Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-23
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story ois Woman's TrAnsformatSon.
by MARION RllBINCAM.
ESTHER COMES.
Cbanter I,XXXvU.

AuaptI
I left Bud and Violet alone as soon
As | could, and ran off to Helen.s tea
room To sit and talk with her. The dinner
rush was Just over, and her pretty n.''e
restaurant WAS rapidly clearing out:
Slid into the big arm chair back OF her
desk, and while Helen counted up dinner
checks, we talked.
had not told vi about Frapcis, ana
l did not tell Helen, yet One OF the
sweetest things about hrst engagement
IS Keeping II secret for little time. Every
woman likes to clasp TO her heart TINS
precious hit of knowledge, before she
shares IL with y comparatively indifferent
world
she observed, adding up figure expertiy'
How is Bud coming onl ,..
Rather badly | answered. AI
least, he insisted on breaking ms en-
,,agement to Violet until he was clear
of this business.
"Reallvr Helen put down her pen
c,l and turned around to me. DO you
Lnow / admire him for that. 1 die Mt
know he had il IN hum.
I'm afraid vi doesn't share your
feelings. she's heart-brokcn, l answered.
"WsD poor child she would be. But
!, i the thing for Bud to do, just the
same / don't think he took the money
he's not that sort, that's evident to
anvone. But he WAS foolish, and he was
taken i'm h, that crowd he ran about with.
/ see they suspect this Simons.
YES, answered absently, not know,
ine how this knowledge would affect BUD
and not realizing its Importance. by
the way. had letter from Esther TINS
evening She's coming TO spend the
HOLIDAYS with us. ,,
Uelcn's eyebrows went up little
and n slight gleam came INTO her hu-
morous eyes.
committal tone.
wi Is going to find position over
the hohdavs.T | wcIt on, giving my
last hlt of gossip
Excellent. Tell her 20 try the book
departmsnts m some Of the big stores.
| hear they need people for the Chrlst,
mas rush. and like getting college girIs.
| went back early, 10 hnd VI ana buu
wasNnr the dinner dishes, VI with her
sleeves rolled up, driving. and Bud with
ms hands in a pan of hot water, cheer
fully shaking soap until he formed a
pvramid of pearly soapsuds above the
nan. | knew they were both happy, Tor
Tho time M least To vi, of course, thus
was a little forctaste of the domestic
life she wanted so desperately Bud,
dish washing was a pleasant novelty.
I'm eNllcd while your mother IS
here" he was saying. but III charter
that cuhhv-holc table at Helen 5 Tor tea
every afternoon. And then III meet
Won wherever YOU oondcscend TO work
Tor the holidays"-he was SMILING his
merricst AZ her now-"and take you
there for tea. SO your Mother needn I
know. and you wont be deceiving her
either. :,
Il want her TO like you though" VI
protested. =, :
start 20 make nv fortune But 50 far
I've wasted everything earned, and
gotten myself into the deuce of scrape,
and ruined my reputation and gone IN
debt. That's not much Of recommenda-
tion 10 present me with.
so we let IT stand.
And the day after college closed foT
the holidays, Vi did go around answer
ING ads. with courage that | could
not helm but admire. The second day
she found a temporary position, In a
small book shop on Fifth Avenue, where
she made SIS a week and where the
surroundings were really very pleasant
Francis was out of town on business
hut wrote me that he expected TO get
hack by Christmas day.
And when / come, / have rather
nice little engagement'ring that ! hope
vouu like he wrote, but YOU shan
have IL till Christmas day. Then | shall
give IL 10 YOU with proper ceremony
and take YOU up to my house to have
dinner with mother. haven't told hei
Vet but Will when ] get home
Meantime, there was Esther TO consider
She wrote us the train she was conn.,
ing on, and ! went up TO meet her. v
was working. 80 ! went alone.
IN never forget the shock OF her ap.
p,.arance-not SO much her curious
clothes, as her face. Poor Esther, in
spite Of her troubles, had grown fattes
which seemed illogical TO me She wore
IN. same hat-or bonnet, II was a bit OF
both-that she had had for SIX years, and
a tattercd sweater under her long coat
She had innumerable bundles.
But | was glad 10 see her for all that
and went up and kissed her affectlonately
Il expect ] look like SUSIE from the
countrvh she said st once, looking al
me and at the fashlonably dressed throne
around the station my land, / never
saw skirts so highl Enid, how can you wear
such heels2 I've got barrel of stuff along
but Jim expressed IT, SO 1t Will come
straight 20 your house.
1T came this morning" i told her
Now. shall hire a taxi and take you
and your packages down to our home
N style
"My landr Esther exclaimed again
What a NOISY place! / amt been tc
the city since was so years old. Jim's
getting that cranky, ] thought ! would
not come this time even"
She leaned back in the cab, and
looked at her again. Little puffs OF fest
were quite visible under her eyes, hel
cheeks sagged, her skin was coarse from
wind. sun, and neglect, her hair hung il
wlsps from her hat-Esther had complete
ly let 90. felt q sudden rush of pity fo
her.
Tomorrow-Francis Helps.