The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-02-06
TEsSA mONSTE
- NELL ADAiR.


She moved into the little brown
house By the mill. with only n old
woman for company. She was . girl
ish little creature, with brown Ques-
tiOning eyes, and q tame -shanter cap
pulled over her waving Clark locks. She
wore unusually short skirts Of wooden
stun and a norfolk jacket Of many
pockets. and tramped through the
woods. whistling boyishly when no n
was near. She was at one the small
towns enigma and annoyance. An
noying, in that she kept resolutely to
herself, relieving in no way the nat
ural curiosity. and an enigma. in that
she constantly furnished surprises.
Old Doctor Worthington had fin
ished telling Of being called one night
to attend the sick child of Italians in
the town. and OF finding the strange
girl there relieving their distresses.
Once the doctors son., returning from
the city, brought information hat he
girl In beautiful evening apparel,
seated in a box at the theater.
Gainesville disapproved Of incon-
s~istencies; 1t disapproved OF mystery,
sc the inmate of the brown house was
left to herself. Helen-Marie, an ac-
cepted town authority on social mat
tiers, shrugged disdainful shoulders.
Later, when she met the girl. her win
some face aglow as she walked at
Jack HamiltOn's side. Helen-Marie
u~nreasonably resented her presence.
why did she come here?" she asked
herself.
She questioned Jack contemptuously,
concerning his new acquaintance.
Jack, who had been Helen-Marie's
dominated property, flushed con-
fusedly as he murmured his reply. He
had come upon the girl on the long
drive one day, 1t had been raining hard
and he had offered to drive her home.
The woman who lived with her was
some sort Of a relative, he explained.
She called the girl "Tessa." Jack
could tell no more.
Helen-Marie's resentment deepened
~ days passed and she found Jack en-
Toying more and more the strange girls
compani0nship. Sometimes she saw
them seated on the cross bench on the
bridge, smiling into each others eyes;
sometimes the two came swinging
down the road from a long country
walk. Helen-Marie bowed to Jack
coldly. 1t was not his desertion alone
which CALLED, but the humiliation OF
his preference. This girl! This I'M
known humble girl! Was Helen Marie
not the towns idol, their social lead
er, exhibited musician and authority
on fashions? Was it not Jack Hamil-
toms aristocratic mother who had
planned and encouraged their friend
ship? Who but Helen-Marie might be
worthy of her son with his assured
future?
The strange girl sat on the brown
house veranda, when Helen-Marie
passed. and Their paused thoughtfully.
The girl was sewing upon some lovely
flimsy stuff. As Helen still hesitated,
the girl held the material up with a
shy smile.
"Pretty?" she asked.
"Very," Helen-Marie replied. =
"You make your " clothes?"
The girl raised her brown eyes
II make-other peoples" she an
swered slowly. II am Tessa. modesto"
So that was It. Helen Marie went
briskly up the walk. When dressmak-
ers came to town. with herself vested
alwaye the decision Of their capabili-
tles. II. i usually happened, an INK
Ions seamstress failed to And favor in
her eyes, the seamStress might well
prepare to seek other fields.
II should like Won ! make q frock
Tor M" said Helen. A
Tesaa c~onSidered. then she laughed
|aooftly.
They tell me" she replied. .that
l1iss Helen Marie Terry has always
~ own way. Therefore. ] may ~
ven aGree."
Hsasn-lfaris went on b ~ Jacks
anetners
Your 6on's nsw frseEd. The dress
mnker. = sewing for ma" sAe said.
when ~ white ffock. was finished,
nelen-llaF1e regarded her own mir
tOred figure - reluctant admiration.
TT II nOt,r she said 1t last sharply,
ut III ~ I should have wished. 1 am
afraid that \ VII not Be able to : 9
ommend ycn = ny friends. However,