Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-06
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
By Marion Rubincam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
ALICE HAS HER WAY.

Chapter IL.
Alice and her mother talked II over next
day. AS usual, Mrs. Fairbanks wanted
whatever Alice did. But she offered one
objection only, and that very meekly
OF course, having baby In the house
will mean a lot of extra work and Will take
extra money. We have already beer
drawing on our principal, the interest or
the money, your father left does not bee'r
to reach"
know it will be extra trouble, Alics
said But III give up some OF my settle
ment work for a year or so. BY that
time, the baby will not be so constant
care AS for the money, even though We
do draw beyoud our interest, we can ust
up everything we have in few years, ano
rs soon as | finish as much study as
want, I'll be able to find good position
somewhere"
She spoke vaguely enough. Concern.
ing money-making, Alice WAS almost as
indefinite in her ideas as her mother.
Mrs. Fairbanks began looking on the
more cheerful side of the question at once
The extra work won tmatter, my dear
I'm getting stronger all the time, l can dc
every bit of the housework now and I'm
sure could take care of the baby, too.
| wonder whether ideas have changed
much since / brought you upl She
looked into space with the look women
inevitably wear when they are gazing into
the past.
That settles it. thcnl I'm going down
and begforit, 'andAlice started away down
the street She waved greeting to CARA
whom she saw half block away, but went
on without waiting to talk, humming a
popular song to herself. 1t was long
hn
or went about the city.
From the settlement house she phoned
to Mrs. Godfrey's and was told she could
reach her at the Marlowe's. So, hatless
and coatless as she always went about the
town, Alice trotted over to the big artificial
stone house. As she came IN sight OF 1T,
she wondered vaguely why she didn't t
admire the immense structure with Its
plain shiny windows.
Mrs. Marlowe greeted her and Alice
told her what she wanted. Mrs. Godfrey
agreed to the idea at once, but Mrs.
Marlowe said she could do nothing without
seeing her son, since he too, had spoken
of adopting this waif.
'"The police haven't found trace of
the parents" Mrs. Godfrey said, salts
faction in her voice, while Mrs. Marlowe
had gone to telephone Lawrence. Two
people answering your description in some
ways are known to have taken a train at
a station seven miles down that back road.
But they were lost sight of at Milltown,
30 much labor is shifting about this
state now"
"Of course" Mrs Msrlowe said. coming
back. The baby is really in charge of
the police department, they are simply
letting us keep her. You'll have lot of
formaity TO go through with If you want
to adopt her legally"
Il shall be godmother," Mrs. Godfrey
said.
Lawrence came home after few min
utes. and the women explained TO him
what Alice wanted.
: I'm sorry YOU won't let me have her,
he said But if you really want. the
little waif as badly as all that, of course
/ wont ask for her. ! wish though, you
would let me share some of the response
bility"
Perhaps III let you send her to college
20 wears from now, Alice said with smile
and an unconscious assumption of ma
ternal tone as soon as she knew the baby
was to be hers.
So it was arranged, and several weeks
afterwards, when all hope of finding the
parents had been given up, Alice was
allowed to adopt the wee child she had first
seen as bundle of rags under canvas
roof The women workers In the settle
ment house took a great deal of interest
in the whole affair; one sent several pieces
of nursery furniture that had belonged
TO a child of hers, the expensive clothes
that had already been given the baby were
sent to the Fairbanks home, and much
instruction as to cariug for six months
old infant was bestowed upon the foster
mother.
What shall you name herr" Mrs.
Marlowe asked one afternoon just before
Alice was to take the baby. II haven't
decided" Alice answered. Il don't like
my own name very much, and Mother
wont let me use hers. What is your
name?" she looked at the little gray-haried
lady with her prettiest smile.
"Bernice," said Mrs Marlowe. 'I
think it's an ancient Egyptian name"
''How lovely" Alice exclaimed. g Ber-
nice Fairbanks'-how does that sound?"
Every pretty" Mrs. Marlowe approved.
Lawrence went home with her.
''If YOU wont think me intrusive"
he said, al want to make a suggestion
let nv father look over your Mothers
investments. If he can get her high
per cent on her money, in safe invest
ment, it will cover the increased cost of
the new addition to your family"
Tomorrow-The New Interest.