The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-10-30
Dear
Eleanor"
@@
By OTILLIA FRANCES
PFEIFFER
1919. by the Western news
paper Union.)

Dear Eleanor" everybody called
her, if not to her face, at least be-
hind her back, and the latter was the
surest proof of her popularity. She
was bright faced, smiling girl, but
Just as ready to share and console In
the troubles of others as to become
partner in their joys. Adaptability was
the secret of her rare magnetic influ-
ence, and Vance Dunbar felt that he
had acquired a precious prize when
she consented to become his wife.
You don't know what you are 60
ing TO-" said friend of Eleanor Tyr
rell. a week before wedding. Il have
q relative living near the Dunbar
home Of which Gerald's mother is the
mistress. They say it is dismal, for
bidding place. And as to your pros
pective mother-in-law, I hear she Is
a stern, antiquated, self willed woman
Of the old time school"
But winsome Eleanor kept the same
sunny smile on her face she always
wore. "Yes." she nodded, "that may all
be, but haven't I got Vance?"
So the girl who kept town lively
with her wit and pleasantness refused
to think Of the barren prospect out
lined. Eleanor it was who had written
a relative when he announced a visit:
ut will be glorious to see you again
dear uncle, and I will meet you at the
station on your arrival. But I might
not recognize you after all these years,
and so I think that for purposes OF
Identification it would be best for you
to hold long string Of pearls in one
hand and a bit of fur-say an ermine
lined stole-in the other" Her spirits
were not to be dashed, therefore, and
if in her new life she could not draw
on her mutual fund of fun and vivac-
ity, she could find some way to win
over a grabbed, selfish old woman or
patiently learn her ways and follow
them-for the sake of Vance.
She confessed to sentiment of des-
olation as she and Vance reached the
home of his mother. 1t seemed to step
out of an old fashioned picture. Ten
days dust had settled on the keys Of
the parlor organ. The stereoscope
lenses were sadly in need of polishing
and spider webs criss-crossed the
basket of cathedral interior views.
The five cruets Of the dining room
table were empty and the portraits
on the wall looked as if they needed
their faces washed.
81 find mother has been away at
her sisters for over week" re-
marked Vance. 1T is not her way to
neglect the house. You see, our coming
a week earlier than we arranged has
caught her unawares."
Next day Mrs. Dunbar arrived and
Eleanor's martyrdom commenced just
as her school friend had predicted.
The grim, set face Of the elder won-
an, the sharp, mandatory accents OF
her voice chilled and depressed Ele-
amor, and the latter wondered If there
was any use Of hoping that beneath
the rough surface lurked some senti-
ments of human emotion.
II don't believe in new jimcracks,
son." observed Mrs. Dunbar crisply as
Vance introduced into the house
Morris chair. I'm not encouraging
your wife in the cooking line, either.
Things are dear, a hard winter is
coming on and the closer we keep to
plain hog and hominy the surer we'll
be in pulling through" But there was
a good deal Of fiction about all this,
for Mrs. Dunbar had surplus at bank
and had acquired recently a modern
residence in the village.
Vance admired while he pitied Ele-
amor. Silently, patiently she bent to
the iron rule of her husbands mother.
She made no complaint as the winter
came on and there was shivering IN
every part of the house. 1t nearly
broke Eleanor's tender heart to be de-
prived Of putting to practical expert
ment her knowledge acquired in a
course Of scientific cookery. Then fate
intervened to change things. Mrs. Dun
bar slipped on the ice in the yard one
morning and for the first time In her
life was fiat on her back in sick bed.
The doctor announced a full three
months confinement with a broken
limb and the draughty, half heated
condition and general discomforts OF
the old house began to force them
selves Upon Mrs. Dunbar's conscious
nesa.
Cook, nurse, housekeeper, how Ele-
amor strove to become all three IN
model perfection Within a week she
hac WOO her mother-in-law to all kinds
of da,nties in the way of desserts, and
the day she lifted the invalid to the
Morris chair the old lady sank into Its
depths with a resigned sigh Of per-
feet pace and comfort. Mrs. Dunbar
bea.s to appreciate the comfort of
luxury ano realize that she was grow
ing old, but with young, capable as
sistsnt who knew more than she did
abou! the joys Of living.
- c~~ N