Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-08
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
By Marion Rubincsm.
LAWRENCE'S DILEMMA.
Ghortor III
Copyright. George s-n,,hew Adams.

The autumn had come and gone mean
while and early winter had set in. The liie
at the little house on Dexter street went
on i'm the same monotonously quiet way q
routine, however, which seemed to be
leading Co some definite end.
As the work on the gardens IN the
settlement had been finished, Alice decid-
ed TO resign, for the winter at least.
'It will give me more time to study,
and q little to rest and time to play with
Berenice." she told her mother. And that
little lady agreed, as she always did.
SO the routine was varied trifle. Alice
arose about eight, which was late Tor that
neighborhood, gave the baby ITS morning
bottle. and went down 10 breakiast.
Mrs. Fairbanks had been gaming steadily
and now did all but the heaviest work
Then there WAS the ceremony oi
the bahv's bath, which was Alces great
est delight. and the daily speculation as TO
whether Berenice had grown any more
mature the lisping OF new little sounds
-she must be a wear old by this time. they
decided the jov in watching her creep
md her attempts, carefully guarded, TO
stand up and walk by holding to chair:
shes entirely too bright Ahcc
would saw with pride that was curiously
rnotherlv. "Shc mustn't walk too soon, or
her little legs wont grow. straight
Then Alice, curled up on the couch
under the window. would study Tor a
co,lple of hours and after the midday
dinner. nut the baby In her coach--an-
other gift-and wheel her out for her
airing. Often she mapped morning and
afternoon outdoors in her coach, we'll
wrapped up.
And she's gaining weight SO fast,
and growing so prettyr' Alice enthused to
Lawrence one afternoon when ne drove up
Yes. | can sec that However, she
doesn't look bit like you, Lawrence
said laughing. 1t was his usual Joke; he
said il every time he called.
What are YOU going TO have her call
vou?" he askc after moment.
She's trying to say Alice already
| cant have her call me mother, thouah,
Id like to-" Alice blushed little and
went on It's almost sacred name
isn't mother | feel | haven't any
right il. So III le her all me Alice
when shes old enough To pronounce II.
She call. my mother grandma or tries
to. b I that name Is different
"Yes. | know what III mean. Mother
i. sacred. Grandma merely comfortable
and domestic" Lawrence answered
That IT, You always take my Thought
and put it clearly for me, bless you.
Nice answered i Wis ! could express
my ideas as we'll a. you can.
Lawrence went away from that inter-
view IN n more detected frame OF mind
than usual Lawrence knew he was ~
love. h. had known il for some month
now. he was IN love with Alice Love Is
simpje matter. marriage i not Allce
belonged 10 a poor family. and her mother
was cDendcnt on her LawrenC belonged
to a rlch family and was entire free o.
responsible tv. Bu in spite of that. there
" NJ certain things Xpected Of hun, and
he krew II.
Social lines are apt Ia be drawn more
tightly in the small than in the large
community. Lawrence knew he was eN-
nccted 10 choose a wife from among the
set" into which, with much pain and
after many rcbuffs, his mother had broken.
The Narlowe' ; social position N'as secure
but if he married any one OF haH dozen
girls his mother had in mind, II would
advance him-and his family socially
But Lawrence had enough common
sense to throw aside any GU stion OF the
social" value Of a marriage. lie did,
however. talk II over with his mother.
several tunes, ana out Oh tIit tOiNNt 81 iN'ioi
he came away with one clear impression.
Il had hoped you would he attracted
10 some Of these other girls, his mother
had said They're pretty, they re cul-
tured. they have the little social graces
that make life easy and pleasant. They
could make an artistic home, entertain
the incest people; in other words, he all
that a charming woman need be-social-
II. As for their more solid qualities, they
average up very well.
Alice is undoubtedly superior to
any Of them III character, but she would
have a lot 10 learn about the well, about
the manners Of the new set she would
i've with Her genius for economy would
he of no use to her az n rieh~man S wife
Her marvellous gardening abilities. I'm
sorry to say, would be quite wasted. Her
many domestic virtues would not 90
her q bit of good.
''Well?7 Lawrence asked, little
defiantly.
Well, echoed his mother, Struggling
her shoulders. Think it over.
Tomorrow Long Drive.