The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-08-28
Little Sister
i,
BY R. RAY BAKER

Of her room and looked out on
dreary, drizzly day--Sunday. March
30. In one hand she held letter
which was somewhat crumpled. as
though she had started to convert II
Into waste paper and had thought bet.
ter Of Il.
Two robins were holding conversa.
Hon In the tree whose branches
brushed the window. The birds start
ed out as II they were quarrc,Ing. but
the excited chirplng diminished into
sound that was as near cooling as can
be expected Of robins.
Wouldn't II be fine to be birdr'
Frances sighed. They're always
happy, II seems"
She looked ut the letter and wry
little smile adorned her face.
"Ec calls me sister," she mused.
That's what they all say when they
want to leave you for someone else.
Little slster'--that's what he says. II
sounds pretty, but he used to say
things that were prettier."
She stood up and made a motion as
though to throw the letter In the
wastebasket. but changed her mind
again and placed II In a drawer Of the
dresser. Then she stood before the
mirror and surveyed herself critically
for Several moments.
Tie person who gazed back at
Frances from the glass was not ex-
actly beautiful. but there was some
thing about her that would not permit
her to pass unnoticed In q crowd. The
eyes were Just common eyes; that II.
there were no special arches to the
brows. and the long. graceful lashes
that are considered 40 desirable were
not there. There wac lot Of good.
wholesome blue In the eyes. which
could not be discounted In an inven-
tory Of attractive points.
The nose was Inclined to be ''pug."
which gave the face a kind Of saucy
look. and the hair was nearly stringy
being Of q rusty hue; but there was
plenty Of II, and It was done up a.
tractively, II not up to the minute In
style. The teeth were the principal
attraction Of Frances Hayden's c0un
tenance. When she smiled even the
least bit they showed. dazzling white
and even. and the smile was about as
sweet as any girl could hope to offer.
But Frances was unhappy. She had
long suspected that Melville Clark had
ceased to care for her--in the way he
once had cared. But. she told herself.
II was hardly unexpected. despite the
protestations Melville had made. when
he left Glendale two years ago. that he
would never care for another girl and
that he was coming back 'soms bright.
sunny day" to make her Mrs Clark.
She remembered the apprehension
she had entertained at that time. re-
gardless of his earnest words. that he
would come across someone else In the
big city. However. Melville had writ
ten steadily for q year. and In every
letter had reiterated his Intentions.
During the next year. however. she
could not help noticing that bis letters
alluded more and more to friendship
and less to. love. Finally they dropped
OF altogether. u0.il for period Of
Ave months none came ut all.
Frances went about her steno.
graphic duties In the real estate ofics
with the usual smile and the same ca
pacity for work that she had always
displayed, but when she got homo u
night she oftsn shut herself In hss
room and thought hard. and sometimes
cried Q little.
Frances had given her heart to Mel
Vile when he went to the city to make
Q name for himself and few coins foi
his pocket. II was hard and rocky
road. a. his letters showed during that
nrst year. and then his communlca.
tions began TO take on more hopeful
tone. Things are coming. slowly buI
surely" he would write.
Frances hoped In vain that Melville
would return home for q visit. He
had said he would come for her when
he "made good" but now. when hs
was making good. there was no men
tion of the visit. Then came this let
| teT ICtCItinB " hSA - utttC bt1toE,
In which he told her that he had aI
last attained the object he had sought
He was q successful stock broker. with
an ONCE Of his own and neat sum Ia
bank. But never a.mention Of coming
to Glendale did the letter contain.
Later In the day the sun chased ths
clouds away and warmed the earth
again and Frances went for walk.
maybe this II the bright. sunny day
he referred to-" she said. as she
threaded her way through the village
and she laughed. with tInge Of wist
fulness. when she recalled the "littls
sister" passages of the epistle from
Melville.j
At the edge Of Glendale was wood
en- bridge which spanned silent little
brook, vending its way through the
valley with many twists and turns
Foliage was beginning to adorn the nu
merous trees on either side Of the
stream. which looked delightfully."- re-
freshing. Frances leaned over the
|, railing and looked into . miniature