Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-24
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubincam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
LETTERS.
Chapter XIV.


ut seems mean of me to be 80 happy
when YOU arc feeling blue over your
sisters DEATH" Alice said one morning
after she and David had made plans as to
where they were to live. She always re-
ferred to her aunt rs "your sister, when
speaking of her to Mrs. Fairbanks. 1t
never seemed TO Alice that she was any
relation to herself.
"I'm not blue Mrs. Fairbanks In
sisted. She was sitting III the tiny front
room of the cottage. room that A1cT
had fixed up for the invalid s speciai
convenience. The prettiest and most
cheerful pictures and pieces OF furniture
that thev possessed were IN here, books
as thew had managed to collect the really
handsome rug Alice had bought from
some of her garden money, and table
with magazines and writing materials
and sewing things handy whenever
Mrs. Fairbanks wanted to work. Her big
psdded armchair was turned so she could
look from the window and watch the
street life, and couch for her to lie down
on was under the front window. Whenever
Alice was working, she was within easy
call from this room.
Mrs. Fairbanks turned now and spoke
70 Alice, who was getting ready to do the
laundry work.
'Here comes the mail, dear. Run and
see if Lois has written us.
Lois had there was fat letter addressed
to both the women. ;.
''She uses awfully nice stationery,
Alice commented, coming into the room.
''Thev have money, though, haven
they? Wouldn't { il he wonderful II she lett
YOU some, motheri You could go away Tor
trip
''Ny deari'' demonstrated Mrs. FAIR
banks, breaking the seal of the envelope.
Dear Auntio and Cousin Alice,
she began.
Cousin Alice - quoted the girl
sitting on the floor and pulling hair pms
out of her head. ''Shc Is a relation, lsn
she? / can't believe it. Go on, | didn't
mean to interrupt.
Il hope YOU won't mind my calling
You auntic and cousin. Mrs. Fairbanks
read on, because since mother died you
are all the family have in the world.
Poor kid, said Alice, all sympathy
n once.
Il would have written sooner, but
We had 10 make all the funeral arrange
lnentS. and it was a lot Of work although
/ had a very competent woman, an old
family friend, to help me.
"Oh mother. Just think OF that poor
child having to conduct q funeral for her
own mother, and probably-not knowing
thing about it, Alice said gently, shaking
ont her long straight hair and combing
her fingers through It,
Then there was the will to be read
and ever so much legal red tape 10 go
through, and all the bills of the estate to
f.. paid. so | was kept more than busy.
B9.t | thought of YOU both lot, and wish
al YOU could be with me. You would have
been such comfort to me IN my sorrow,
Mrs. Fairbanks interrupted herself this
time to saw. Poor child" again and again
Mother talked about you lot, es-
pecially during her illness and wished so
She could see you. But Of course we under
stood that you could not have come all
this distance, especially as you, auntie,
g not well. Your letters were great
,:nfort TO me ] do not think | could have
I'D it so we'll without them.
Well when everything was adjusted
We found that mot her hadn t much money.
after all. She owed some bills she never,
mentioned, and the lawyer paid them, and
hv the time the funeral expenses were
covered, there WAS very little left. OF
course, she had so many friends We had to
have a very large funeral.
Il do not quite know what | shall do,
bow that mother Is gone from me feel
so lost and forlorD, but | suppose that Is
natural. Mother was the only family ] had
/ am staying with a friend for few weeks;
her address Is at the top of the letter.
Mother left you little pearl cham with s
cameo brooch which she used TO wear when
she was a girl, and which she said you would
remember. III give it 10 you when | see
You, or mail it if you say SO.
Il hope you'll both love me a little,
even though ] have been a stranger TO
YOU all my life Please write tn mc.-Lois.
The sweet dear child, Mrs. Fairbanks
said, her eyes moist as she finished the
letter. What an appealing little creature
she must be. Sister was that sort, very
pretty, wit.I the lovelist golden hair and
the most appealing ways. Alice, what are
you doing"
Nothing" Alice answered, as the
children do She was putting her hair
Ilp in a tight knot on top of her head.
II can't work with my hair j my eyes.
Let s ask Lois to come visit US. | think we'd
like her and she seems to need TO be with
someone who is a relation. You see how
she speaks of being without a family"
That would be lovely" Mrs. Fair
banks brigh ened up at once. ''She can
have my room and I'll sleep down here
Perhaps when you and David marry"
Her voice trailed off into pothingDess.
She pulled some pape towards her and
picked up her pen.
Dear Lois" wrote she, "Alice and
] want you to come to us at once"
She wrote rapidly, while Alice picking
up the unused hairpins, went into the
kitchen and began her week washing
Tomorrow-Alice Makes a Sacrifice.