Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-27
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
by Marion Rubincsm.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.

lin TO the time when the Model Farm
WAS opened, Pennington had been moth
ing but an ordinary small town. II looked
much like any other town or village of
it's size in the country. Ii had Its business
section. mostly old wooden front houses
disguised more or less BY show windows
where front parlors had been. 1t had its
movies. and its opera house for town
meetings and the occasional road COM
pany that came, playing old-fashioncd
shows, badly acted.
Ii had its swell residence streets
nearby, and further out the more modest
dwellings. II had its foreign section,
where poverty was more dull and deadly
and more hopeless than it Is in big city.
The factory district was near thus quarter,
but played little part IN the life OF Farming
ton. The town grew up because IT was IN
the centre of splendid farming and agri-
cultural lands. Hence It's name. hence
its life.
Hence. too, the choosing of this COM
munitv as a place for the big State-run
farm and experimental station. An old
place. rather run down, had been pur-
chased from Claras father, and done
over. That was why David, fresh from
an agricultural college in the big city,
had come down there. That was how he
came to know Clara. and that was how
he had met Alice.
Most events run in circles. Aices sud-
den happiness and sudden sorrow in her
love affair had been due TO the Model
Farm. Indirectly. it had apparently made,
then blasted her life. But of IT, too, came
the means of rebuilding her life again.
Pennington had a Woman's Club, as
sleepy an organization as the town IT
self. But the Model Farm brought IN
some new people from the city, among
then, Mrs Godfrey. wife of the man who
had complete charge of the farm. Mrs.
Godfrey was only an incident IN Allce 5
life, merely ono of the many who helped
the girl to her salvation.
She was the sort of woman who must
have something happening. In the
city the life was provided; IN this small
community she had to provide IT for her
self. She was quito capable of it. She
fairly took over the Woman's Club, and
made r ''live" from q dead society.
Among other things, she saw the need
Of reform IN 'Shanty-town-" 10 she per
social centre there.
ClaYa met Mrs. Godfrey as she met
everyone connected with the farm. When
Mrs. Godfrey wanted social workers,
Clara brought In Alice. And so it was that
Alice promised four afternoons and three
evenings week TO the social work. In
the summer, she was TO have q little
garden behind the house the club had
rented there, TO teach simple flower and
vegetable raising to the children and such
of the mothers as might be dragged in.
Later they were to take over some vacant
lots and make garden plots TO be franz
ed by the foreigners and the very poor
And that was why Alice was ener-
getically helping Mrs. Godfrey put up
curtains one winter afternoon, when she
met Lawrence Marlowe.
Mother sent these over" was the
newcomers introduction, as he came into
the room, fur coat powdered with snow,
his arms full of bundles.
Mrs. Godfrey turned.
"Ah, how do you do? m glad to have
al contributions.
"Mrs. Marlowc sent thenn-my mother.
I'm Lawrence Marlowe."
"And I'm glad to know YOU" Mrs
Godfrey answered, gong right on with
her work. This is my assistant, Miss
Fairbanks.
Alice shook hands, her frank smilesand
I-oyish hsndclssp giving an instantly
: 4>faE litpFbsSipH toHC tAS
Nosslg chap oversize had heard of him
Often; the Msrlowes had plenty OF money
Al we're looked up to in the town.
lawrence was small for 4 man, though
taller than Alice. He had brown eyes
and tan-colored, straight hair, rather
I hin nose. and the high forehead Of the
thinker. His face was usually serious
He was slight in build, and bis hands were
we'll kept.
How different he was from David
David would have been head and shoulders
above him. Dayid's hair towsled easily
and Davids gray eyes were large and
tender David WIS strong, and ike some
strong men. bit awkward when he used
his hands and arms.
Want some help" Lawrence asked
Mother said you might need a husky
man TO tack carpets or put up curtains.
Curtains are up, Mrs. Godfrey
said briskly. "You can help Miss Fair
banks carry these bundles upstairs.
An hour later Alice put on her things
TO leave, and Lawrence, who had been
helping, offered to drive her homo in his
sleigh She picked up a heavy book.
What s this? Principles of Chemistry.
Lawrence Marlowe read. 'Oh, say, are
YOU interested in that"
Yes, but making no progress" Alice
said ruefully. 1T needs a laboratory and
professor"
So began q new acquaintanceship.