Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-07
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubcam.
Ccpyrtgnt, George Matther Adams
THE TELEGRAM.
SYNOPSIS or PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

SYNOPSIS t1y PRE- .EtftNts HAPIERSs
Alice Fairbanks has won her way through
life hv her optimism. She has had the
wonderful ability 10 smile in the face Of
the most diScouraCnC circumstances
Her sunny disposition first attracts 10
her David Thorne. with whom she tails
in love When a pretty, silly little cousin
al hers takes him away and marries him,
She is hcarthroken.
Later she adopts a little girl, and af-
tcrwar,is meets and becomes engaged
to Lawrence Marlowe She thinks she
has conquered the old love. until, while
~ college in the city. she meets David
again and finds that he, also, still cares,
She runs away. goes home and breaks
her engagement with Lawrence \ few
weeks later she learns that her cousin.
Davids wife. has died She waits but
docs not hear from him Meantime,
-QI4awrencc IS settled in the city, and her
chum Clara has gone there too to work
They become engaged. Lawrence writes
her he has found out that David has gone
West.
CHAPTER CHI.
To be cheerful in the face Of a great
trouble Is far easier than 10 smile while
bearing succession OF little trlbula-
tion< A great tragedy may even be en-
nohling-but there Is never any reward
for putting up with an endless array OF
petty worries.
II seemed to Alice that ali her life
had been made up of these little trou-
hles. Even her father death, more than
10 wears before. had not been a supreme
sorrow, MIR. Fairbasks had been too OBJ
vlouslv glad TO evade the misfortunes OF
this world By quietly passing out OF II.
Her mother had never been Ill enough TO
be u heart breaking worry; her helpless
ness had made her only care, rather than
IN anxiety.
Whilc-as everyone vino has passed
through il knows-there IS nothing either
hcartbreaking or romantic about continued
povertv, It's worst fault IS the deadly
monotony II creates.
All this Alice had put up with-and
smiled. The numerous little trials and
sacrifices found her always ready and
cheerful. and always hoping, some
times vaguely enough, for something
better.
Ishen came the real heartbreak- her
loss of David and almost Immediately
after this, some sort Of consolation. While
she carried the one big tragedy IN her
heart, at least the petty troubles gradually
disappeared. She no longer had TO work
IL
mind-for often she felt her brain was
actually hungry for mental food-and
thanks to Lawrence's father, some better
investments provided more nearly
adequate income. Lawrence himself had
been a great consolation Berenice,
perhaps, the greatest one Of all.
Yet Alice was In danger OF losing her
optimism now Several evenings she had
come home from work at the Settlement
House so quiet that she scarcely spoke.
Once or twice she forgot even to kiss
Berenice.
Its such hot month"; Mrs. Fair
banks excused her daughters moodlness.
Its not the heat. ] don't mind that,
Alice answered, leaning back in the living
room rocker.
1--WE made nice old-fashioned straw
berry shortcake for supper, Mrs. Far
banks held out this information as though
she knew it would be enough 10 cure any
attack of blues But Alice did not seem
overjoyed.
That's nice" she answered. But in
her tone was politeness rather than en-
thusIasm.
She leaned back with her eyes closed.
Mrs Fairbanks, coming back from an
inspection Of the things cooking on the
stove. studied her with concern.
Alice made little attempt to keep her
hair waved in the hot weather. She had
followed another idea of Chrlstine's
though, and dressed if so it still looked
very modish. But after day az Shanty-
town, even the most securely fixed Golf