The Winslow mail., 1919-07-18
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The BETTER MAN /
BY MARY PARSONS.
Copyright, 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)

"What's the trouble, now, child-h
1t Sam or Charley?"
"Neither-I mean both. I don't
know which I'm in love with. I think
it's Sam till Charley comes to see me,
and then he is so good looking.
Just like a collar ad-and he looks
at me so deeply-you know how 4
mean-that l think I'm all wrong again
and it must be he. He's ever so much
more popular with the girls, too. Now,
Sam never says any Of the nice little
things Charley does, and he's ever so
blunt sometimes, but somehow I don't
know. I'm not sure, but l think Sam
is the better man. You're older and
wiser than am, Barbara; tell me why
you admire Sam more. I've always
thought you did whenever talk about
them, but you've never said anything.
Please tell me-"
The older girl got up and walked
over to the window. For a moment
she did not say anything. Then she
sank into a seat with a little sigh.
Polly, child there isn't anything in
the world | know against Charley-it
wouldn't be fair to say there was, for
be may care for you even more than
think he does-but I'm going to tell
you little story, If you have time to
listen."
'"Of course, Babs," assured Polly, set
Ting her attractive little person into a
perfect nest of cushions.
"Once upon a time" began Barbara,
there was a girl-not a beautiful girl
Just a bright, frank, cheerful girl,
with sense of humor and lots of
friends. She liked men sincerely, but
she was neither very susceptible nor
very foolish, and she had seen some
thing of life.
There was one man she had known
for long time, and she always ad-
mired and liked him tremendously.
$50 they went out together, danced
together and talked together, and he
was very nice to her. She found that
she could talk to him as she had never
been able to talk to anyone before, and
he always seemed to understand. She
began to value his friendship, above
all her other friends, and to depend on
his help and advice in many little
things. He liked to help her, and as
the months passed they grew to be bet
ter and better friends, with a clearer
understanding Of each other than they
had ever had.
Then, she went away for long
visit. And he almost made her believe
that he would really miss her badly
and she was very glad.
"And she wrote to him naturally az
child would write to very favorite
UNCLE or dear kind friend who was
older and wiser than she, long. newsy
letters about all the daily happenings
and she dearly loved to write to him.
"He wrote to her twice; then there
was long lapse. Then. third letter
came which might have been written
to an utter stranger with perfect safe
ty-air and weather being the main
topics. This was after she had i'm.
pulsively written to him for help and
sympathy over what seemed to her a
very great trouble. and he had failed
her-dismally failed her. She wrote
TO him once more, but she never sent
the letter. She could not thrust her
friendship upon him if he did not want
ii.
"And though she was bound to meet
him and did not wish to obviously
avoid him, she did not need to, for he
showed no desire for any sort of a
meeting and fitted about among the
girls as he had probably always done.
And she tried always to be fair to him
and not to judge him-she liked to re.
member him rather as a friend who
| had died than one who had ceased to
value her friendship-she simply could
not understand. That's all I know
about Charley and it's two years ago
he's probably forgotten all about IL
long ago.
THAT'S all, Polly dear. 1t isn't much
of a story, but / thought I'd tell it to
you. Somehow. from my own stand
ards, 1t doesn't seem to me as IL man
who. would hurt anyone so cruelty, SO
blindly and with such utter indiffer.
ence, could measure up to quite the
same standard as man like Sam, who
is fair and square in everything he
does.
Polly sat still for long time after
barbara stopped talking.
THANK you for telling me the story"
she said at last.
A maid came to the door with tele-
gram. Polly glanced at the address,
seized it and tore it open hastily. In
a moment the paper dropped to the
floor.
Its from Sam," she gulped, "and
he's going to the front, and he wants
me to tell him before he goes-they
won't let him off to come himself-oh
dear, it's terrible"
"NVhat are you going to write Ia
him?"
HNVrito RI him f-UhV I'm UoipU m