South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-09
A Cure for Phoebe
By Hiida Morris

Phoebe was not seriously i'll. the
doctor said so. In fact he said
that there was nothing much the
matter with her beyond the weak
ness following a mid winter attack
of grip. Yet she was listless.
pale and always tired. Her mother
made her esg-nogs and her father
gave her an occasional extra check
for hats or blouses, but Phoebe did
not seem to- improve. She was not
interested in anything in particular,
even clothes. She spent her days
quietly at home with no desire to go
about, and every night she went to
bed very early. Ii was certainly
not excitement that was ailing
Phoebe.
Her mother was telling Aunt Kate
about il on a certain afternoon
when Phoebe was not present.
Aunt Kate was a very brusque md
clever lady whose home was in the
nearby city, and she had daush-
tiers of her own, happily married
daughters.
Aunt Kate gave utterance 10 a
sound which in less elegant per
son might have called a snort
HIN, 1 think the trouble is
she's not in love. You let me take
Phoebe home for a month and see
what ] can do"
So within a week Phoebe found
herself established in Aunt Hates
city apartment with daily program
OF duties and pleasures quite diff
ferent from any that she had ever
known.
"Of course you'll want 10 spend
Tuesdays witt me at the Red cross
rooms" Aunt Kate began. and
Mondays and Thursday evenings you
can help at the sailors club. They
need some one to help entertain the
boys. And Friday nishts-"
But Aunt Kate the girl pro-
tested. I'm afraid I can't do so
much. You see I'm not used TO go
ing out at night
Well well see. You can start this
way. and if you get too tired Wen
drop some of them"
As a matter Of fact Phoebe did get
very tired The first week she
thought that she should die. But
there was something about Aunt
Hates boundless energy that made
her rather ashamed TO confess that
her head ached or her back was
tired. so she kept silerce And the
second week
II was Aunt Kate herself who did
H. she had known Clayton Coles
when ne was a very small boy back
i'm her little New England home
town And she had known him at
college when she went down 20 visit
her own son. she liked Clayton
coles So. although 1t may have been
chance which made him, as youns
lieutenant I'm blue seek the sailors
club ON one of Phoebe's evenings,
more probably 10 was Aunt Kate.
She brousht him up and introduced
him 10 her niece when they happen
I'd 20 be near rather secluded
inElc-nook Then she went of ana
left them
Now "a sailor and an ingle-nook
do not necessarily lead TO anything
they do not. But Aunt Kate was
willing 10 take a chance There
were other sailors il this one failed
of her purpose. As it happened.
however. he did not fail Phoebe
seemed TO be unusually vivacious
the next day. and Aunt Kate actually
heard her sinsing as she moved
about her room. And the Thursday
following she was ready Cor the
sailors club half-hour before il
was time TO go.
Aren't you TOO tired. DEAR" Aunt
Kate asked with something of mis-
chief n her tone as she noted Phoe-
be's unusually glowing cheeks Per
haps YOU had better stay at home. q"
"Oh no, Aunt Kate. I'm not AT all
tired. Really
IL was only "A few DAYS after chat
that clayton coles dropped in one
afternoon when he had leave" and
Phoebe's month had 20 be extended
20 accommodate the number OF sun
days chat he spent with her. II
was strange how much Better Phoe-
be began 20 feel after a short tine