Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-10-01
OMITTING BETSY
BY MILDRED WHITE.

del's stenographer.
But Elizabeth, coming to her hus-
bands ONCE one day. promptly put =
stop to that.
1T isn't that l am Jealous, Alan"
she frankly said, "but there Is some
thing 80 appealing. SO strangely win
some about that little creature that
Just won't have her near you all the
time. Why, I am seized with desire
to protect and befriend her myself,
every time she looks at me-"
''Then ! guess It will be up to you
to carry out your desire" her husband
dryly remarked. "for when my old
friend, her fathers lawyer, sent Betsy
Blhlr to me with a letter Of introduc.
ton, II was with the request that l
obtain suitable employment for her"
So Elizabeth Wendell with one of her
generous impulses. Carried the young
stranger home to act as her own So
cial secretary, and then. finding that
there was not work enough In that
line to sufficiently occupy Betsy's
time, she suggested tentatively. and
with yelled eagerness. that Betsy
take charge Of her own two active and
difficult children. John and Jane,
were Elizabeth's problem and to the
mothers surprise the girl gladly &C.
cepted the charge.
"John and Jane and love each 9th.
or 20 much now" Betsy said, that It
Is hard for US to keep apart"
Thereafter. as far as Elizabeth's
maternal problem was concerned, she
was happily freed from responsibility.
But Betsy had 70 many would.be
suitors that at nrst Elizabeth lived In
dread Of losing her dependable one,
but Betsy's avowal. though unusual
coming from one Of such charm, was
sincere.
Really" Betsy declared, II don't
want any Of them; l will not marry
unless meet man that ! cannot pos.
sibly. live without. which," added
Betsy piously. "defers the evil day"
Elizabeth smiled relievsdly after.
ward.
THE separation Of Betsy's parents
before both cied," she told her hus.
band, us responsible for her aversion
to marriage"
1t was upon the evening of the
curate's arrival that Elizabeth sought
Alan Wendell In his smoking room.
"Your sister and my sister have
come" she announced. "Tl,ey are In
their rooms dressing for dinner. OF
course you know that both the girls,
with the bigger half Of this congre-
CATION, are In love with Philip Dare
And Oh! Alan. what shall we do
with Betsy3 You know very well that
every man In sight naturally turns to
Betsy like the needle to the pole"
III you feel that way about It," her
husband smillngly suggested, why not
60 to the girl with your problemi Tell
her to make herself scarce"
1T Is not" Elizabeth Loyalty de-
Tended. "that Betsy looks for con.
quest. Really she Is the most retiring
girl ever knew. She just cannot
seem to avoid II. You remember when
Helen's admlrer was here, Betsy put
on shabby old frock and went to
picking apples away back In the gar.
den. and when Mr.. Raymond took It
into his head to stroll back beneath
the trees hard apple hit him In the
eye and though his eye was swollen
black. and though Betsy when she
scrambled down from the tree was
both dlsheveled and dirty-it didn't
make bit Of difference. Mr.. Ray.
mond haunted the girl afterward I'm.
til she was obliged to send him away,
and Helen was quite forgotten. She
will stay away like an angel. I know.
when Reverend Philip comes but he
always insists on having the children
down at prayers"
Alan grinned unsympathetically.
swell. have the children come
DOWN." he said. "but omit Betsy. tho
Elizabeth had arranged the study as
q suitable place for family service.
Here the popular young curate would
have his study room, and Betsy. the
agreeable, was warned never to use
the side stairs.
Several times she had glimpsed with
her wlstful. wondering eyes, Reverend
Philips tall and graceful figure from
her window. Resignedly Betsy dressed
her small charges for evening prayers,
and then to make final her refusal to
accompany them. she donned a blue
and gold kim0no and loosened her wav.
Ing hair. Still as she urged them
downward from the top of the stair.
John snatched coaIingly his loved ones
hand. Betsy's little dat slippers found
~ hViubB WI ZIG ohihy LhatkiuB anu
10 she fell fiuttering. blue and gold
being, straight to the young
'ector's feet. He was alone In the
Itudy as she lay huddled heap be-
ore the mahogany stand. And when
10 would have helped her to arise,
Betsy waved the young man back.
my ankle is broken. I think" she
aid quietly. And so It was. The
loctor found the painful break after
'hillp Dare had carried the girl very
arefully, and very tenderly, up the
Mating stair to her own sitting room.
I was here that Elizabeth Wendell and
er husband found the two, returning
alter from a long drive.
II would not have gone down" Bet
= whispered, III ] had not fallen"
Elizabeth smiled resignedly. "You
ept your promise. dear" she said,
but somebody else has fallen--in love