The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-05-13
A HERo'S WELCOME
y DAISY y. rwoRr.

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&c. isso. bS Mcclure Nsvspapsr syndicsts.) )
Conrad is coming tonighti" Louise
Pearson cried as she paused beside the
counter behind which Frances Keith
stood measuring OF yard of ribbon
for waiting customer.
1--WE can't tell Just what time, but a.
soon as his mother knows that he is in
town, she is to phone everyone on the
street, and we all are going to turn
our lights on, and so have a grand IL
Elimination by way of a welcome home.
AS you have no phone, you'll have to
keep watch, and when the lights 90 on,
you can set a lamp in your window. 1t
VIII look awfully old-fashioned, but l
suppose 1t is the best you can do. II
your folks didn't belong among the old
families your poor little house would
have been hustled Off the street years
ago." and with an Irritating laugh, Lou
ise turned away.
Conrad Roberts was the most popu.
lar boy In the small town of Firsex,
and the girls had We'd with one an
other in showering attentions upon him
while he had been in France.
During high school days, he had
shown decided preference for the So
ciety Of Frances Keith, but now he
was coming home as a hero, It was ru-
mored that louise Pearson would be
the favored one. Not only was she un-
usually attractive, but she was also
favored child Of fortune, and her pref
ty clothes and her runabout were the
envy of all the other girls.
Louise herself took 1t for granted
that Conrad would seek her out first.
She was sure he had written to her
more often than to any of the other
girls; an opinion which Frances did
not share.
Extracts from Louise's letters found
their way into the local papers, and
were read at the afternoon clubs. Fran
ces felt that hers were too sacred to
show to anyone excepting her mother.
1t seemed to her quite too good to be
true, that Conrad was on his way home
at last; and 1t was with difficulty that
she calmed herself sufficiently to pay
attention to the wants of the people
who found their way into the store
that afternoon.
It was not until she was on her way
home. that the remembrance Of Lou
ise's Irritating laugh came to trouble
her.
81 don't believe I will light our lamp
at ALL" she said to her mother. "It
will only emphasize our poverty, and
seem such a stingy welcome to Conrad
when all the other houses on the street
are brilliantly lighted"
Don't be foolish" Mrs. Keith ad-
vised. 'If Conrad is the boy think he
is. he will realize that eld,fashioned
things are sometimes the most depend
able. Set the light ,ins the front win
dow. and run up the shade. SO as to
give the house cheerful look, then
busy yourself about something that win
take up your mind. It is more than
likely that Conrad will not come to-
night. but walk in upon us sometime In
broad daylight, when We least expect
him."S p y. a., +sf' IL Nsi'sass
With sigh Of impatience, Frances
arose to follow out her mothers sug.
gestion. Going into the Kitchen she
took from the shelf A'large lamp. care
FULLY trimmed the wick and polished
the chimney until 1t shone. As she lit
It, she fervently wished that she had a
fairy wand. by wave o. which she
could change the feeble glow OF the
kerosene lamp into bright light that
would send a welcoming ray far down
the street.
Conrad never will notice It." she
reflected dismally as she placed the
lamp in one Of the front windows
Having done this. she returned to the
living. room. where she settled herself
to work upon the sweater that was to
make her little sister happy on Christ
mas morning.
So busy was she that the minutes
slipped by unnoticed. and It was with
surprise that she heard the clock strike
eleven. 2"
"Ohi do you suppose that Conrad has
come" she cried, springing up and
running to the door to see If the other
houses were lit up. As she looked out,
she was astonished to find that the
street was in darkness. not light to
be seen,
"why. motherr" she called out. at
is perfectly black out-of-doors. Even
the street lights are out"
As she spoke she caught the sound Of
footstep and the next moment ia
miliar voice said:
as that you, Frances7"
1t was Conrad. "Of all dark places
this town is the blacklist ~ he cried
as he made his way up the steps and
into the hall.
There must be some trouble at the
flower station" Frances said. trying to
steady her voice. "Mother told me
that old-fashioned things were some
times the most dependable How glad
I I'M that-I LIZ ailr lat.ar, a flor oil