Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-20
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
ny Marion Rubincam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adam.
PLEASANT PLANS.

! CnApter Al.
Its always hard for youth to feel deeply
any sorrow that is not very personal
Sympathetic AS Alice normally was, shs
| found il hnrd TO feel any grief for tht
| death of her aunt.
"It's mother l am sorry for" she tolc
her faithful friend Clara, when she met
her that afternoon in little store nearby
"She hasn't scen her sister for about u
years, and of course, / never have. Al
| least | don't remember her, go can't he
F., awfully upset.
"Your mother takes il hard thought
| Clara asked.
Eyes. but YOU see it makes her feel SC
old and useless. If it had been anyone else,
even o casual friend, it would have been
the same. Old people take death much
harder than young ones, | think phllo-
sophized Alice rs she gathered up her
purchases.
"Well. Happy Lady, you don't look
as though you had ever had sorrow IN
your life, or ever expected to have one,
Clara smiled at her affectionately as she
quoted the chiIdren's name for Alice.
81 never expect to" said Alice. Then
| AS the two of them went out OF the store and
turned together up the sunny street, she
felt sudden desire to confide her wonder
ful news to her frienu.
But would David mind2 II WAS sweet
to have it IA a secret for awhile-but OF
course. telling Clara was almost like talk
ing 10 oneself So arguing, she decided to
talk Only it was hard to begin. Did
do YOU like David Thornef' she asked, by
way Of working around TO IT.
"Why-ves. What makes YOU ask7
Her tone made Alice turn to look at
Clara and in amazement she saw that
Clara was blushing furiously-qnte like a
school girl being teased about new beau:
This made it embarrassing. Alice did
not know how TO go on.
"He-he likes you, she stammercd out
making matters worse.
Does he? Did he say sof' Clara
turned 10 her eagerly
"Yes. of course he said so He SAID he
thought YOU were very clever and pretty,
which YOU are" Alice was afraid to go on
now. She hated TO hurt Clarn 8 feelings.
so they walked on IN silence tall the corner
where Clara turned of to her own house.
Then she turned To Alice impulsively;
"You know, m perfectly crazy about
David Mr.. Thorne He hasn't said any
thing 10 make me feel so, he has just been
awfulv nice. as he is 10 everyone. But
he 500 different from other men about
here.
"IIe comes from the city and from col
ege. and he's travelled lot and ms
mother was brought up IN very promin-
ent family in England. 40 he had more
time aud more chances to learn nice man
ners than our town boys
How do YOU know all ths7 clara
asked
"Oh. he told me And this WAS as near
~
dreadful she thought IL Clara had fallen
in love with him too How dreadful #
David fiirtcd with her, or encouraged her
But this idea did not stay in her mind n
moment. She knew David was too fnc
not to play fair.
He came that evening as soon as their
simple supper had been cleared away.
There's travelling road show IN
town. he announced. DO YOU want 10 go2
I've tickets for the three Of lls, We could
take YOUR mother IN that carriage OF
mine hire il by the week. YOU know
What fun IL would be- Alice answered
iovolslv. She rarely had an opportunity
10 indulge in even the few amusements
that Harrington afforded But Mrs. Fair
banks was feeling to i'll To want TO go, so
II was Alice and David who went secretly
glad 10 be alone.
.'Of course. its badly done" Alice re-
marked during an lntermtssion- 1t
doeSn' seem so to me, because We never
seen ANYTHING better-only these road
shows and the MOVIES But you must find
it stupid
mo. / like it, And like being with
you. he answered simply. Alice laughed
happily.
but after you We seen the great actors,
and heard operas in how many cities?'
she demanded,
ooh. several. New York and Paris and
London. saw the Passion Play at Ober-
ammergau when ] was quite young, snd