Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-09
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
By Marion Rubincam.
Copyright. George MATTHEW Adams.
DECISION.

is the twilight hour At that time people
arc hurrying about their own concerns,
home to dnncr--or, il it is in the summer
when the days are long, thoy arc at the
table and where there arc groups, therc
is relaxation and merriment. But where
there is but ono person, that ind idual
is apt to he desperately lonely.
At twilight that day, Alice was alone.
She had received phone message from a
neighbor that Lois chad accidertiy met q
friend and was staying out tor supper.
Mrs. Fairbanks had fallen asleep IN the
late afternoon and Alice hnd no desire TO
awaken her, for the simple meal could
wait Meantime She sat IN the living room,
having prepared supper and having noth-
ing further 10 do until her mother woke
up to eat. As for herself she had no de-
sire for food.
Lois and David apparently, were
staying at tho Farm for supper. 80 much
she could guess from the messagc-the
word 'fricnd." had been used to deceive
Mrs. Riley, who took the message, SO
she would not know too much. The 'ac-
cidentally" was put in apparently to de-
ceivc Alice.
That must be il. There were few
restaurants and tea rooms in the central
part of Pennington, but 1t was not likely
that David and Lois Ind gone 10 one OF
them, for. that, in so small place. would
cause gossip And Alice knew that the
housekeeper had lately arrived at tho
Model Farm.
OF course il was natural that David
should have been delayed out there. Alice's
common sense told her that. The work on
the place was nearly completed. David was
TO move out TO his quarters there in a
few days.
Alice pictured these quarters = She had
seen them being done over tho bed room,
with quaint lowered paper; the living room
in cream and blue the tiled bath made
from what had been huge closet. They
were to he her homo too. when they were
married And at the thought OF the little
place, Alice lost her self-control
For it is queer thing that one may
contemplate a big tragedy with little out
ward sign Of emotion, but small things will
break up the sternest self-control
a famous general watched huge battle
from . hill. Hundreds and thousands of
men fell dead or In mortal agony. and he
did not weep. On his way back, from the
lines, his horse trampled little kitten and
he cried with the small girl who owned II.
As Mice sat in the living room with the
twilight deepening outside. she was watch
ing the death of her love and her hope OF
happiness But she sat dry-eycd, outwardly
calm In fact. she even listened for sounds
to show her mother was waking, and she !
did not forget that the water in the kettle
might boil away.
David was everything in the world TO
her. She had been different g.rl from the
time she had first met him. She felt she
had never really lived before the night
OF his first kiss-and David was being lost
to her, taken away by n blie-eycd, heart
less. pretty bit Of fenininIty.
She felt as though her heart would break.
But she sat quietly. staring ahead while
the gloom thickened and made OF the cor
ners of the room places of dark and distant |
mystery And then IL was that she thought |
lf the little apartment she and David were |
10 have at the farm-the eretonne cur /
aims she meant To put AT the windows, the |
big couch that was to he in front of the /
lreplace. And suddenly her ewes filed and /
The wentov to the sofa by the window and
puried her face IN the cushions and cried
-sobs that shook her whole body.
After time she knelt down on the floor
for there are some emotions which in
itiuetively make a woman drop on her
Snees-and her crying stopped though
he still kept her head in the cushions.
Dear God" she whispered over and
,ver and it was almost a prayer. II can't
1--WE him up. ] can't give him UP.
After time she sat up and pushed her
lair back, that had fallen over her face.
she began putting in the
1afr pins again. She remembered several
# David criticisms; once of frock she
vas wearing-she knew she owned but
,ue pretty dress and that was almost worn
,,it; couple of comments on her careless
y done-up hair: one time remark be
:ause her nose was red and shiny. She re-
nembered critical looks he had given her
hat spoke more than words could possibly
rave done.
Lois would satisfy him that way. at
east He adored pretty girls, daintily, i'm
dressed. And she had been care
were always so many other
hings that seemed more important than
nanicuring. and marching. and spend
az hours fussing over ones personal APP
'earance' Yet Lois would not make him
appy--.
And again she whispered TO herself.
i can't give him up
But she knew in her heart that she must
Tomorrow Motherly Talk.