Evening star., 1917-10-28

---BY---
SEWELL FORD

to the emergency. I'm afraid coulan.t
qualify" =,
Mrs. Parker Smith only smiles u.
dulgent.
says she. "and most OF our young mea
come from the state Agricultural col
leses."
That listens allurinG-soms" admits
Claire. But can't see myself plaatsa
ten miles out on r. F. D. route. even
with colleGe-bred help.
''Meadowbrae is only ten minutss run
by motor from the Country Club" slyS
auntie.
Providing you can start the nivvss. I
suppose" adds Claire. Pardon mo II !
light another dope-stick."
I could get her idea easy enough. by
then. Claire wasn't half so sporty ~ OAe
hoped she was. 1t was just her way "
But. at the same time. We couldn' help
feelin' kind Of sorry for Mrs. Parksr
Smith. She was tryin' to be % nice and
friendly. and she wasn't settin' anywnsfs
at all.
It was by way of switchin' the hns Of
table chat. l expect. that Wee ofea1
In with that remark about the only Diecs
"Wha, a duck Of a braoeiet!" says YES.
AN heirloom, isn't it?'
Almost" says Mrs. Parker Smith.
1T was given to me on my twenty-second
birthday. in Florence
She slips It of and passes It over for
inspection. The part that goes around
the wrist is all OF fine chain work. silver
and gold. woven almost like cloth. and on
top Is a cameo most as big a. clam.
'O-o-oh"' says Wee. gaspin' a little.
In handling the thing she must have
pressed catch somewhere. for the cameo
springs back. revealin' locket effect IN
derneath with a picture in it. Course. we
couldn't help seein'
"Why-why--" says Wee. gasin' from
the picture to Mrs. Parker Smith. Isn't
this portrait of-of-''
'of a very silly young woman" cuts
in auntie. I'VE waited in Florence Q
week to have that finished
..Then-then It is your asks Wee.
The lady In gray mods. Wee asks~H
she may show 1t to Claire.
why not?" says Mrs. Parker Smith.
smilin'
We didn't stop to explain; pa.... !.
her face. For the dinky little picture
under the cameo is a dead ringer for fhs
one Claire had shown US in tho silver
frame. SO 1t was Claire's turn to catch
a short breath.
Don't tell me- says she. ''that-that
you are Clara LAMAR
Which was when auntie got her big
jolt. For a second the pink fades out Of
her cheeks. and the salad fork she'd bsen
holdin' rattles into her plate. She makss
quick recovery. though.
u was-once." says she. IT had hoped.
tnOuRn. Inat the name naQ Deen IOfBOts
ten Tell me. how-how did you hap.
pen To-
why" says Claire. uncle had the
scrap-book habit. Anyway found this
one in an old desk. and IL was all about
you. Your picture was in 1t. too. And
say. auntie. you were the real thing.
weren't you?'
Well, after that 1t was q reg'laf re-
union. For Claire had dug up her
auntie protests that she amt that SORT
OF a party now, and hasn't been for
years and years. Claire keeps right on.
She's consistent admirer. even II she
is a little late.
'If had only known II was you" says
she.
..Then-then you'n come to Msadot-
You bet,' says Claire. "BetWesn you
and me. this art career of mine han
rather fizzled out. Besides. keeping Il UP
has got to be rather bore. Honest q
spaghetti and cigarette life Is . lot
more romantic to read about than tt 10
to follow Whether I could learn to run
a dairy farm or not. 1 don't know: but
I'm blessed II don't give It . dL
When do we start?''
Claire meant every word Of II, too.
When she set out to do mop, she made
a clean job of II. Her first move is to
chuck nearly a whole box Of cork tip6
under the table. And the last we saw
of her. she and auntie were headed for
But" says Wee. Il can't imagine her
on a farm
"oh. 1 don't know says /. Didn't
you notice she couldn't smoke without
gettin it up her nose?"
Copyright. 1917. BY ssvsr fsrd)