Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-29
Daily Short Story
COMPLETE IN THIS Iss,,E.
Valerie Breaks the Spell"
ny Lily MENnEI


yes, my dear child. the Hatterdeid;
are pursued by bad luck. It's no use
ali her life she wanted to p go to % @ash
she got a starteI na OH pasi middle age
h her leg the very first day out she
lege. tried 70 look Interested. G She had had
come to make her home. with Aunt
family. INC OIL"
,0a And ia my y, little brother" went on
mensely. he wanted ia a drum hrleii for nm
don't know how many years FinaIly
child burns both hands before it was
M ;na nb;ITss BY BY the time they healed
l me ch II, en-. had broken the drum. And
dear child. was in love with a splendid
EH1 e bsrd man n in in the grocery business
ana they had to put him away" MISS
b 6HsInda sffSPpsd to sigh and gather
man transferred my affections 70 q
n nSa, yo1nS draper, but again was
good looking, ri admit" W." fa'ner
or Valerie thought 1t high time to in
the road tinkering with a red sdAe ea p9%h
char. But vaerIe:. let me mess warn "A H H5ss
know our luck at ar 70"
rot friendship developed jim ' Ph iifqips
evening, He sang and Va i pker ae syery
evnnin,,s MN m on the piano. or on tine
d dniey WA, Wandered out under the trees a an%
o'sNtfnr6ed the neighbors. an"
hternoons when Jim got off o,r,
rom the bank they went out in tha
v very 'a nIce II Iir fact they were having a
RI AL.
valerie bubbled with good Shirts 'o ani
r rUnn, mat love in it's first smonth
hate to see you in such 600,
minds mo mourned Aunt Lucinda, IRE
to the young draper. Just t"6S sfEnnn
ran anrb off with that nasty Widow oFe w ne
'a"TEh" e si ri ! sese smei" w;t, was
.J moor r "A Aauntiee: don't you worry abomt
o,,, The NJ, Hatterfield luck" mumb,ed ,ho
OLD lady dismally. oieu inc
w, Valerie bad had walked laughing to tho
i ing in the o h,n Lock- Somebody is move oo
Aunt Lucinda, Just see wSs, the way
h ing g giic,, Such black hair 'i and
aunt Lucinda hobbled over 70 ~,
| . wninu9 Nv, ana adjusted her spectacies
my my ia iiha Valerie. she's the image Of
plump! My. my ,f d thst ir. and not so
terrified luck!" 20" the Hat
1ooi Nons en.a, cried niece. but she
r;,,. N9 pI;5i al you like. but isn't that
IN Ii,ti p ,'In talking to her now? The
t r,e.le huS II she's Turing him up on the
| swing" ~ Hahs her
1t WIS true. though Valerie with pale
Shhe o f co9id scarcely believe her eyes.
Sne forced laugh, saying carelessIv
maven season ticket on Jim. YOU
NhE%! and ran out of the room.
f he kssD S SnIs all a1tsr
nerscit that he would come over as
usual ,s. in the evening, so it did not ma t.
tried to look as il she enio nee phr sr
per, and waited. And when she could
a ALA SUI no longer ran out in the back
| great quantities, sometimes roots and
a al, nc not b notitcing it, for she kept
seeing Jim at her heels. Finally, with
FACILITATING heart. she returned to the ;
house. hunG her daisies on the Kitchen
table and ran in the living room.
with me-" asked Aunt Lucinda
Why" stammered Valerie, "Jim---'
blaSk-haired girl half hour ago"
| The Hattertield luck made Valerie
| lie sobb!ng half the night
AT breakfast she appeared with her
hat on I'm going to see Jetta stevens
| for few weeks"
ro; aunt Lucinda as was kind. she made no
| II won't leave you her address so that
| you need not lie if anyone should ask
| for it,"
The old lady nodded, comprehendiAE.
| Valerie managed to stay away three
weeks coming back trihe thinner
and very pale. 1t was the weather,
| she said. it had not agreed with her.
My dear" cried Aunt Lucinda as
Hattertield luck has been doing it's
work again. Jim came over right after
| you left. And that black haired girl
| is his brothers wife and he never
knew it himself that they had rented
the bungalow till he saw her that aft
his brother wasn't back from the army.
! And that evening he was obliged to
| take her to the dentist. He tried to
| telephone you. out our line was busy.
And, Valerie. called on the LITTLE
bride and she's the incest woman. She
| srumbled SO about driving her to the
dentist when she could scarcely stand
| the tOothache any more. She said"
oh, Aunt Lucinda!" Valerie closed
! the old lady'S mouth with kiss, laugh
ing and sobbing Historically.
But my dear! He's not here. He
| came again an dasain and finally went
away with bag and baggage Poor
child. there's no getting way from that
You'll see" determined Valerie. her
chin high and ner voice ringing firm
| TO change that Hatterfeld luck once
| for ALI"
A few telephone calls and Inquiries
| to Aunt Lucinda's shocked astonish-
| ment-and Jim was located. The COB
| lin about Hatterfeld luck was dead.
| for that very evening Jim and Valerie
| wandered out under the trees. but the
| ukelele no longer disturbed the neigh
| bors.