Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-20

Anne Garter has had an Hnhdppy
childhood. When she tods seven her
mother committed suicide because
Jim Garter Dhipped the child for an
innocent misdemednor, and Anne's
girIhood tcds shddotood BY this aot
of her mothers, ,ohich, IN Jim Car
ter's eyes, tcds the eliminating act
of tcedkness of ioedk life. He Is
determined that Anne shall hdoe none
tf her mothers traits and she IS
Kept from young people as much as
possible. When she IS eighteen her
father brings home man to dinner
one evening and IL IS quite obpious
that Anne is expected to be nice to
the stranger, although she intaitirety
dislikes him. He inrites her to d
band concert.
TT WAS very pleasant to be settled
i comfortably in the little one seated
roadster and to be asked IL she were
comfortable and IL she would like a
wrap. 1t was also very pleasant to
drive down through the Main street
and around into Orchard street, where
the band was just beginning its con-
cert. IL was almost exciting to draw
up to the curb near Cherry Hardings.
1t was too dark for Cherry to see her,
but after a while Mr.. Snyder asked
Anne il she would like to get out ana
walk about. -,
"Oh. can we leave the carr" she
asked delightedly.
He. nodded. The next moment he
was helping her out and they were
walking down the street past the Hard
ing house. Anne could distinguish,
Cherry's pink dress in the gay crowd
on the yeranda and in a burst OF rare
enthusiasm she called out a gay
."Hellon as she and Mr. Snyder
walked BY
There was a silence while Cherry
stared and then there was sudden
recognition. Instantly Cherry had
iumrjed 'up, was climbing over the long
limbs of two young men who lounged
on the steps and had run up to Anne.
"Wen. Anne Carter, of all people,,
she exclaimed. "At band concert
However did you manage Ana
Cherry looked expectantly at Mr..
Snyder.
Anne introduced them shyly and
Cherry, with her usual gay abandon, in
vited them to come up on the porch.
Were going to have ice cream sent
over in q few minutes,' she explained.
In. an agony of shyness. Anne longed
for an excuse. but Bill accepted with
lacrity, and she was forced to follow
him up to the steps of the porch. Some
one moved aside for her. and Cherry
dragged out cushion for Bill and a
low stool for Anne. which she. placed
near the pillar. She made sketchy in
Productions. but Anne was so shy that
she hardly saw the faces about her and
heard no names. She was conscious
of the fact that Mrs. Harding smiled
at her. and that she was sitting near
q young man with a short up turned
moustache who eyed her closely and
then turned his attention to another
girl. After q time she recovered enough
to notice that Cherry was carrying on
q gay Irritation with Mr.. Snyder.
Anne thought Cherry wonderful. To
be able to talk here and there. to fling
gay remarks over one shoulder while
she carried on q conversation over the
other, was quite too remarkable an
accomplishment. Anne felt no resent
ment because Cherry had taken posses
sion Of her escort. She thought Of
Bill Snyder only as man who had
made it possible for her to be here at
all, and now that she was here she was
too shy and frightened to enjoy her.
self. The young people all frightened
her, they were too glib, too modern,
too sure Of themselves. She thought
suddenly of John Porterfield. If he
were here he would understand. and
she felt that she could talk to him.
When Anne and Mr.. Snyder finally
rose to go it was quite late. later than
Anne had ever, been out in her life.
Cherry said something in an undertone
to Bill Snyder. something that Anne
could not understand. Then there was
gay chorus of good bys, and
moment later Anne was seated in the
car and they were off.
They drove slowly down the streets.
and as they turned into Main street
Bill Snyder turned to Anne and said:
ITS quite early; shall we take. u
little drive?"
"But it's after TO-" Anne protested.
He laughed. Surely that isn't late.
Don't worry about your family. I'm