Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-22
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story of /, Woman's Transformation.
BY MARION RUBINCAM.
BUD.
Chapter LXxXVIT.

looked at the familiar cramped hand
writing on Esther's letter | did not want
to open it-somehow Esther always bore
down upon me like n heavy weight, ano
! was so happy at the moment that ! did
not want To hear anything about my old
life and associations. ! seemed to have
dropped them off 20 completely-since
Francis told me he loved me.
But here in this letter was all my past
the little village Of Henly Falls, the
inconveniently arranged farm house the
work, Esther's heavy, plodding figure
and her dull acceptance Of everything dis
agreeable in life.
However, an unopened letter is not
to be resisted, so laid it on the table and
began dshing up dinner BY the time
it was ready, Violet came from her bath
rolled up in her blue kimono and look
ing fresh and restored again
Mothers probably tei us what
she wants for Christmas" she suggested,
looking at the letter
"It is almost ChristmasW / exclaimed.
I've tried not to count the DAYS. We
have so little money we cant afford real
gifts this year"
Il don't want any," vi said college
closes for two weeks tomorrow. I'm going
to find position and earn some money. +"
i finished serving dinner, and tore
open the letter. Esther usually only wrote
when she had bad news of some sort
There are well meaning women like that
Dear Enid, she began. Il don't know
what TO send you or a present this Christ
mas. ! know you'd rather have money
because you can get things in the city
and smaybe need the money anyway.
But Jim has been on q tantrlim lately
and can't get a cent from him for presents
to anyone"
'Fell her TO send us some jam and
canned egetables-that will save us on
marketing bills, vi remarked practically
II tried 20 get Jim to send enough
money SOS Vi could 90 on To the end
of her term, TO summer, the letter went
on. But he insists he hash got 10. There
insurance to pay this month and next
month note he gave three months ago
when we rebuilt the wagon shed Jim
getting stingy in his old age anyway
so finally | couldn't stand IL no
more And ! up and says he and James
could stay and take care of themselves
over Christmas, that | was coming to
the city"
"Herel Now1" vi asked. startled
| read on-"to the city for two weeks
I'm not much at letter writing, and there
lots of things | want to talk about Be
sides, since you'll be coming home in
February, IL may be my last chance to
see the city. II bring IN lot Of farm stuff
SOS | won't be much expense. Ill come
on the oath.
We'll" Vi said IN surprise. That's
curious Mother evidently is rebelling
at the life out there, and Mt fathers
neglect"
| did not know what 10 answer. From
other letters Esther wrote, | knew that
Jim had not completely reformed and
that Esther was still afraid of .'the other
woman She knew nothing definite. and
she was afraid to find out But she was
uneasy about II. But OF course, ] could
not talk of it to Violet
"'lt viii be nice to see her." | tried
to make my voice cheerful.
g II will be nice il Bud is out Of this
trouble" vi answered. Neither she nor
father knows he comes around here
50 much, and they don't know we are
engaged. If she comes now-and finds
him practically accused of stealing"
What happened about it today?' |
asked
''Oh, il drugs on and on. The police
are conducting big nvestlgatlon-bu
Bud is coming tonight"
When Bud came, in time as always
for his demi-taSse and cigarette, he told
us all that had developed.
Have you been reading the papers?''
he asked. "A chap from Barstow, Kahn
& Co. was robbed today-they pulled
hum into aclosed cab, put cholroform
soaked sponge over his nose and was
of before people realized what had hap
pened. 1t sounds impossible doesn't it?
1et so many people crowd those narrow
streets, and everyone is so intent on his
own business, that man can reach out
OF moving cab, grab someone and keep
driving right on without creating much
disturbance. BY the time the alarm spreads
the cab will be lost in the crowd-at
least far enough off TO give it good chance
of getting away"
How did they find out about this
then?"
The kid woke up in house somewhere
on the outskirts of Brooklyn-an empty
house. He crawled out of the place and
found phone and reported We all do
grow careless" he added Handling