Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-11
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubicam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
HOME LETTERS.

Three separate letters in the mail the
following dav only added TO Alices feel
ing of unhappiness.
I'VE are so happy about your good
times and your new studies, her mother
wrote. Il wonder sometimes how you
stood the dull life you had here at home
until you got engaged, OF course; then
things began TO happen for you. always
knew YOU were meant for some high place
and | always felt so badly that yon weren
getting any of the good things IN HE
that other girls got And now you're
getting them
Alice had to smile little as she read
Her mother wrote typical old ladys
hand-small and cramped, as though
each letter were an effort to form; the
lines close together on the page, TO crowd
as MANY words.as possible on the smallest
amount of paper.
.Of course the hest part is that the
good things will go on when YOU come
home" the letter went on. Lawrence
comes around often and takes the papy
and me or the baby and Clara tor drives
In his car. | must say not many young
men would be SO nice TO an old iady
like me-
Dear Lawrence, Alice thought with
a feeling of remorse and tenderness.
The next letter was from Clara
I'm getting along famously, she
wrote I'm 50 glad your industry started
me working on something myself. Father
saws if my work looks good enough 10 hn
he II send me on to New \ ork next sum
mer, and pay me enough every week 10
live on Then III go around TO all the little
speciality shops and see how they run then,
how they display dresses IN windows, ana
how big a stock they carry, and Il look
till ind job as salesgirl IN one OF them
rot for the salary. only for the experience.
In the fall, Ill come home and start my
own shop. | thought Of calling n 'kddIes
"lothes' How do YOU like the name?
I'm getting expert At designing baby
things and little girls frocks, and 50
lar I've sold all I've made Berenlce
is the hest dressed child in this town, II
10 saw il as dresses her. | made her
oartv dress Of heavenly blue crepe de
.hine and embroidered quaint little
ictlres in white wool around the hem, and
you should sec how sweet she looks.
Lawrence comes often 10 take her out,
and me too sometimes YOU mind If |
all him Lawrence? 1t seemed too silly
% say Mr. Marlowe TO a man who comes
% much. He's bringing me books TO read,
90, and has livened UP things lot tor
your Mother and myself. He talks about
YOU all the time.
Clara often mentioned Lawrence.
,Irlous that she was always attracted
10 the men who were attracted 70 Alice.
But Alice did not think Of this at the time.
The other letter was from Lawrence.
and Alice saved il until the last. she
admired the heavy. rich looking paper
10 used. and his small but firm writing
His letters always touched her. She was
slways more in love with him at the end
# them. than she was even when she
was with him.
Glad YOU enjoy the concerts. he
wrote, Its more fun to send YOU tickets
10 these things and have YOU tell me All
about them, than TO go myself You are
not to worry about anything al home here,
because everything Is going very we'll IN
deed. AS promised I've run out e your
house often. Your mother looks better
sverv week, the baby is growing, and Your
Young friend Clara Keeps watchfu
eye on both.
Alice dear. you've spoiled me for
ordinary girls. Az I've told you often
before, | never had any serious purpose
III my life before / knew YOU. Beng
content to waste my own time, ! was
content also to waste II with girls who
had no more purpose than l. But now
these same girls annoy me and their waste
of time seems like crime 10 me.
I've really been working hard since
YOU left here; it's a greater pleasure
10 work than to play. Indeed, the only
zirl in the town here that ! like Is Your
friend Clara. For she has q serious pur-
pose-she isn't content 10 waste her lie
IS the Others are-and she adores you.
Alice smiled happily al this part Of
the letter. She was glad these two good
friends OF hers were becoming good
friends themselves.
4 page or so Of local gossip followed
her mother had 3 new dress; Clara
had made it. Lawrence's mother had
given big tea, and Clara and Alce's
mother had gone TO 1t. He had escorted
two-vear-old Berenice 10 a kid party
There was new movie and talk OF re-
building the Opera House IN the spring.
Tupper's had been robbed Of several
thousand dollars, and Main street was to
have new street lights.
Other little details were added Alice
could picture perfectly the pleasant
sleepy little town, walking In rather a
grunabling fashion 10 a prosperity that
was being forced upon IT. The Settlement
House was thriving. and Alice's little
cripple friend, Peppita was being given
special treatments for her weak leg and
was growing very tall.
A little wave of homesickness went
over Alice The loving words that closed
Lawrences letter went straight TO her
heart.
Would il not be better, after all, TO
run away home and marry Lawrence
and settle down In this dear, quiet
little town Perhaps she would find peace
and a certain amount of happiness there
TornorrOu,-She Tries Again