Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-05
A LETTER FROM LOIS
CHAPTER az

SAALh LIN
But 1 don't believe It. I can't
believe i'll" Clara said one evening.
She q run over" as she expressed
1t, on an unimportant errand. Her
real eason of course, was to see
Alice. Clara worried a lot about her
Friend these days.
But you saw the paper last
week." Mrs. Fairbanks said. 1T had
= paragraph about 1t, that he had
gone and had no intention Of coming
back"
ii Know" Clara said miserably. 81
saw II and 1 thought there was O
mistake. So 1 telephoned the farm
gone. that he had gotten down some
young chap named Saunders from
the city to take his place-a man he
knew in college,"
The two women sat quietly. They
were in the little living room. Be
yond the closed oor Alice was
clearing away the supper dishes.
The sounds of clinking KNIVES and
forks and the rattle Of dishes came
TO them through the door. 1t was an
unusually warm evening.
Il thought he couldn't be spared
Prom his work." Mrs. Fairbanks said.
s.Alice seemed to think he nearly ran
that farm out there"
He was assistant to tho head
Clara said. HE could not have been
spared except for the fact that things
were just beginning. If 1t had been
mid-season. or If they had big class
rs. as they expect to later, perhaps
they would not have let him CO."
We'll, he's gone" Mrs. Fairbanks
said by way of answer
You take 1t rather calmly" Clara
said. looking at the older woman
~curiously. at seems to me that il
had a daughter l loved as much as
gou do Alice, and she had been In
love with a nan who went off very
litter he had been in love with my
daughter@' Clara paused to clar.
ify her thought. well, it seems to
me / would be rather resentful."
81 am" Mrs. Fairbanks said. "a
don't see how any man could prefer
another girl to Alice. That is, q mar
of sense David seemed sensible. ]
ne fell in love with a pair of blue
eyes and a pink complexion"
Clara smiled at this.
i've lived SO long I accept every,
thing calmly" the little old lady
went on. IT used to think my hus.
band would look at another
woman after he married me. l useG
to be pretty in those days, and 1 hat
more style than Alice has. 1 had K
work, of course, but 1 had a little
time to fix up. And 1 was pretty
not a. pretty as Alice" she hastenet
to add Loyalty.
Anyway, after five years, wheI
Alice was about three years Did
new family moved into town-anC
first thing 1 knew my husband wa
head over heels in love with the old
est daughter-she was my own age
but not, married and had no more
sense thar Lois"
Clara looked slightly s~candalized
but only slightly. After all. it's hare
to take the love affairs of an oldel
generation seriously.
81 made him move away to an
other town before anything came O.
It," Mrs. Fairbanks concluded. "Bu
they're. all alike. men are"
Alice caIns i.30 Tie rcoai, wip.1s
her red, wet hands on her apron.
I'm all through" she announced
Hello. Clara. Want to have me wall
to- the post office with your"
IT went there on my way ovel
here" Clara answered. II brough
over two letters" she handed then
to Alice.
This is an ad from a seed house
in Chicago" she said. She looked a
the other one.
This is in Lois handwriting" she
said in a low voice. IT'S post-mark.
cd Lake Placid, Do you imagine Lois
has left New York when David
She tore open the envelope slowly.
swell, 1 must be going" Glare
rose hastily. The air in the little
room was suddenly tense.
NO. don't" Alice said. 81 haven
hid any secrets from you. and I want
probably telling me when she ex'