The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-10

Amella active mind. For three
hours she had lain awake, staring in
to the darkness. Lucy Benson-Ellen
Thompson. Why did she persist in
associating the two women who had
hardly characteristic in common
Oh, yes, they measured the same.
Once when Ellen's husband was i'll
she had fitted her Cousins dress to
Lucy. Now she needed Ellen. She
decided she would send for her. In
five minutes she was asleep.
Mrs. Ellen Thompson was fair, for
ty-one and an ardent exponent of the
doughnut philosophy. She laughed
over her Cousins incoherent letter, set
her house in order, and, three days
later, burst in upon Mrs. Hatch.
Eyes, Amelia" she cried, in greet
ling, as she threw her new linen coat
over the back of chair and cleared
place on the table for her smart
spring hat, "I knew you didn't ex-
pect me so soon, but l scented excite
ment, and when anything like that de-
sends upon my native town I want to
be right there. Now talk! You
know I'm safe"
Amelia drew long breath of relief
as she looked into the cheerful face
before her; from her heart she poured
forth the story of the desired gown.
Ellen's blue eyes danced as she
elected herself chairman of a ways
and means committee. "That dress
must be made at once" was the first
decision. "Who can waltz"
CDR. Parkmans wife, but waiting's
not her forte" replied Amelia.
"Then she'll watt" declared Ellen.
And she did.
From her rocking chair by the west
window Ellen controlled the situation
from the outside. AS she expressed
it, she made button holes and sewed
on hooks and eyes with one eye and
watched the streets with the other.
When she saw a prospective visitor
she would sing out warning and
smile as Amelia snatched up an arm
full of sunshiny color and disappeared
into her bedroom. The neighbor
would find both women sewing de.
murely on a black dress for the post
masters wife. When the cousins
were alone once more, Amelia would
dart into the room beyond and return
with the beautiful burden, eager to
continue her labor of love.
81 feel awfully wicked and excited"
declared Ellen, when she tried on the
dress for the third time. "What will
Lucy say?"
But Lucy Benson was saying very
little as she performed her daily tasks
about the house in which she had lived
alone since the death of her mother
five years before. She had hidden
the fashion book beneath some old
papers on the top cupboard shelf.
She wished she had burned it-when
she had strength to wish at all.
Though she knew she was well, phys
ically, the knowledge did not help to
live through the long hours of each
day. When the shrill whistle of the
engine announced the coming of a
passenger train to the little station
over the hill she trembled; when a
stranger passed the window she drew
nervously. And he might not oe
alone! She had thought of that.
Then, one afternoon, she was greatly
surprised to receive note from Anne.
LID dShlIS lleI w COlIle over LIldC al
ternoon, at three, for Crying on"
"Ellen is here, so | got to your dress
sooner than l expected" was the ex-
PLANTATION.
With listless steps Lucy prepared
for a visit to her dressmaker's. She
dreaded, in truth, to meet her twin
friend, as Ellen had been called when
they were schoolmates together. That
Mrs. Thompson looked the younger,
by ten years, she realized when she
pinned on her hat before the friendly
old mirror. She wondered how it
would seem to feel as contented as
Amelia or as buoyantly happy as Ell
len.
Mrs. Thompson welcomed her
friend with a resounding kiss. you're
going to have lovely dress, Lucy"
she cried gaily. you've shown good
taste!"
eyes, black and white is always
sensible" agreed Lucy meekly, as she
sank into a chair by the window.
How'd Amelia come to make it so
soon ?"
ooh, | made her work on il viii I
was here" replied Ellen lightly. 'I'd
rather help her sew for you than for
that has moved to Milford
since l left. Amelia would get INTO
(Continued m nara G