Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-08-24
MISS SOPHRONIA
BY SUSAN r. HAyFoRD.

and looked it, and knew that she
looked 1t: but, as this eyentfui May
day afternoon she sat In the little
front room and looked down the years
Of her youth she knew that Of all days
this was the happiest.
For the first time the thrill OF real
adventure was hers. She was to spend
the summer at Seaside hotel. and,
moreover. as the cvner of II.
A week before she had expected to
20 on with the same life as the last
forty years had held till the eyentful
day that brought her the letter from
q lawyer in the city telling that she
was the owner OF Seaside by the VIII
OF her late uncle. Jared Stone.
Seaside was to go on the same as
before. She had that very day com
pleted the arrangements with Mr.. West
ley as proprietor. and he was 70 attend
to everything Her presence there as
owner was not to be known TO anyone
at the hotel save to that suspicious
person himself.
June came and went with little ex-
element at the Seaside except to Miss
Higgin. The season mad been cold aud
the guests few, but there were rare
days when she and the young man Of
the orange tie. Mr.. Harding Graves,
boated. and evenings when the moon
was bright across the water.
It was the first Of July that Miss
Sophronia looked in her glass and mar
yeled at the unaccountabIeness Of love.
And he says my eyes are beautiful"
she reflected, as she worked at the tell
tale crows feet with the new vanishing
cream that Mrs. Winters, who passed
for forty, had told her about.
But notwithstanding the thrill Of the
new excitement and the softly modu-
lated voice Of her escort, there were
moments when Miss Sophronia was
troubled. one reason for which being
the pretty blue-eyed girl who presided
at the Seaside piano The other was
the somewhat angular but sturdy form
OF Ezra Bascom. that had peculiar
way of appearing in her dreams of late.
For twelve years Ezra's brilliantly
polished No. 9's had crossed the Hlggin
threshold on Sunday evening. and ev-
cry pleasant Wednesday evening they
had driven behind Ezra's handsome
roam: but never word OF love had
passed between them.
But what troubled Miss Sophronia
was that she had promised to write,
and after q week of Seaside distrac-
lions had forgotten.
July brought ifs usual flock Of vaca-
tionists and the man Of the orange tie
was greatly in demand. Miss Sophro-
MIA noted this and considered his I'M
selfisllness one of his most admirable
qualities. Still there were hours that
he stole away 10 entertain her and
escort her wherever she willed to go,
while all the time the blue-eyed pianist
cast tender glances at him, while her
cheeks grew pale under the demands
Of the Seaside guests.
The season was to close the second
week in September, and the last Of Au-
gust, her conscience having been more
heavy than usual of late, Miss Sophro-
MIA sent picture postcard to Ezra,
and in return mail a flaringly attrac-
tive one came in return. In the center
sat youthful swain on a rustic seat.
one arm about a ghostly vision of
sweet young thing, and underneath.
"This is lonesome town without you"
while the one word Ezra" was writ
ten In the corner.
Miss Sophronia put her hands over
her hot face as the realization of
things came over her.
poor Ezra" she sighed. "Ohl this
isn't right, and she loves him, know"
This" meaning her affair with the
man of the orange tie.
That Mr.. Harding Graves had been
very attentive all summer could not be
denied Half beau" she had called
him at first; then later she had con-
Guided that he was an almost beau"
But OF late the pleasure had been
married by the thoughts of the little
blue-eyed girl, who wasn't fifteen years
older than he. Miss Sophronia felt
sure that she cared for him, and even
If he was pleasant with the others she
decided that she would not be the
cause of broken heart at least, and
then 'it's not being trne to Ezra" she
concluded as she rang for the bellboy
and dispatched a formal note to the
man of the orange tie, pleading q head
ache that made their sail TO the point
impossible and thanking him very de-
murely for a very happy summer.
Two weeks later, back in her little
parlor, Miss Sophronia was planning
for the new house, and as she planned
her fingers were busy on a long white
silken seam. Only one thing troubled
her. She wondered If she had really
had a Irritation that summer To her
mind it was a grievous sin, and how
could she ever explain it to Ezra? Just
then the little Hunter girl came from
the post Office with a letter. 1t was
from Mr.. Wesley, telling her when he
would be there to settle the seasons
business; also to learn the terms for
the sale of the hotel. Inclosed was the
account of the employees Of the sum-
mer and their wages. and heading it
u. Harding Graves, Entertainer; Mrs.
J. Harding Graves, Pianist"
Miss Sophronia read no more. A
load was lifted from her mind she
hadn't hurt anyone's feelings after all.
Then she saw postscript to West
ley's letter: Those Graves people sort
of soaked you on the expenses. He
knew to whom your uncle left the prop
erty. all right"
But Sophronia Higgin did not care
about having been soaked" as she
commenced sewing ON the long seam
of her wedding dress.
Description Suited Many.
$50 you had trouble locating me-"