Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1917-03-28
Copyright, by the Bebbs-Merrill Com
pany.)
she Comes to Grief.

panyD
she Comes to Grief.
Fairy was one of those buoyant,
Warm-blooded girls to whom sleep is
indeed the great restorer. Now she
stood in the kitchen door, tall, cheeks
glowing, eyes sparkling, and smiled at
her sisters solemn back.
'sYou are the little mousey, Prue,"
she said, in her full rich voice. II
didn't hear you come to bed last night,
and I didn't hear you getting out this
morning. Why, what is the matter?"
For Prudence had turned her face to-
ward her sister, and it was so white
and so unnatural that Fairy was
shocked.
{ Prudence! You are sick! Go to
bed and let me get breakfast. Here,
get out of this, and will
''There's nothing the matter with me.
[ had headache, and did not sleep,
but am all right now. Are the girls
mp yet?"
Fairy eyed her suspiciously. "Jerry
Is out unusually early, too, isn't he?
His door is open"
"Jerry has gone Fairy" Prudence's
back was presented to view once more,
and Prudence was stirring the oatmeal
with vicious energy. "He left early
this morning. suppose he is halfway
to Des Moines by now"
"Oh!" Fairy's voice was noncom-
initial. "When is he coming back?"
"He isn't coming back. Please
hurry, Fairy, and call the others. The
oatmeal is ready"
Fairy went sOberly up the stairs.
pstensibly to call her sisters.
Girls" she began, carefully closing
the door of their room behind her.
Jerry has gone, and isn't coming back
any more. And for goodness sake,
don't keep asking questions about it.
Just eat your breakfast as usual, and
have a little tact.''
"A lovers quarrel" suggested Lark,
her eyes glittered greedily.
Nothing Of the sort And don't keep
staring at Prue, either. And do not
keep talking about Jerry all the time.
You mind me, or will tell papa"
That's funny" said Carol thought
fully. "We saw them kissing each other
like mad in the back yard last night
and this morning he has gone to return
no more. They are crazy"
kissing! In the back yard! What
are you talking about?'
Carol explained, and Fairy looked
still more thoughtful and perturbed.
She opened the door, and called out
to them in a loud and breezy voice:
Hurry, girls, for breakfast is ready,
and there's no time to waste in par
sonage on Sunday morning." Then she
added in whisper, "And don't you
mention Jerry, and don't ask Prudence
what makes her so pale, or you'll catch
it,"
Then she went to her fathers door.
Breakfast is ready, p pa she called
clearly. She turned the knob softly,
and peeped in. MAY I come in a min
ute?' Standing close beside him, she
told him all she knew of what had hap
pened.
prudence is CHASTITY, father, just
CHASTITY. And she can't talk about it
yet, so be careful what you say, will
yOu?'
And it was due to Fairy's kindly adj
monitions that the parsonage family
took the departure of Jerry so calmly.
That was the beginning of Prudence's
bitter winter. when the brightest sun
shine was cherries and dreary, and
when even the laughter of her sisters
smote harshly upon her ears. She tried
to be as always, but in her eyes the
wounded look fingered, and her face
xrew so pale and thin that her fathet
and Fairy, anxiously watching. were
filled with grave concern. She re.
manned almost constantly in the par.
sonage, reading very little, sitting most
Of her leisure time staring out the. win.
dows.
Fairy had tried to win her conf.
dence, and had failed.
"You are -arling, Fairy, but i real.
" do not want to talk about it. Oh,
no, indeed, it is all my own fault. ]
told him to 60, and not come again.
No, you are wrong, Fairy, do not re
greet it. do not want him to come any
more.''
Mr.. Starr, too, had tried. Prudence, .
be said gently, 'you know very often
men do things that to women seem
wrong and wicked. And maybe they
ire! But men and women are differ
ent by nature, my dear, and we must
remember that. have satisfied myself
hat Jerry is good, and clean, and man
y. ! do not think you should let any
eoolishness Of his in the past come be-
tween you now"
.sYou are mistaken, father. Jerry is
m right, and always was, I am sure.
It is nothing like that. told him to
80, and not to come again. That Is
m"
VA s8s