South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-22
The Luck of Alicia
By Ella Randall Pearce

Mra Hemiue peered down the
luxurious fengrI or the BarOuch
gallery and wagsled her lorgnette
Impatlently
Dear me. Charlotte. she said TO
her companion 300 Cd QucruIous tone.
Alicia has slipped away again And
particularly wanted her 90 see this
painting by Lake Everyone is talk
ing about it's wonderful flesh tones
and the symbolism. Actually creepy.
ISN'T D.. when you come 20 study its'
The other woman smiled drvly.
but there was a covert twinkle ga
her middIeagod blue eyes II fancy
Alicia isn't much Interested ~ art.
especially symbolic art
Put she must Boz interested. Mrs
Jennings protest was emphatic. She
scanned the shifting groups of vis-
itars again and sighed. 81 really
don't know what I'm going 20 do
with that GIRL Charlotte She has
bad every chance 10 make q social
success. q good match and she
she doesn't care. j tell you II that
eirl marries anybody worth while at
All. 10 will be sheer luck
Alicia seems 20 get on very Well '
commented the Snuous mothers
friend.
she enjoys life, II that's what
YOU mean But she isn't Interested
iu the right things. tho right people.
she's sort OF irrepressiole demo-
cratic-oh' don't know just what
20 call it. but YOU understand"
She turned 20 the Lake picture.
her eyes still troubled. Then she
swayed nearer.
why. Charlotte. remember
when Alicia was q little girl We
lived in Brooklyn then-yOu remem-
ber7 In the best part OF the town
But there was little street ran
back Of our row. Glove Alley. they
called il II was made up OF queer
old-fashioned houses. and the peo-
pie who lived there were queer and
oId-fashioned too And poor"
Mrs Heming drew another long
sigh.
'I shall never forget what a trial
Alicia was then She used 90 run
away and play in Glove Alley. With
"a boy. too-a hoy named Ready. He
had curly red hair and the most
impudent grin. and he set Alicia up
20 the widest pranks."
e remember of hearing Of tie
Ready family" nodded Mrs. Hem
ings companion. Wasn't there
a lot Of them p"
Five children and slipshod
mother and q father who wouldn't
work NJ much but inventions that
never amounted 10 anything The
mothers voice vihrated with indig
nation over these disa greeable mem
Dries why. Charlotte that Ready
bov sold newspapers al one time.
And once-once I found Alicia help
ing him Selling newspapers i'm the
street."
Mrs Hemiue's friend had heard
that story several times. She thought
the references rather unfair. She
was fond OF Alicia, and she rather
admired her for the independence
and dash which characterized her
u was scarcely the girls fault she
Thought III she could not he tho sort
of daughter Mrs. Heming would
wish 20 have
she recalled that she herself had
considered the red haired boy from
Glove alley rather amusing And
she felt that an Aucia's chosen
friends those Of later years. were AZ
least decent sort They We're all
clever. too. though some might be
said 10 lack polish and others hacked
riches
81 guess II AHcia's let alone. she
won't invite disaster" she reelected
And she may make a good match
after all"
we must fnd her Alicia mus
see Lakes picture before we go
Mrs Heming moved haughuly dowr
the long gallery. her friend close
beside her. Then she paused. grip
ping her companions arm
There's Alicia Who's she with
In the corner-see her? They're al
most out OF sight behind tha
screen"
Both women saw Alicia, a slender
svayinz figure m rich blua draperie.
with taupe fox scarf trailing from
her shoulders. Under a fetchinl
gray and silver hat. large and un
dulaung the girls face was rosy
and radiant. Her eyes sparkled Iik,
golden-br Jewels Her lovely
teeth dashed I'm playful smiles Sh,
was talking with animation and list
euinc with interest
They watched her awhile befor,