Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-24
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
By Marion Rubicam.
Copyright. George Matthew ADAMS
ARRIVAL.

ARRIVAL.
Chapter LXVI.
II WINS mid-morning when the train
arrived at the big Pennsylvania station IN
New York. And Alice had something that
almost never troubled her healthy HE,
headache. She had been astounded at the
price of her supper in the diner, Tor Alice
had never Travelled and had never eaten
at any large restaurant. Hlgh prices
necessary or needless, amazed her Tor a
long time. So she had gone without
breakfast in an effort to economlze.
And now, when she got oil the tram,
she went straight to n lunch counter ana
bought some coffee. She felt better at
once, and decided to take the trip to the
college slowly, and enjoy every minute oil
this first glimpse OF the city;
The station itself amazed her. She tired
not 10 appcar "countrihed," but any one
might have guessed by looking at her
wondering face, that tins was her hrst
visit.
"What fitting gateway to glorious
metropolis she thought to herself. Ana
having explored the station tlll she was
satisfied. she went, suit case IN hand, 10
the street
Lawrence had written out the direc-
tions as to how to get from the station 10
the college. She was 10 take the subway
another new and thrilling experience, she
had never been in one of these under
ground tubes-and she decided TO walk
over TO the subway station. In those DAYS
il meant a walk from Seventh to Fourth
avenue. and her suitcase was heavy. But
she was so delighted with everything she
saw that she never felt its weight.
She happened TO come out at Thirty
II sbo baH fp agE "a nOlIrp-
man which direction the subway lay. The
huge department stores she passed on the
wav made her gasp She paused and look
ed with delight In their windows. She had
seen such lovely clothes on the girls out
in the country club, but she had never
seen so many beautiful suits and dresses
together before.
She wandered up and down the win
dows. looking at the lovely things, again
and again losing her way and being Obliged
to ask il of policeman. She looked Mt the
iewelrv, real and paste. too, but all gay
and colorful; nj the beaded bags ucketed
with prices that made her lncredulous
for the price of one she felt she could buy
clothes for year: she looked at the In
n,lmerahle accessories that make a wo-
man well dressed silk stockings, slippers,
buckles. friIly. filiny blouses, hand bags,
delicately soft gloves, exquisite handker-
chiefs. bits of artistic iewelry, perfumes
and powders. and dozens Of other articles.
She thought almost all the merchandise
in the world must be in these vast stores.
Then she smiled at herself for the foolish
ness of the idea, and went on her way
across the town.
Her progress was slow for every few
stems brought her to another shop window.
And VIXEN she finally reached the subway,
II was far into the afternoon and she was
ravenously hungry So she made another
detour and found what looked like an IN
expensive restaurant where she bought
herself a meal She felt curiously sell
conscious with the other patrons, though
no one really looked at her She was glad
she had on the good looking suit Mrs
NIarlowe had bought her. and she knew
she must get hat to GO with It. No one
else seemed to be wearing a summer hat IN
the city.
The subway in itself was q thrilling and
n terrifying experience but she came out
~ it finally. with great gladness TO see
the sunlight again and to breathe the
surface air. Also with a determination to
ride soon from end TO end in the under
ground passage, in q train that dashed
madlv. vet methodically along. controlled
bv cleaning colored signal lights
The rest of the day was taken mp getting
settled i'm her room in the dorInitory, and
seeing people in the registrars and the
business offices Next day she was to be-
gin taking examinations that would
definitely place her classes.
"Your room mate wont come for three
slavs." the matron IN charge of the dormi-
tory told her You'll be lonely | guess,
evenings, if YOU don't know anyone in the
xtIs1 l. III. fsrfI
''Well, you'll soon know lots of folks,
the woman consoled her. You'll meet
some tomorrow when you take your ex-
aminations."
But that evening Alice bad her first
taste of homesickness. She was alone, and
hundreds of miles from anyone she knew,
and she was tired. 1t was 5 O'Clock, and
too early to go to bed. And suddenly she
did want to cry.
A knock on the door aroused her. A
messenger boy stood there with box.
THE orders were to send these here at
SIX he said. "But l was late in me de-
liveries Sign here.
1t was the climax to day of amazing
events. Who could know she was here?
And who would have sent her box2
She tore open the paper and there, INSIDE
the tissue wrappings, lay dozen lovely
roses. On top was an envelope. She
opened it.
''To greet you on your arrival it read
1t was signed--
with lots of love from Lawrence"
Alice gathered the roses in her arms as
though they had been living friends. She
buried her head in their fragrant petals
and began to cry. But her tears were not
those of loneliness. How sweet and
thoughtful Lawrence wasl
Monday-Another Beginning.