The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-07-27
CHAPTER vI-contInued.

They did their best to spoil him; he
was the son Of the biggest man in
Sheffield. They wondered at his friend
ship for the demure little bundle girl.
who's this Charlie you and Fran
els Willetts always talkin' about,
Mary Alicer they would query.
Whats the matter with him, is he
sick? What can't walk? Poor little
teller! Les go out and see him some
Sunday, girls. Could we, Mary Alice?"
They did 1t, too. Martha made ice
cream again, and Charlie had a heaven
ay afternoon. The girls bubbled and
gurgled and exclaimed over his lovely
golden hair and his shining blue eyes.
Mary Alice told me all about you"
said Charlie. You're Grace, and
you're Sadie, and you're Minnie"
Mary Alice had introduced them as
Miss Corrigan and Miss Tifft and Miss
Sternhelm.
How'd you know, dear?" they
ehorused.
"Mary Alice, she 'scribed you. She
says you know another friend o. mine,
too. He's Francis Willett."
''You bet we do; he's Mary Allce's
steadyw
Charlie looked puzzled. Mary Alice
blushed.
"Cut It out, Min" warned Grace.
whats he know about steadies?"
Going back to town on the trolley
car. Minnie suddenly turned to Mary
Alice.
who'd Charlie mean by the boss
and Lem? guess the boss is his IA
ther; but who's LemT
Mary Alice choked on nothing.
clutched her seat, and opened her
mouth to answer. Just as surely as
she lived, she meant to say: Hes my
father" But it wouldn't come out.
She tried three times; no use. Then
she said: Lem? Oh, Lem. Why
he's Mr.. Thomas hired man"
It did not salve Mary Alice's con-
science TO reflect that she had told the
exact truth. She lay awake that night
trying to square things with herself.
Before her, IN the dark, floated the
face OF an indolent, injured angel,
framed In billowlng border Of shin
ing. priceless gold, and the eyes were
very sad and surprised and accusing.
Mary Alice hid her face I'm the pillow
and promised herself and Charlie that
she would tell the girls In the morning
who Lem really was. SO she went to
sleep, quite easy I'm her mind.
But you know you can't, somehow,
stand up in a sort OF pulpit, like an
armed fortress, above eyerybody's
head, and shout down that your father
Is farmers hired man. IL would be
absurd Mary Alice postponed the
revelation indefinitely. You must re-
member that Mary Alice was. after all,
only little girl, less than thirteen
years old.
One day the foorwalker brought
Mary Alice a letter. IL was addressed
On pencil, and all the "a's" were very
round, and the loop Of the 81" rather
liberal The lower part OF the "B"
was smaller than the second story part,
and the punctuation not unoriginal.
Aside from these minor details, It was
@ good, shipshape letter.
"Oh. Mary Alice's got a letter" cried
the girls. who's it from. honey
Francis, I bet a coolzy You'll let me
read H. won't you, Mary Alice7 See
n he says anything about me In It.
Does he send us his lover
Mary Alice wouldn't open the letter,
but tucked II in her apron pocket. and
the girls pouted and said she was a
mean old thing. The forenoon went
halungly.
Up IN the girls rest room, at the
lunch hour Mary Alice stole on In a
corner and eagerly slit the envelope
with o haipin. This is what she read:
Saint Michaors School.
Lake Valley.
Dear Mary Alice. Wen here i am at
last ln prep school no ia a dandy place
nd there Gre most two hundred fellows
ere and We are ali going 90 the same
-alIcEe 49,.
We'll thought would write you Mary