Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-08
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story ofa Womar's Transformation.
BY MARION RUBINCAM.
Chapter LXXV.
MY CALLER.
pro,.Vu-i py Georue Matthew Adams.

That night Of the dance in the hotel.
Francis Meade had said 10 me. bending
down a little as we danced together
'Do YOU still live in that charming
APARTMENT down town."
And | nodded and smiled at him while,
il seemed 10 me we foated along on the
rhythmic waves of the music.
How nice of you to remember IT,
I answered. And was surprised TO find
this smooth phrase come so easily TO
my lips. ~ -,
me. alt stands out IN my mind as one
of the most peaceful homes | have tver
ht,,n m.
Then p,rhaps you Will c)me to see
rs ain some day" an wer d, hm kun
how much had wanted to say this months
before. when he sat in our big chair and
smoked. with his long legs thrust
ON over the rug. But blushed
M NV daring tonight Who was /, after
al 10 invite so busy and important
man TO our tiny, uninterestng homer :
II viii come some day, If ! may.
he said. And when we wished HIM good
night. he repeated that remark.
Yet week later when Helen brought
me up a telephone message asking whether
I would be home that evening TO Mr.:
Meade, | was too surprised to comprehend
Immediately. vi lIueh d, he blue yes
t.,pinning TO dance WI mischief, and
herself went TO the phone TO say that L
would be delighted to see MIR. Meade.
Aunt Enid has a gentleman friend,
as thew say in Henly Fall" she teased.
"Auntie dear, Bud can't come around to-
night, so Toby and are going TO a movie,
and | shan't be home until nearly H. SO
YOU and Mr.. Meade can have lovely
visit. And be sure TO wear that drapy
black satin--you look awfully young and
pretty IN 1t.
| did wear the youthful frock, and |
took he greatest care with my dressing.
As / busted a little powder over my face,
/ was almost satisfied with myself. How
many miles and how many years seemed
away from Henly Falls! My heart thump-
ed exciiedly as ] heard ring downstairs.
BE quietp / kept repeating to my
self. Remember, you're no school girl
You're really only little old maid mas
querading for few months as a youngish
sort of woman.
How is it possible 10 convey through
words the strange, strong winning per-
sonality of Francis Meadel | do not re-
member very well anything he said. l
suppose our talk was about what any con-
And Yet il was not. | remember /
asked him about some of the countries
he had travelled In.
''The old world was Romance to me,
he said II was determined not only TO
see it, but TO live IN it, to absorb it. So,
with another boy-we were both 19-I
shipped on a cattle boat and we landed
IN England with only our wages from the
trip-little enough.
Eve had sent over our bicycles though
and on those we rode through Europe.
When we had money, we travelled; when
we ran out of it, we worked. We camped
lot during the summer, and hunted cheap
places in the winter, or went south
Italy and Spain"
How long?"
''We spent three years altogether"
he said ave saw lot, we did get the
spirit OF the different countries. We learn
ed-oh, everything, it seemed to US. My
poor mother spent a miserable time
though. She was sure we were being starv-
ed or killed
sand them" ] asked, gently trying to
lead him on.
"And then? Oh, the other lad was so in
love with the Italian pictures of the
Renaissance period that he decided to
be an artist And was quite determined
TO come home and make enough money
10 bring my mother over, and travel in
style"
"And did you?" / wanted to know
"Yes, eventually. But | don't think
if was so much fun, and / know that |
could not get so close to our European
cousins living at the Ritz and giving them
tips for service, as | did stopping off at
their cottage doors and buying milk and
playing with their children"
He tried it year, but it got him moth
ing but the habit of wearing his hair long