Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-02
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
II Stury Of, Woman's Transformation.
ny MARION RUBlNCAM.
WHAT ESTHER KNEW.
Chaptcr XCNI.


sv,d kovc him more. because he would
nerd me more" vi said and, therein gave
thr kcynote Of her whole character VI
wns the sort who could love man, not
only in spite of his faults, but because OF
thssm. The woman who has this trait
= to bc piticd and envied, too, for though
sh., viii be unhappy perhaps more than
other women. she will achieve a happiness
st other times that her less romantic
sns(er rarely knows.
NV mind WAS so busy with this and
other problems that / slept but little
that night. And whom ] awoke, | saw
with start that it WAS o. clock look
cd acrv~ss the room, but Vi had gone--in-
d,,.d shc was AT her work for at least an
hour by this time.
II got up and got breakfast" Esther
said when / appeared in my kimono. Its
all ready, | didn't wait -,
THAT'S nice I'll have a bath and DC
ready in 10 minutes" l told her.
One of my greatest joys In my new
life was the breakfast-when | sat idly
With the second cup of coffee and the
morning paper. Esther, IN one OF her
s'ho,rsc vown."-=flannel in winter, cali
90 in summon walked about the room
examinlng our candlcsticks and PIC
lures, and finally settled down at the
sharr nv enthusiasm for the morning
news.
Finally she went out to the kitchen
and Tot hcrsclf some coffee and came
hack :,
'sYos'r not taking your exercises, "
she aocuscd me.
Not this morning, / don't want to
tke the ume." | answered. "After i
drc.u. wem go out and see the city."
"Inoks kinda cold" Esther com
msnt-d, staring through the window.
'But it's gorgcously clear, 1 SAID.
"And an IDEAL day TO go up to the top
Al th~ Wooiworth Tower. Three sets
al elev.tra ESthex, and you are about
700 Srs4 high, think. You can see the
city, and the country, and the most
eurxscus wow past the harbour and far
oat 10 sna.'
~ld ept diazy that high"
s'Oh no. l soothcd her, and went on,
irving ~ rouee her enthusiasm. We'll
van down where the high buildings
asp and Tn takc you on the subway
'Thu I'd be AFRAID Of one of them things'
auppnr il fell mr.
"But II doesn'tr'l answered and laugh
ID, though / vns beginning TO be dis
sourxesd by this time. | began to see no"
tkAt tn narrowncs for which had pitled
4I -
We'll DO anything you want, ! said
what vHe all that vi said last night
ahout sticking to someone in spite OF
svDrythire-I suppose she meant that
Bud Pearsollr'
giansd up, startled. OF course
nigh, have known that vi would bf
ovs.rhcard-our apartment WAS so very
tiny. And how much had Esther heard
~ sat there stolidly enough, her little
G1ps RAINING the room while she waited
for my answer, her hair, recently oombed,
already beginning TO come down In Vlsps
about her forehead. Esther had trick OF
pretending she knew more than she did,
~onctimes-there was nothing TO do but
come out with the whole truth.
And | did, softonIpg it as much as
possible.
You've been helping her deceive her
lnnity," she accused. ;,
sNo, for We haven't really deceived
Ne simply have not told you, and you
never asked. Perhaps it was negative
deception
III dunno what YOU mean by that
1 p,lcss our minister would say II WAS
sort of lying though Esther was a
httle triumphant over this. 80 they re
engaged
mo" | answered, glad the truth WAS
but when this trouble started and Bud S
name WAS involved. he refused 10 let
vi stav engaged. but released her until
he could clear himself"
ssHumphr Esther commented. THAT S
one good thing. at any rate. As he wont
clear his name, they wont be engaged.
but the boy is innocent
ssMaybe. but YOU admit it looks bad
for hun. And it's IN his family. HIS father
wss in a nasty mess about the time Bud
vne born, and his grandfather was In
Jail once"
,sOh COM, Esther" broke in, thor
ouxhly impatient. His family has been
too stx,ct, if anything. You know no"
russip trAveA IN our little village
III she marrns him, her father wont
loavc hm a cent, Esther ssio ~ WITH
htale an of triumph.
Good heavens. Esther" / broke out
nov NJ the end Of my patience, .'if bel
f.aher has any money to give her, II
xnne 70 me he might let her have il
now when II will do her some good, rather
than nsef-"
We'll, she might need IT ias@, wher
&s oder-
'Thsre you aref' cr,ed In despair
~Afvxys planning for the troubles tha'
eorne from failure, never planning Il
svosd failure" Thx wae plainly beyonc
Esther, 50 i went on.
What good would $1,000 OF S, ,0Ot
d. vi when she's al old woman, to-
NJ to build career Of her own7 Blu
1900 on 50 now would send her througi
college 70 graduate-aDd then she would
b. fitted 70 make bea own career-
But Eether could not or would no
- II. And finally / said:
but I'll send her on through coileg
myu.H-Afsr / marry Francis Bu
mind you, Esther, I'm taking har ava,
from YOU and jun when do thus. She
moyp my child than yours if / give be
b. real start In life"
ssShe always WAS, Esther said placidly
s1aun's my child. You've always pu
notions in Vie head"
/ was content TO let it be this way.
Monday-The Climax.
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING.