The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-05-01


| spokesman. said:
1--WE want to be your friends,
Aline."
"Oh, girls" exclaimed Aline,
How lovely you are to me. II
-thought-you would make fun Of
my clothes"
"Oh, no." said Emmy, giving her
little hug, "but let's not talk
Of that. Tell us about yourself"
yes, do" urged III others.
There's not much to TELL" said
Aline, except why l came here.
Mother died three years ago and
father died last week. Effie
Grumton is the only relation l
have in the United States; so, Of
course, I had to come to her.
Cousin Effie still clings to old
fashions, and she told me that she
was going to dress me like she
was dressed when she was a little
girl. So, | had to come to school
like this"
And did she braid your hair
that way" asked Frances.
Yes" replied Aline, My hair is
natural curls and Cousin Effie said
that my curls would make me
vain She thought if she braided
my hair tight it would take the
curl out, but it won't, for l have
tried it."
"You said that your cousin Effie
was the only relation you have in
the United States" said Helen.
do you mean by that. that you
have relations in another coun-
try?"
Il don't know" said Aline. 81
did have all uncle in Europe. He
went over there before the war be-
gan, and was about to come back
when United States declared war.
Then he couldn't come back. Fa-
thcr and | only received five let
tiers from him since the war began
Hc-he-doesn't even know that
father is dead. But | don't think
uncle is living or we would have
heard from him.
The girls hearts were touched
with sympathy after hearing
Aline's story. Everyone was 81
lent, for they knew not what to
say. Fortunately, the bell rang
for the close of recess, and all had
to take their seats.
Time showed that Alinn was an
apt scholar. She had spelled the
room down twice in their spelling
matches. She helped Tommie
Green Zone of the boys who had
snickered at her the first day of
her arrival at SCHOOL, with his
arithmetic. and Tommie strutted
around, boy fashion, with his
hands in his pockets, declaring
that Aline Billion was tip-top
girl and that no one had better
deny it.
Time passed, and it was only a
week more until school closed for
the summer. In this little town,
where our story friends live, it
was the custom for the children to
give an entertainment in the town
hall. at the close Of the spring
term. So, this year, Aline was to
be IN it, and when she was asked
what she could do towards it, she
said she could sing When Aline
told Cousin Effie that she was to
sing and asked her to come, cousin
Effie replied:
well, I'll come, but don't think
I'm coming to hear you sing. I
hear you enough around here, let
alone there. | wouldn't 90 if 7
wasn't afraid the neighbors would
talk"
The night Of the entertainment
came. Aline stayed at Frances
house for supper, because she
lived so far from the town hall.
After supper Frances and Aline
went upstairs to dress. When
AlIne unwrapped her bundle she
produced a Bingham dress made
for the occasion by Cousin Effie,
and, like all Of her other dresses.
they were old-fashioned. When
Frances saw it, she said angrily:
Did she intend for you to wear
that thing?'
Aline's eyes filled with tears as
she nodded her head.
We'll, you shall not" said Fran
ces. IF she thinks I'm going to
have my best friend looking like
an ola maid instead Of a little girl,
she's mistaken" Then Frances