctor and his two
|. friends, who were law partners.
I 81 thought you liked Doctor Mott"
observed Kitty when Lillian delivered
J her ultimatum.
:, 81 do, dear, but we must think about
:. practical matters. We should marry
J. well,' she returned decidedly.
81 wouldn't mind working hard for
a man | liked" declared Kitty, stout
ly, and Dorothy added, 81 don't sup
pose real man would mind our hands
If they were red and coarsened by
= honest TOLL"
81 didn't mean that, dears,' cried
Lillian sharply. "but am afraid you
q will miss all the things we have been
y accustomed to. You know, Derry,
IS dear, that Gince Harry Blake has fol
lowed you hereof course it would
- be perfectly fine If you could love him
q well enough with all his money"
sol my word" Knocked Kitty. Does
he that mean that you are going to &C
as cept old Mr.. Alison?'
no Lillian whitened, but she nodded
ne From the lawn tennis courts came g
: mans jolly laugh.
Kitty looked embarrassed. She
- knew that her sisters wondered if she
IT, was going to accept Lester Marshall
rn whose sister had been their frs
lie guest.
RS Marshall was young and handsome
and rich, and he made no secret o
his devotion to charming Kitty.
D. Il suppose would be foolish to lie
such an opportunity pass" laughet
Kitty oddly. well, girls, we Nigh
90 have a triple wedding in October an,
announce to our friends that our bus
mr. ness had been a very profitable yer
tv. ture!" AS she ran from the room he
el sisters caught the fash of tears in he
The brave eyes.
sed There was a strained look in Ii
erS lian's face as the days went by. Nj
Alison was becoming more marked i
ms his devotion; any day, now, the oil
r. financier might make declaration {
1ry his love.
Doctor Mott and his friends tactfu
one ly eliminated themselves from til
a company of the busy old house. Pc
OF haps they had heard of the three cit
oW men who were wooing the Henderso
girls.
Summer waned and Labor da
E. passed, and with its passing went tt
last summer guest For the first tin
in three months the girls were alon
Vas They sat in the great living room ar
regarded each other with furtil
- glances.
,ost On the left hand of each sparkle
nv a ring Lillian's was a solitaire oil
he'd mond. Dorothy's a great pearl al
the Kitty's a sapphire. like her own eye
was We'll" began Kitty, with a ner
ling out laugh, Il suppose you are goir
led to announce your engagement, Dc
% othy? Harry Blake
ION, 81 am not engaged to Harry Blake
atar retorted Derry, blushing holly. IL
liam may do as she pleases-but a
going to marry the man love-Pa
ClarksonI"
: tBravei" cried Kitty ''Now he
my little declaration of independence
Sit refused Mr. Marshall because / pi
fer Tom Bixby. Yes, he gave me tt
pearl 1t was his mothers engat
dep r,ert riny and n IS alec rninep
uard M ~. ~ro,,.oo,. -, ,o,,,,a ,
onth ~ 49, :.
ante haiieis d. -Aniiiah- hiei ioseiy iooo ="