The Press., 1918-01-17
A Needless Deception
By LILLIAN HALL CROWLEY
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newsl
 per Syndicat0.)

"Now, mother dear," said Jane, i've simply must fix up the horrid house some way. can't have Ted's mother see such a place."
 "Why make pretense, daughter? This ,. is the way we have lived for the last. four years"
 ''Yes, I know" answered Jane, "but: 1t isn't really our way of living. We; are only waiting until fathers peach crop is a success. But to an outsider this place looks as if 1t belonged to, a Hill Billy. It would class us with them forever"
 Doesn't she like you for yourself, Jane?" asked her mother anxiously.
 "Yes, of course, she has been a per feet dear ever since Ted and became engaged. She made my last week in college the brightest of all for me-"
 "Well, dear, what could we do to this roomT" -~s
 "WeIl do lot of things to it. In the first place, asked Ted to bring his mother and sister the day father is in town to be gone all day. Iknow he wouldn't have any sympathy with the way feel about this and tt-W1u all be over by the time he gets back"
 Mrs. Wilson and her daughter were sitting early one summer morning m the only downstairs room Ill their house. They had come from PeHnsyl- yania four years before when Nathan iel Wilson had invested all he had in a peach orchard in the Ozarks, where one crop with favorable weather con- ditiOns would bring him fortune. He had worked hard to bring his orchard to a state of perfection, but always some unfavOrable occurrence hindered the long-loOked-for bumper crop.
 When his wife had protested against their going to the farm, because Jane's education might be hindered, he had assured her that there was good unl- versity in the town a few miles away and that Jane should have every ad. vantage. He had been able to keep his word and Jane, who had just fin. ished high school in Pennsylvania, en- tered the college. She was now gradu" ated and again home for the summer.
 She had always been a great help to her mother when she was home. She made all the clothes for the family, nut up fruit, cooked, and even helped her father out of doors. She had learned many things in, college, about milk and butter, trees and shrubs, all of which practical knowledge was use ful on the place.
 During her last year of college life love had come knocking at the door of her heart in the per son of Ted SOmer- vile. He belOngcG to one of the wealthy families of the town and his mother was a social leader. They had been very happy in their love, and IheIr joy was complete when Teds mother showed Instant fondnesS. for the young gill her son had chosen. Everything had gone along smoothly until now, when Jane realized what an impression her miserable little home might make on Mrs. SOmerVille. The one large room was kitchen, dining room and living room, while upstairs were two bedrooms. @ssit
 The house, with a few pieces of fur nlture, had been on the farm whefet MT. Wilson had bought 1t. The family had brought no furniture with them except a few old heirlooms. They meant to use the house only until such time as they had money from the big peach crop. Everything hinged on that.
 Mrs. Wilson, never very strong, had lost interest in keeping up her house or her own appearance, and her, hus. band was too busy to notice.
 Now here was her daughter stirring her out of her usual calm lethargy.
 Jane hauled out carpet that had been packed around one of the pre- cious pieces of old mahogany and had since reposed, folded, on the floor of the closet under the staircase. |;
 "Come," said Jane peremptOriIy, 'let's put down this carpet"
 ''But-Jane, never tackled down a carpet befOre!"
 "No, but you have seen them after they were put down. Come, mother dear. Let's hurry"
 After the carpet had been put down Jane looked around with satisfaction until her gaze took in the windows. "No curtains! Mother, haven't you any?" |. k
 I've never had the heart to make | curtains for a room like this,'' replied Mrs. Wilson fOrlOrnly.
 Jane ran to m old chest of drawers, relic of better days, and took out a bolt of white material belonging to her wedding outfit. Now we'll have cur tains for all these windows. The view over the mountain will be lovely and we'll have lots of flowers"
 Jane had called in a couple of the men working in the orchard to carry the kitchen stove out to the back of | the house.
 'You see,'' she instructed, "when go in and out for the tea things 1t will look as though we had a kitchen out there, besides keeping this room per fectly cool"
 'Yes, I see." "NOw, mother, you run up stairs and I'll finish. When you get far enough 1 along I'll do your hair, and, for good ness sake, put on a corset! Get out the one you bought thousand years ago in Philadelphia. Let out the strings, but get into it somehow q haven't had one on for over two years" #, '
 "You simply have to get into one ROW and you must pull it tight enough 10 get into that white muslin dress I made for you last summer and which Pou never wore."
 every we'll" Mrs. Wilson smiled at Ho1s don0htoTSc opfhucio io cyy1n opa6 &1.Io6 70 catch the same spirit
 Jane had arranged tho flowers to her own satisfaction when her mother .ame downstairs.
 q am sure can never fasten this lress; I'm all out of breath now."
 "Never mind, you won't need any breath. l am going to do everything. u