Morris tribune., 1916-02-25
Blanca
By EUNICE BLAKE

One day George Tibbitts was at an
auction sale where number Of wax
figures intended to show women's ORA,
perry were being sold, and, fancying the
expression on the face Of one Of them
he bid triflfng amount on it just for
fun, he said. To his surprise the figure
was knocked down to him. He order.
ed it sent home and when it came car
ried it up to his room. His sister, Fred
RIGA, stood looking on wonder struck.
Permit me to introduce my wife, >
he said, with mock impressiveness
Lets dress her up to see how she
looks"
Fredrica assented, and the figure was
properly attired. There it stood in a
corner, and every time George entered
the room he was greeted with a smile
"By Jove," he exclaimed, II wonder
If this isn't better than the real thing
No scowl, no curtain lecture, no jeal
ousy-all smiles"
One Of Fredrica's former schoolmates
came to visit her. George on being
presented regretted that Mrs. Tibbitts
was indisposed and not fit to make an
appearance to welcome the new ar
rival.
why" said the guest to Fredrica
Il didn't know your brother was mar
ried.'
George z We his sister look, and she
turned the subject.
A few days later the guest, Miss
Eleanor Trevor, asked George how his
wife was setting on.
Poorly" replied George. THE truth
is the day Of your arrived a fire was
built on the hearth. and it was too
hot for her. She is disfgured, 1 fear,
forever" The last words were said
lugubriously.
What pity! Was she badly
burned?'
"Her nose Is all gone" He wiped
away what was supposed to be a tear
Notwithstanding this misfortune,
George at times was very cheerful
His sister asked him what he was driv-
ing at with her friend, and George said
that he wished to win her sympathy.
Just now it was on account of his
wife's misfortune. By and by it
would be on account of his being tied
to a disfgured woman. He told Fred.
RIGA that if she would keep mum he
would give her something pretty.
One day George came downstairs evil
IDENTIFY much excited and reported to
friedrich and Eleanor that Blanca
that was the name he gave his wife
had fallen against the corner of a bu-
reau and one of her eyes had been
knocked out.
Poor fellowr' exclaimed Eleanor
II mean, poor woman
George looked at his sister, as much
as to say, didn't tell you SOP
The next day George came to Flea
nor, looking almost heartbroken She
asked him. what new trouble had come
upon him.
1--WE been cruelty deceived he said
''By whOm?"
Blanca. She never told me she had
a glass eye. It was knocked out by
her fall, and found it on the floor"
CHATS too bad," said the sympa,
thetic girl. She was thinking what 9
sad case it was for George to be tied
up to q woman whose nose had beer
disfigured and who wore a glass eye
But the worst Of it all was that the
door how had been deceived
Eleanor was curious to see Mrs. lib
bits, but George declared that she
would see no one unless a new nose
could be spliced on to her face, and
since the accident she had not beer
able to wear her glass eye. He seem
Miss Trevor, and Miss Trevor had mo-
the heart to refuse to console so I'm
fortunate a man. Eleanor told Fred
RIGA that she feared she would be
blamed in the matter, but Fredrica as
sured her that she was perfectly right
to do what she could to alleviate he1
brothers misfortunes.
George grew devoted to Eleanor IL
proportion as his wife met with new
misfOrtunes. One day the poor wo
man eliminated one of her cheeks will
hot curling iron; the next she burned
off a lot of her hair by getting too
near gas Jet. Indeed, it seemed tha
presently the only pretty thing abon
her would be her name.
Then Blanca was stricken witt
smallpox. and the last agony in thi!
series of misfOrtunes came one even
ing when George announced in {
broken voice that Bianca's pure sou
had gone to heaven. Eleanor did 10
stop to think that a woman who haC
deceived lover with a glass eye coulC
hardly be called a pure soul. She pu
her arms around the Widower to com
fort him, and somehow or other thei
cheeks grazed.. Fredrica says their lip
met
"You may see her." said George
Her disfigurements make no differ
ence now" .
With his arm around his comforter
waist, Fredrica behind stufing he
handkerchief into her mouth to keel
Co..