The Penn's Grove record., 1916-08-18
A CHANGE OF MIND
BY EARL REED sILVERs.

"It's from m sister," he informed
his roommate. "She's going to bring
a girl home with her for the spring
vacation"
."WeIl, what Of it?" Jack Ackley
stretched i%ndolently on the cushioned
window seat.
"What of it?" Dick threw the letter
on the desk. "You don't know my sis
ter, do you? Well, she's a highbrow in
Vassar, and whenever she m home
she brings along some bespeckled old
maid who talks about new thought or
something else that 1 don't know any
thing about"
"Why don't you go home with met"
81 can't. We've never been sep
arated on Easter, and dad is set on
the idea of having us all together"
"Can't you come the day after
Eastern"
by George, so / cam" Dick looked
up hopefully. "Tll go to New York to
visit you next Monday"
"All right, I'll be looking for you"
Jack glanced at his watch. YOU'D
better hustle if you're going to get
that train"
"Well so long," he said. "See you
next week." His eyes fell upon the
letter lying on the desk. "Oh, yes"
he added, my loving sister told me to
keep a lookout for Miss Mary Hughes
at Poughkeepsie. She's the girl who's
coming to see US, and is expected to
take the same train that l do. Sis
went down yesterday"
Dick secured q Pullman seat at AL
bany, and gave his attention to a
magazine until Poughkeepsie was
reached. Then, however, he looked
interestingly out of the window. Vas
n girls, dressed in all their spring
finery, were crowding on the train.
Two girls entered the car. One had
blue eyes, the color of the sky on a
perfect June day. The other wore
~spectacles and carried a book on
Modern Philosophy" The girl with
the blue eyes sat opposite him, and the
one with the spectacles took the va
can seat farther down the car. The
train started, but Dick Stevens did not
turn again to his magazine. The girl
across the aisle looked over at him
md so he put the magazine away in
his bag.
Then IS minutes went before any
thing happened. Finally Dick took a
chance.
Its rather tiresome riding" he vol
unteered, wheeling in his chair.
eyes, it is"
"Would you like something to ready"
mo, thank you. 1t hurts my eyes
to read On the train"
"Do you mind if I talk to you?'
Dicks eyes looked frankly into her
own, and the girl smiled family.
"Why, no, not at all" she answered
frankly. ut will help to break the
monotony of the trip"
"Thank youl" Dick smiled whim-
sically. "What shall we talk about?"
Anything you say"
swell, I'm going to tell you my
name first. I'm Dick Stevens, and I
live in Linden, N. j." She started
slightly, but he failed to notice it.
Tn going home for a vacation in the
deadest place on EARTH"
> "Why," she said-and there was a
decided twinkle in her eyes-"Tve
heard something about Linden. / al
ways thought it was quite a nice lit
tie place."
st is, sometimes Dick admitted,
"but it won't be for me this vacation"
"Why?"
sGyNTDI1 unxv. s1k.x,t@ - -1-s@. - ~
sar; maybe you know her-Betty Stew
ems" The girl looked interested.
"Every vacation she brings home some
highbrow whom l nave to entertain"
'That's too bad" She looked at him
sympathetically. "Do you know who
she's going to have this timer"
Eyes, a girl named Mary Hughes.
You can tell by her name that she's an
old maid" His eyes fell upon the be
specialized individual who sat at the
other end of the EAR. 81 shouldn't be
at all surprised if it was that young
lady over there. But I'll only have to
be with her for two days."
"Why is that?"
"Tm going to New York the day aft
er Easter to visit my roommate, Jack
Ackley."
Maybe" Dick hesitated for an in
slant, then plunged boldly ahead,
maybe, if you're going to spend your
vacation near New York you could let
me come to see YOU"
maybe could" She smiled. But
1t wouldn't be quite proper, would it?"
"Why, surely!" Dick leaned for
ward. "You probably know my sis
ter
Eyes, I know her rather well. And
I'm going to stay heal New York,
too"
you mind telling me your name
n address? l can get Betty to
write o a letter introducing me-"
My name she hesitated a MOI
ment, her eyes bubbling over with funl