The Washington herald., 1918-12-27
THE LOVE AFFAIR OF A HOMELY GIRL
ny JEAN LOUISE DE FOREST.

those out. ] declare III not eat an
other thing"
The Change In Reseees.
Rebecca clspped her hands.
II was but a month since she had
read Maud's letter, but during the
twenty eight dsss and twenty-eirht
nights which followed she had grown
first 10 laugh at her ugiiness, then
to forget IL. and lastly 20 experience
the emotions Of a beautiful woman.
and to feel that assurance which she
had imagined only beautiful women
could feel She no longer needed her
memories OF other women TO aid her.
IL is true that at first she had tricked
herself out In borrowed Fraces, with
the delight of a child who steals her
mothers finery and goes out among
her companions on a masquerade; but
as the days passed, she found that
she possessed in herself a fund Of
wit which he had never once su,,
pected. a sharpness OF repsrtee, g
power OF telling humorous anecdotes.
gift OF delightful description.
And she was well read.
Step by step she kept pace with
Martin when they discussed the great
masterpieces of poets or Of novelstE.
And this untrammeled mental activ-
ity Of which she had until now known
nothing. except for the slight sharing
Of 1t with her mother. had in even
so short a time changed the very
way in which she walked, the way in
which she carried her head. and the
expression in her eyes
She was fast forgetting her appear
ance, very much in the way that q
perfectly gowned woman forgets hers.
because she knows herself 10 be above
criticism She no longer crinEed
among her fellows. like some brow
, beaten child, expecting and thus in
viting q blow
When Rebeccs had laid upon tn.
rock paper napkins and cardboard
plates. and cups Of milky agatewsre
and knives and forks and spoons Of q
I quality beftting their surroundings,
she went back to the fire and once
more stirred the potatoes and onions
which by this time ciamored TO be
/ eaten, and then showed them aside
! into a bUbbling hollow. After that
she prepared the chief dish. keeping
/ UP meanwhile a running fire OF small
| talk
The sky is almost the color Of a
| sapphire" she said. 1t reminds me
Of the wonderful days that spent in
Venice. There is not a cloud 10 be
seen.
DO you hear the crows- They are
\ so high above us that they look like
/ tiny specks, and yet can hear their
cry. I wonder IL they smell our din
| ner and are keeping watch"
Preparing the Feast.
She placed more bacon in the cen
, ter Of the flat stone, and then laid
! the fish, four Of them. fat and white
with the flour which Bridget had pro-
vided, side by side in the sputtinE.
I savory gravy. Then she dropped the
bag OF coffee into the boiling water
and set the pail a little back. where
( II might steep
That is the only proper way TO
make it." she declared
| Isn't IL almost time for lunch -
asked Martin.
Not yet You must be a good boy
( or mother won't give you any"
Martin laughed again. How many
! things Rebecca said TO make him
! laugh, How she loved 10 hear him
Come" she said. you may view
/ the valley. First. though, let me put
| the corn TO roast"
The sun was almost overhead by this
/ time. but a fresh breeze had sprunEi
up so that they were cool and com
Portable And the tall. waving trees
rising on all sides OF them. their
trunks screened by newer growths.
gave an atmosphere OF seclusion. To
| all appearances. they two might have
been alone amid a primeval forest.
Rebecca led him through a dense
clump Of white birches. and then
came 10 a sudden halt
This is a wonderful spot" she said
! we seem to be on the summit Of
mountain From where We stand the
| ground slopes down abruptly through
great masses Of crumbling stones and
] small pines. II is the northern side
Of the plateau. Here we may find
snow after 1t has left the top
A. Corot wosId Paint It.
Now it is beautiful and green.
Farther down a river runs. winding
away in the distance behind a cluster
OF farmhouses. Here are great fields
OF grain, and pastures filled some
with sheep and others with cattle To
the left grazes a herd Of Holstein
cows-two hundred OF them.
Along the horizon rise the church
spires or Hsmon. And over every
thing is the golden haze OF Corot II
is all level. pleasant farming cOun-
try. with rolling fields. and quiet
brown roads shaded by elms and
maples-with here and there a utuS
patch Of woodland"
; Il see it," said Martin
I must return 10 my FISH" said
Rebeccs, making an abrupt transition.
Finally the repsst was ready.
Rebecs placed a trout upon each
plate. hesped them with the mixture
NJ lafT thereon
an ear OF corn, poured out the CoffeC
filled two cups with clear brook
water. brought forth sandwiches Of
bread and butter. and then they fell
upon and demolished their portions
with the interest Of day laborers. re-
turning to the hot stone for a second
supply.
The Way to Mans Heart.
Il never knew that any one could
enjoy food as much as 7 have enjoyed
this" Martin volunteered, when he
had scraped the last edible scrap from
! his plate.
ITS the fresh air and the novelty
of it," said Re5ecca. Il love il this
. way. too. but I suppose that It would
grow TO be an old story II We did u
too often"
u could stand a good bit OF Il. II
is what I've wanted all my life. the
. open. II is what I've never had. what
I imagined had not time for"
! He sighed.
When they had finished everything
. down to the tiny crumbs OF bacon
left on the stone, Rebeccs began 10
gather UP the Soiled dishes and "a
, repack them in the basket.
There, that's over" she said, AL