Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-04-10
Epening Story
BEN,TA's CHOICE.
{ Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

] d1lu uCllDSl dlCly Oh Nv looN ASAAS'
There are times when home seems the
very last desirable place in the world
to go, and this was one Of them. First
of all. Grandmother Rollins had told
her at least seven times that day to
count her blessings one by one, and
she'd be surprised to see what the
Lord had done.
From which it may be gathered that
Bonita was on n of her rebellious
streaks. And, again, Tom had demand
ed to know. again and again, what in
tunket allied her, anyhow. Tom was
fourteen and without understanding.
sympathy or philosophy Of life. Then,
her mother had said:
Bonita. child, what does all you?
You act bewitched. Youn drop every
thing you touch, and you haven't a
decent word for anybody in the fami-
!ly."
Why should she have? thought
Benati haughtily. Weren't they all
against her? Wasn't 1t bad enough 70
have a name tackled on one like Bonita
Dusenberry,, coupled with an artistic
temperament. and then have a family
without any of the finer instincts Of
all? Somehow she had never noticed
the lack Of those finer instincts until
Jessica and her brother had come to
stop awhile at the Three Pines.
When the Dusenberry fortunes had
first fiuctuated. they had taken the
rambling old country home, and turn
ed it into a sort Of wayside inn,
catching the automobile traffice in the
summer time. and seeking select pay
ing guests in cold weather. In this
class belonged Jessica and her
brother.
From the first day Of their arrival,
Bonita had realized the gulf that sep
arated her from the rest of the family,
and what it meant to find ones proper
equation. That was Jessica's W term
for 1.-THE proper equation'-and 1t
meant being with people of your own
kind who understand you. Bonita had
carried up some clean towels and a
fresh cake Of the oval pink soap re.
served for guests. and stood dazzled
and charged at the sight Of Jessica
u%npacking her trunk.
81 make most of them myself said
Jessica, airily, when l am in the
mood. 1t isn't so much the finish one
puts on gowns. It's all in the lines and
the effect"
Wallace, the tall, fair musician
brother, seemed to belong to Jessica
quite as naturally IS the artistic
gowns. He was dreamy and aloof. He
took long, solitary walks through the
woods and roads, and came back to
improvise marvellous airs on his violin.
When one spoke to him he smiled and
bowed, and looked wonderfully intelli.
gent. Mrs. Dusenberry said, quite as
II she had ben speaking Of krag, the
big sheep dog. Once when Bonita had
been hurrying " from a neighbors
with a borrowed meat grinder. she had
met him, standing enraptured, gazing
at something in his hand.
Little girl" he had said. Can you
tell me the name OF this "
"Adder's tongue" answered Bonita,
pushing back her hair. and trying to
look as grown-up as she could. She
thought everybody knew what plain,
She told Len about it when he came
up to help Tom with the wood-cutting.
Len was twenty and nearly six feet
tall. He looked fearfully hearty beside
Wallace. She only thought of him as
Wallace. To his face she called him
Mr.. Farley, Of Course, but when she
stopped in the hall to listen to the
violin playing. she would say, with a
little sigh Of rapture. Wallace. Wal.
lace!" - impersonally. Of course.
Len had laughed and said he looked
sort of peaked" Genius should look
ethereal, Bonita had thought. Then the
climax came. Jessica told her that she,
Bonita. was the inspiration, "The Maid
O. the Pines"
81 hope he will be able to capture il
and write it down. It has all the wall
ing Of the wind in the pines In It. and
the mystical warnings Of the unleged
soul" she explained.
Bonita was glad he had put ii into
words. After the dishes were finished
she threw a cape around her and went
out under the three tall pine trees in
trent Of the house, to catch the mys-
teal yearning herself. But Len came
along from the barn. and stayed talk
ing to her about the concert at the
town hall next week, until her mother
called her in. Also. he reminded her
that they were engaged. Bonita had
put the thought from her for several
weeks.
Il guess BY Easter III have things
settled SO we can be married. ! want
to put a new ell on the kitchen and
plaster two rooms upstairs, and get q
porch on the front of the house.
Mother say she'll spend part OF the
time with sgd and part with Rose till
We get settled down. Think your
mother can a you by them,
Benita?"
Il don't know" Bonita had said
vaguely. ~ think eighteen is plenty
old enough TO get married, and won't
be seventeen till next month
Now had come this final day. Mrs.
Brewster, Lens mother. had sent for
her to help with some quilting.
You might as we'll" cause half OF
them are for you and Lem she said
cheerfully. And all the afternoon
Bonita had quilted and listened TO
long accounts of this piece and that
piece. and whose dresses they had
come from back in the annals Of Lens
family. 1t was specially agg~ravating.
since Wallace had been playing all the
,-nco,an In thA frApt ,,nr, ..rrha maid