The Lamar register., 1915-10-27
PENELOPE
BY NJ. m'cuLLocH.wILLIAms.

1890
and, withal, SO lithely graceful. The
pity of It. they did not tell her. There
fore she drew her fine hair away from
her classic brow. and made herself
as nearly a fright as a healthy com
pleIion and very good eyes permitted.
The Joy of life for her centered in
the theater. Each week she bought
next weeks ticket-this TO make sure
of an end seat. Judge. then, her
mental state when. all intent upon
seeing the star play Of the winter.
she found her chosen and paid-for
seat occupied by an elderly man and
the row Allied with what was evidently
a family party-a sweetfaced. white
haired woman. two pretty girls,
young matron. viyacious and no-end
stylish, and very good looking young
man, evidently her husband. Those
two were Enthusiastically urban, Pene-
lope instantly decided: the others had
provincial written all over them. She
waited with a sort of grim satisfac-
ton the ousting OF the intruder.
The usher poke sharply to the old
man. Instantly the younger one
checks. The usher studied them In
tently. The young man rose. stepped
out in front CT her. looked at the check
the usher held, then said politely:
There's evidently a miI-up. VIII you
please take my seat?"
You live out of town." Penelope
asked.
"A thousand miles," he laughed.
"So-of course-I want to see all the
wonders."
You shall see this-at your ease"
Penelope assured him smilingly. Il
can come to see It any afternoon"
And this is his only chance" the
young man interrupted gratefully.
My people are leaving town tonight
else we should have waited for the
evening performance. Still don't
like taking your seat Come with me
to the box office. please. 1t needs-a
good talking to-"
Which am quite equal to under
take by myself Sit down and see the
play" Penelope decided. amazed at
her own self-possesston. She was
even more astonished when. in the
L bby-to which he had followed her
the young man touched her arm, say
ing deferentialIy: You must let me
have your name-here is my card.
imply can't thank you enough-dad's
heart was so set on this"
Penelope took the card without
loking at 1t. handing over her own.
ACE down, in return. Then. with
quick Go right back to dad" she
Garted outside, resolved to have It
cut with the box Office at more
convenient season. She had had ex-
element enough for one day.
Next afternoon she had a surprise
the maid brought in cards for her
Mr. and Mrs. Adriance had called to
see her. Perhaps fate and provisions
anyhow something had inspired Pen
TO curl her hair and get into pale
violet afternoon frock that became
her wonderfully we'll Thus 1t hap
pened she was all unlike the forbid
ding tailor-made self the visitors ex
pected to ind.
The change put them all at their
ease. Tho Advances, 1t turned out.
had several friends who were well
known to the Chesters. That had
emboldened them to come over and
ask Pen to make one OF a theater
party the following week. with lit
tlo supper afterward.
This was but the first of a series OF
happy outings-to dinners. to theaters.
to concerts and many delightful en-
tertainments. After six weeks OF It
Pen took herself sternly to task-she
was growing too fond OF all this. She
did not admit 1t even to herself, but
she knew sh, was growing fond OF
Frank Adrianco He was not mar
ried, 1t turned out-the gay young
matron who sat by his side at the
theater was his sister-in-law Her hus-
band was abroad on business and
they were living at a hotel for the
winter.
One day when she was at her worst
-sallow and hollow-eyed from her
effort to crush her growing fondness
for Frank-the affair came to a crisis.
As It happened. she had dressed her
self in a forbidding. slouchy green
something, at which even economy in
the person Of Grandma Betton had
cried out aghast Yet when Frank
Adriance, unannounced, came upon
her in the library. on her knees. sort
ing old prints and papers, he did
al - -.