Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-05

CHAPTER 10
A CRITICISM

But Clara had 10 be told, so the
day after she and David had gone
20 the show, Alice went around to
her home TO see her.
81 haven't the time" she told her
mother" But I'm afraid I should
tell her. II IT gets out and she hears
indirectly, shell feel badly because i
didn't let her know"
Alice knew, too, though she would
not tell even her mother, that Clara
wes taking more than a friendly in
teTest in David. and since they were
engaged, she felt the sooner Clara
knew, the better.
Clara was out on the front porch,
screened by the climbing vines, and
very busiiy sewing.
ITS your new dress, isn't it?"
Alice said, dropping down on the top
step. IT'S awfully pretty
am altering II the waist is too
soose. I'm going to wear it tonight.
What with you wear?"
"What will wear2 Tonight? What
do you mean, dear?" Alice asked in
surprise.
''The dance at Hooker's. didn't you
know? David just told me of it. It's
tina lovely old farm house about five
miles out, you know the Rockers.
Well, it's a dance tonight. David Is
taking you, and he's bringing around
o man for me" Clara tumbled out
her information haphazard fashion.
mo, I didn't know, l suppose David
IS al the house now. Well, he'll tell
mother"
"You might act excited" said Clara,
eeThinlt Of going 10 a big dance, and
going with David ThoTne! Every girl
in town Will be green with envy.'
Clara" bsgan Alice bluntly, Did
you know about David and me?"
Clara dropped her work, and looked
at her friend. P~urposely, Alice
avoided her eyes. Whatever Clara.
would give away by her expression,
Alice did not want to see. 1t seemed
to her like a species OF eaves-drop-
ping-to read from this girls
the possible secret of n disappointed
love.
Clara's thimble fell to the porch
and she bent over fumbling. to look
for 1t.
no" she said quietly, II didn't
the recovered thimble in her hand,
and came over to kiss Alice. "You
are lucky dear. l could almost fall
in love with him myself. But you
are not so lucky as he IS. I've always
wanted something nice to happen to
you. you've had such rotten hard
iuok all your life. And L hope this
is It."
at Is" Alice said dreami1y, nurs-
ing her knees and looking away down
the street. ~ never imagined / could
be SO glad about anything. / feel as
though this thing We're so precious,
IL couldn't last" She got M, flushed
and suddenly awkward for her little
speech. I
But IL Clara suffered from a broken
she gave no evidences h n night
at tho dance. David had brought
man. n Guy Conrad who had come |
from the city and VINO was a for
mer school friend OF David's. And
CLARA was evidently pleased with
him, and was looking her prettiest
In her new frock.
AS for Alice, she suddenly wished
looking at Clara's freshness, that she
had taken time to fix herself up. In
order to make up for tho time spent
visiting Clara, she had worked late
in the garden, which always took extra
attention at this time of the year,
the stains from the potatoes and
onions she had peeled for supper hadI
In the marks as though forever.
her hands to free them !
OF stain and dirt, she had used kit !
chen soap and had made the skin
rough M dry. aid her nails, as her
mother remarked, looked a sight"
"You could have neglected some
things, and we might have eaten cold
things for supper" that little lady
said reproachfully to her. Your ging-
ham dress is not fresh any more. L
wish you would take the money and
buy yourself something nice, some
thing like Clara has. And our hair
needs shampooingD'
'Dear Mother, don't fret" Alice an
swered easily. The Hookers don't