The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-10-29
PLANS y
CHAPTER IL

e. WHAT Ell IL
/ fancied there was slight change
In Laura's manner after the day her
mother told that / had once had a
"beau"-the word is Laura's. Before
this she had always considered me as
a nonentity. someone who did odd jobs
about the house. someone her father
supported-and this because / paid no
board at my brothers, though 1 did
as much work as hired girl, who
would have been boarded free and CIV
en- a salary as we'll.
A dependent relative, or a dependent
wife, often has all the disadvantages.
For she gets no salary, and is expect
ed to be grateful for her job as we'll.
My case of course was a little diff
ferert. l had some money-only a
hundred or so a year-as my share of
the rent of the little house where
had been born. This l spent on the
three children, usually for Christmas
and birthday presents. Esther bought
my clothes when she bought her own.
Then I had the little inheritance that
was to go part way towards sending
Violet to college.
Violet had never treated me as a
nonentity, and James had been kindly
and tolerant. Few boys his age con.
slider old maid aunts as useful crea-
lures, but James was always very nice
to me. Laura alone openly looked
down upon me.
"I'll bake the cake. I do it better
than you" she would say, when we
were planning Saturdays work. Or
"PN scrub the porch, l can do 1t
faster.''
And so on, with many items Of work.
My ability to do beautiful darning was
the only thing where / excelled her.
Consequently, I had all the family
mending-and there was always plen-
ty of it,
The May days ran along. Violet
had to be excused from all work at
home; her time was taken preparing
for the final examinations at school
to be followed at once by entrance
examinations for college. We had not
yet decided which college she was to
60 to.
And when the discussion came up,
Laura's hostile feeling towards me
grew rather marked, though for a
while after Esther's talk of the man
who once was in love with me, Laura
had shown me more respect.
"As long as | can do this at all
7 want to do it right" vi said one
evening. school books and catalogues
piled before her on the kitchen table
Esther and l were washing the
dishes. Laura had gone outside to the
spring-house to look after the milk
and butter.
$50 I'm going to a college in New
York" vi continued, picking up one
of the catalogues.
Now l won't have you living alone
in city. and you barely IS next fall,
Esther was argumentive at once.
Violet's blue eyes grew black-blue
curious trick l had noticed she had
when she was very angry or very de
termined
Thousands Of girls go every year
and don't get killed. she began sar.
castically. And I'm as old as any OF
them and have much more sense than
most girls 49,"
Just the same, you don't go to the
city alone. You pick out college in
small town or village some place,
and then I'll feel safe"
Violet's eyes flashed.
Spend all my life in a little hole
like Henly Falls, and then when
do have a chance to get out of it
spend few years in place not much
bigger!" she retorted. Then what
Come back to Henly Falls and spend
the rest of my days here!"
There's lots worse places than Hen
1y Falls" Esther's anger was coming