The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-06-19
The DAILY
lsHORIasTORY
Little Sister.
BY r. RAY BAKER.
tcopyEight, 1913. by the Mcclure

March 20. In one hand she held a let
ter. which was somewhat crumpIed, a.
though she had started TO convert It
into waste paper and had thought bet.
ter OF II.
Two. robins were holding CONVEX
sations In the tree whose branches
brushed the window. The birds start
ed out as II they were quarreling, but
the excited chirplng diminished into a
sound that was as near cooling as can
be expected OF robins.
wouldn't IL be fine to be bird"
Frances sighed. They're always hap
by, II seems"
She looked at the letter, and wry
little smile adorned her face.
He calls me sister," she unused.
That's what they all say when they
want to leave you for some one else
Little sister. that's what he says. 1t
sounds pretty, but he used TO say
things that were prettier."
She stood up and made motion as
Tough to throw the letter in the
waste,basket but changed her mind
again and placed 1t in a drawer of the
dresser. Then she stood before the
mirror and surveyed herself critically
for several moments.
The person who gazed back at Fran.
ces from the glass was not exactly
beautiful, but there was something
about her that would not permit her
to pass unnoticed in a crowd. The
eyes were just common eyes; that is,
there were no special arches 10 the
brows, and the long, graceful lashes
that are considered SO desirable were
not there. There was a lot Of good,
wholesome blue in the eyes, which
would not be discounted in an inven-
tory OF attractive points.
The nose was inclined to be pug"
which gave the face kind of saucy
look, and the hair was nearly stringy,
being OF a rusty hue; but there was
plenty of 1t, and it was done up at
tractively. II a. up to the minute in
style. The tel were the principal
attraction OF Frances Haydens counte-
nance. 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
1t was hardly unexpected, despite The
protestations Melville had made, when
he left Glendale two years ago. hat he
would never care for another girl and
thathe was coming back some bright,
sunny day to make her Mrs. Clark.
She remembered the apprehensions
she had entertained at that time, re.
CARELESS Of his earnest words, that he
would come across some one else In
the big city. However, Melville had
written steadily for a year, and in
every letter had reiterated his inten-
tions. During the next year, however,
she could not help noticing that his
letters alluded more and more to
friendship and less to love. Finally
they dropped of altogether. until for
a period of five months none came at
all.
Frances went about her stenograph-
ic duties in the real estate office with
the usual smile and the same capac-
ity for work that she had always dis
played, but when she got home at
night she often shut herself in her
room and thought hard, and some.
times cried little.
Frances had given her heart to Mel.
Yflle when he went to the city to make
4 name for himself and few coins
TOR his pocket. 1t was hard and
rocky road, as his letters showed dur
ing that first year, and then his COM
munications began to take on more
hopeful tone. Things are coming,
slowly, but surely" he would write.
Frances hoped In vain that Melville
would return home for a visit. He
had said he would come for her when
he made good" but now, when he
was making good, there was no men.
ton OF the visit. Then came this let.
ter referring to her rs little sister,"
In which he told her that he had at
last attained the object he had sought.
He was successful stock broker, with
an office of his own and a neat sum in
bank. But never a mention of coming
to Glendale did the letter contain.
Later in the day the sun chased the
clouds away and warmed the earth
again and Frances went for a walk.
Maybe this is the bright, sunny
day he referred to-, she said. as she
threaded her way through the village:
and she laughed, with tinge of visit
fulness, when she recalled the little
sister" passages OF the epistle from
Melville.
en- bridge which SPAWNED a 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 rail.
ing and looked into miniature whirl.
pool created by bend which formed
pool just above the bridge. A fish
came up to dine on an early bug and
left 81 -fading circles in the water, and
i cav something like sob in Fran
ces' sat. She had seen that same
thir fapDen-perhaps it was the
san hsh-when she and Melville
stood looking over that same railing
of thst same bridge on the same kind
o. das two years ago. It was the day
on which he asked her to marry him.
ApurS1g sound along the road
made her look up the slope and see an
automobile approaching the bridge
end the village. In the car was Mel
yflle Clark, on his way to Jenson City,
fift&en miles distant, to deliver a mo-
: posal Of marriage to Julia Armstrong.
d1ugi1ter OF Benjamin. Armstrong, the
wealthy importer who lived In the
same city where Melville had made
IN kI.a (gxoy.