The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-01-17
SYLVA'S BaEAKAWAY
BY ERNEST A. YOUNG.

SJA'@0 0uiC, w W utT tWeuly-QCA
birthday, had never enjoyed what mos
girls would call a good time. On tina
anniversary her Aunt DOrcas wen
with her to the city, made the round
OF the department stores, bought Syl
via a $7.9S ready-to-wear suit and
$2.4S hat. and ended the days debaucl
by going to a moving picture play.
All through the following week Aun
Dorcas was kept in a panic becaus
Sylvia Gale would talk of nothing els,
but that picture play.
You can see for yourself Jonas,
she told her husband, that Sylvia ha,
inherited a restless streak from he
mother. We never oughter let her z,
to that play. It's stirred her all up.
The next time that they decided tt
visit the city they said nothing abou'
1t before the girl. She overheard then
talking of their intentions and at tn,
same time learned that there we're t.
be no more such excursions for her.
Then she thought of DR.. Edsor
Brooks who had frightened her hall
u OF her wits almost a year ago by
asking her to marry him, when 1t nevel
occurred to her that she was old
enough to marry anybody.
Doctor Edison must be crazy to
think of marrying me-" she had thought
But now, as she brooded over Aunt
Dorcas' show of distress she recalled
the doctors attentions with quickened
heartbeats.
The afternoon before the projected
trip to the city Aunt Dorcas remarked
to Sylvia:
Il was telling your Uncle Jonas last
night we'd better get a new rug for
your ROOM"
The girl was looking out Of a win
dow and did not reply.
"Then." Dorcas Gale continued,
some new wallpaper, and two or three
sort of cheerful pictures would bright
en- up your ROOM"
The next morning Sylvia drove her
aunt and uncle to the railway station,
five miles distant.
Hurry right back, Sylvia" admon-
ished her aunt as they heard the whis-
tie of the incoming train. There's
the chickens to feed and breakfast
dishes to wash"
When she was out of sight of the
station Sylvia laughed derisively. Then
she consulted a pocket railway time
table.
"The 9:34 at Hale's Crossing may
be tagged for passengers Or express"
she read from the folder.
A newspaper clipping in her purse
gave the address, ~ Fillmore place.
where young ladies were wanted to
drill for moving picture cen
But when Sylvia reached Fillmore
place she vas disappointed to find it a
dingy court shut in by cheap tene-
ments.
Her ring at the door Of No. q was
answered by a young man with black,
curly hair, black mustache, and a face
that looked for all the word like that
Of a Corsican bandit in the pic
ture play that had haunted Sylvia's
memory. "
"You come to drill for our great
spectacular drama, miss?" said the
a "Y0u will step In and register"
Sylvia's heart sank IN sudden dis
may. Was this the portal, she asked
herself, by which she was to enter
upon her career of fame and fortune?
IL don't think l will try 1t at
ALL" she said. "You will have to ex.
cuse me. Good-day."
She spent the rest Of the day follow
ing up advertisements for "Female
Help Wanted" and found that the sit
uations were either already filled, or
that they were Of a sort that she was
too inexperienced to undertake. When
evening came she slipped with weari-
into a moving picture theater in
the hope Of soothing her tired nerves.
When she came out upon the crowd
ed street she remembered that she
had engaged no lodgings for the night.
In the chattering throng, she
could not settle her mind upon any
thing, for she was used to thinking
out her problems in solitude. SO she
made her way into a quiet side street.
As she did so a touring car glided
close to the sidewalk curbing and
stopped and the n who was driv-
ing 1t leaned forward and spoke. With
out looking at him she knew who 1t
was.
sylvia" said DR.. Edison Brooks.
hadn't you better ride with me? Ill
take you wherever you say"
The beating of her heart seemed to
time itself to the throb Of the motor as
she got into the car.
"Your aunt and uncle got home
Doctor Ed told her in his
strong, even voice. "They were worry
ng their heads Off about you. SO I I'M
to fetch you home. BY the
way, Sylvia" and the tones became
ess even, "had you forgotten what l
asked of you almost a year ago"
mo, Doctor Ed, ! hadn't forgotten"
laid Sylvia.
"Then mayn't l tell Aunt Dorcas
o night that you answered yes to
ne this time"
II think" said Sylvia, you may tell
Aunt Dorcas that"
After DOrcas and Jones Gale were
n bed that night, both of them stark