Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-19
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story of a Womar's Transfer nation
BY MARION RUBlNCAM.
Protect ted by George Mat thew Adams.
THE FAMILY ARGUMENT.
Chepf.pr vi

THE FAMILY ARGUMENT.
Chapter VI.
To most families, the announcement
that the daughter wants TO go to college rs
only a casual, or an expected statement,
but To ours, it was a bombshell.
We were not backwoods family. The
"old Haines place." as they called our
house. stood on the edge of a stragging
little village called Henly Falls. There
were perhaps hundred families IN the
village itself, and hundred more who
lived in sight of it-that is, in sight II one
stood on the top of the big hill behind our
house. To the left of us, the space OF hall
city block, stood our nearest neIghbor;
to the right, the fields that made up our
farm Behind, was the big new barn, one
of the finest In the county.
| threw a shawl around my shoulders
after we were through the dishes and step
ped out on the back porch for breath OF
AIR Ii was A clear night, with a bright
moon, and could see quite long distance
Violet joined me, and slid her arm around
my waist The fences, or walls. OF held
stone, piled together without cement,
that distinguish New England farmland,
could be made out easily. They ran IN
lovely, waving lines over the hull and
fnaThtu uh tiit pisV"ic9 'tii' Wy f'N-b'
fields
I've started something Violet told
me softly. Mother is i'll there talking 1T
over with father, and guess they wont
let me 90. You might have thought Id
thrown a brick, the way they act. They
must have known all along that ! wanted
10 60 TO college.
We stood together little longer, then
Violet asked. You'll stick with me, wont
YOU. Aunt Enid? You understand things
so much better than they do-isnt 1t
funny? Mothers ought to understand
but sometimes aunts are much more
sympathetic.
promised Id help all could and we
went in together.
Il s'pose YOU two have been putting
your heads together out there Esther
spoke UP auspiciously, as she saw us enter.
Enid of course thinks vi ought TO go
she d let her do anything she wanted to.
"Of course ! think 50, ] answered.
"The more educated she IS the more use
full she'll be. =
Not doing canning and summer CLEAN
ing." Esther remarked acidly.
''There's Laura she likes to
Laura will be getting married IN a
year"
why, has Charlie spoken a. jim
began. lrt Esther interrupted.
Not vet, hut he will. | know. And
there's too much work here IN tins hlg
house for me, even with Enid helping
with all the gardening and outside work
and chores to lie done.
James came III and stood looking on
from the doorway. No one paid any at
tentlon to him poor James, little atten-
ton was ever paid HIM.
I'D have to hire help, or else YOU would
have to get another man. 50 | wouldn I
have milking and garden work, Esther
SAID There would lc that expense he
sides the expense Of the college course, and
her board IN town. And ] wont let her g
alone, that final.
spoke up suddenly.
"lll go with her then
Here was the turning point this sud
den remark Of mine but did not know
then what a momentous thing It was.
Great crises often pass nnnoticed.
well You're old enough and plan
enough 10 be chaperon. Esther granted
with her usual frankness But that would
onl> make another pair Of hands less, and
all the work IL be done
"IH 10 double work offered James
suddenly Il wont bc IN school next WIN
ter. 80 vou can give me all the outside
work. and vou nccdnt Get another hired
man Besides, iii do heavy cleaning tor
evenings when the farm work : over
James graduates IN June too VI put
in. hoping this reminder would help her
gain her point But its results were unex-
pected Jim had not vet gotten over hls
supper-tlme anger. He swung around on
James.
"Oh. he does. does he, he growled
"He starts plowing the north field Mon
day, and after that I've enough TO keep
him busy.
But father, I graduate then" James
burst out It's only three months, and
I'll help all ] can after school hours and
study evenings.
Il can use your time from nine 10
three. Jim said. THAT when you d be
in school, and most likely reading instead
OF studying anyway, he added unreason-
ably
But father" James face had gone
white again, and Violet 5 eyes were over
flowing with sympathy
Il don't see as three months studying
can make any difference one way or the
other" Jim said. You've had all the
lessons practically up to the end Of the
high school work.
"But | want to grad
''Thatu be allr' jim roared, and the
very volume OF his tone stopped argument.
James disappeared again.
II was no time to start arguing Violet s
plea. She, too, left the room, softly pick
Ing up her books as she went. / settled
down TO think things over.
Thirty-fve-and looked 50-35 dead,
drearv wears behind me How many as
dead and dreary before me? Violet, all
youth and force and energy, would she
too be dragged down to 8 round of dim and
dreary years
was fully awake now-it remained TO
find the solution.
Monday-Violet Has Her Way.