Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-02
TIT, GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
By Marion Rubicnm.
CLARA GOES AWAY.
Copyright. George hlatthe. Adams.
Chapter XC IN.

1iuHtCi 49,
Try az she would, Clara could not
help a little feeling that was almost
jealousy. Love plays strange tricks WIN
peoples temp raments. II can ennobie
and degrade, both at the same time and
in the same person. Clara, fairly TT MS
formed bv her new love for Lawrence, al
lowed herself for a week 10 nurse an 1n-
worthy feeling against her best friend.
Alice, of course never suspected this.
She pursued her II ual routine and merely
wondered why Clara did not come around
TO see her. She was too busy TO go to the
Joyce's.
I'm tending the little garden in the
back ward Of the Settlement House,
she told her mother Its kept III such
fine condition no weed would dare show
it's head above the ground. We Use IT
ms a model for the children 20 learn from,
and have sample patch OF everything
the vacant lot gardens grow.
What do they grow mostly Mrs
Fairbanks, asked She Ind never taken
a great deal of interest IN the social settle
ment work TO her simple mind, the poor
were poor and therefore miserable Those
with strength and ambition, worked hard
and ceased 10 hc poor, and were IN con
sequence less miserable The rich. being
rich, therefore could not possibly bc Iniser-
able This method of the welI-to-do going
INTO the poor districts aud teaching psth-
etc dancing fancy sewing and elocitlon,
was new and ncomprehcnslble idea to
her
Alice smiled as she thought Of the we'll
kept patches the various families fa' med.
Onions and tomatoes mo silly onions
| think, she answered
What does Clara teach now Mrs
Fairbanks went on
Sewing hut she hasn't been over
for two weeks BY the way she hasn
been around for long time Allce laid
her book down When was she here last
"Wednesday A week, Mrs. Fairbanks
answered promptly
"Wednesday n week Tins Is Monday
why that : almost two weeks ago
wonder what he trouble s2 'ye been 50
busy | haven't kept track ot the time
II should think SO running gardens
and classes over in Shanty town and
then working on our garden till past
dark | wish Won wouldn / work 50 hard,
Alice Mrs Fairbanks Was always sure
her daughter was OVERRIDING herself
Alice got up inpatient
ooh. I'm all right What would do
with myself if dldn I work think i II 60
around 10 Clara and sec her She prob
aby thinks We been ncglecting her.
She threw a light wrap around her
shoulders. and started ont bareheadcd
in the warm spring evening Dexter Street
was delightfully."- quiet and misty. and
rather pretty in his soft light She passed
several groups Of children PLAYING ting
with tho shadows to make their game
more exciting. and looked Of Ill tho lights
IN the windows. Dining rooms were dark
now, kitchens were mostly black too. lie
Dexter street housewife had finished her
dishes. put The youngest children ~ bod
and was now going into the sitting room
to JON father, and perhaps - read the
paper awhile until time to call m the older
children.
On such night she had first walked
M this street with David She remember
cd the meeting in the early evening At he
Jovces and how she bad glimpsed his
profile but dimly in the shadows Of their
vine-covered porch She remembered the
soft. rich quality Of his voice she had
liked that and liked him FOR il, even before
she really saw him. And the little ache thar
was always IN her heart for him, grew
kecncr.
She came in sight Of Jovce's and ran
up the steps Mr. Joyce came out 70 her,
evening paper in hand.
Hello Alice, you are . stranger
he said heartily j began TO think We
never would see YOU around here now
Clara's gone
Clara gone" Alice echoed in amaze
ment why. when did She 90"
Three days ago didn't you know
No
Il was sure she came around to say
goodbye 70 YOU. She decided all OF i
sudden 10 90 to the city IN MAY instead Of
June, 50 she packed mp and went of
How funny | know she dldn come
around to the house for either mother
or myself would have been there Mother
was Just saving she wondered why we
hadn see Clara
well, Of course she was busy getting
off Mr. joyce made that old excuse -
though he believed II Want to come
out and see my new strawberry plants
No thanks, not this evening Alice
turned away down the steps, still puz-
led and a little hurt
She walked back slowly. thinking
about it. David disappeared and no word
from him. and now Clara gone to the CITY