Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-12-07
Il! RAINY WEATHER
Rv ELIZAeETH SHIELDS.


without lctup. Everyone at the hotei
WAS bored stiff, actually stiff
Great guns incIcgantly plped Eu
lalia Heres that creature agalh'
The creature referred TO was 1or-
lnrn little woman in cheap black WHO
Slipped into the hotel lobby
Then mother fluttCred over. Jal'V,
run over to father and interrupt him'
she begged of me. ITS perfectly ols-
graceful the way he neglects his daugh-
tcrS.'
Poor father had been having a de-
lightrul time during the whole three
blessed days of rain. He smoked anu
smoked and smoked and talked war
anal finar.ce To the-well, really, the
stunuiugcst raan ever saw! Did you
ever see anyone so dislinGuished'
rushed mother.
Just then the stranger looked ABOUT
and. after giving me mere passing
glance, his eyes rested on the lace OF
the wcman in black. The kindest eX-
preston came into MS eyes-the way
one looks at helpless, pretty babies.
His eyes wandered on to Eulalie.
Leave it to our mother to follow up
the slightest chance where her daugh-
ters are concerned. She actually
bounced on the man! Father was
partled and got fused. Eulalie trailed
lsnguidly into the same armchair Ia
thcr had occupied and soon father dls-
appeared. made up the fourth in the
party.
I'll confess THAT although Eulalie and
| did our very prettieSt, to say nothing
Of mothers amiability, everyone watch
lng knew the man simply could not
keep his eyes off that shrinking figure
In rusty black.
Ills name, we found, was Donald
Slater, and his stay at the mountain
resort was uncertain. His desire TO
keep his eyes on the perfectly lovely
profile of the little creature in Dlack
damDcned even Eulalie's irrepressiDle
vivacity.
III been trained to be the tactful one
Of our family, being the palmer of the
girls. SO, remembering about 1t in
time, l gracefully approached the wom-
an. taking a chair directly in front OF
her.
"BcaStly weather." began, smiling
at her kindly.
Would you believe it-she opened
her lips to answer and they stayed
that way. Tears filed her eyes and
Grippcd over, running down her cheeks.
The girl looked about, in pathetical-
ly confused way, then rushed to tha
vcranda door. She tried to open IT
but couldn't. Bat the girl persisted In
trying to wrench it open and, with the
assistance Of a tremendous gust, 1t
opened, laying her fat on the floor.
Frcm his seat on the big divan, sur
rounded 81 pillows and Sister Eulalie,
the Slater man leaped to the middle of
the lobby, stopped over the little fig
ure and picked her up in his arms.
II want, to go away from here" the
Tttls-+Iss.-s-asnaned- With nn211R- Slar
teTs arm supporting her, the woman
sobbed her way up the stairs.
Then for two hours everyone sat
about staring at her neighbors. Slater
and the girl did not appear again.
When l could no longer bear the ac-
cuSing eyes of mother and Eulalie,
fed TO my room.
1 unfastened a string OF pearls from
my throat, threw them on the dresser
and myself Oh couch.
In another second l was sitting up
straight, dumb with terror. l wanted
10 shrek, tut could not. 1 saw my
string of pearls disappear, bead by
head, over the side of the dresser.
Through the opening of the curtain.
Ny dresser was close TO the door lead
inG into the hall. Ii was fully five min
utcS before l came to my senses. Then
| rushed downst. rS, through Eulale's
room. | WIS, l confess, too scared to
leave through ny door. whispered
to mother about the necklace
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80, W." u". n.y. ''',' iu'','' ',''N
''.,.>, ,'' ~ "V TIo N'le" III, nv
nV te4' 'i'' Ho'ei o,'s anu o"Ss'se
just otioie you c"ihe uo"ii' se'eiieiS
CD;
''Ns"te" i"o'iSi' lier eyes were sun
Icu iron! weeping poor thihs.
" mere Is the Slater in"h! "ahteu
~ hi4o"'
iie i'''''e" h.F MS MOTOR she WAS
H'l.i Htl '"GS an" q! ii-S'