The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-04-20
MISS TERRY
BY MILDRED WHITE.


luncheon cloth upon her mothers
tray. Every day as the hands of the
kitchen clock pointed to IL 30. Miss
Terry did this very thing, the one ex-
ception being when the potatoes were
either boiled, or creamed.
Ellen's father had been q stern man,
permitting no gayety or frivolity in
his own domain.
Miss Terry was treated with re-
spect by the community. her unself-
ish devotion by-word For few
stopped to consider the WEAKNESS of
her life's routine, or fingered to bright
en- its dizziness. 1t was a vision of
years to come like those which had
passed in sameness. which came to
Ellen upon certain morning as she
put the luncheon cloth on her moth
er's tray. A charge of some kind
must be wrought Ellen thought des-
perately, and when she had placed the
tray before the grateful invalid. Ellen
took up last nights Farm Herald
and an advertisement caught her eye.
Young woman teaching in Farmdale
| Academy would like board in quiet
| home" she read Then Ellen Terry
| committed the one daring act of her
| life. She answered the advertise
ment, independently and without con
sulting her mother. then fearfully
| awaited reply. The answer came i'm
/ person. Miss Betty Blair of Boston,
presented herself for approval. and
was apparently delighted over the
i prospect of her new boarding place.
A new world opened to Miss Terry
within the shelter of her OVID little
home. Betty's presence seemed to
; fill each corner with new and Joyous
interest. The letters which she
brought back from the little post Of
flee and shared confidingly with Ellen.
were an interest in themselves.
, "Was there never ore that YOU cared
; about? Never. really. dear?'
p Ellen had shaken her head vigor-
: ously. but after awhile. when the
griddle cakes were carefully turned,
n she had said apropoS of nothing:
DO you ever talk to Dan Wise. the
postmaster Betty? Dams a real
pleasant man. His wife died two
years ago. He went off away from
here when he was married and only
Just got back after she'd died"
Betty flashed a glance from her
bright eyes.
"You knew him years ago." she
asked Before he was married."
Ellen nodded I'VE used TO go to
school together"
| o-r-- r. go sal
"When go for the mail, 'How's Miss
Terry today he'll say, and how's
her mother?'"
The little teacher smiled as she
bent over the cakes, then as suddenly
she sighed.
1.-THE time has Just flown since I've
been with you, dearie Ellen" she said
I'm almost sorry to 60 back to Bos-
ton"
When the girl had gone. it was FL
len who was sorry. Sorry with q
loneliness which sent her often TO the
post office hoping that Betty might
have written. Betty did write: page:
and pages, a CHEEKY record of her OWL
doings.
Thought lots of YOU" big Dan Wis,
told Ellen. Always talking bon
how fine you were. Somebody els
thinks of you, too. it seems" he adder
curiously, and handed to Ellen a sec
ond letter.
pink glow of surprise effused he
face now as she received the unuSua
missive. At home again in the kitch
en-, she sat staring at manly scraw
across an inclosed roSebedeckel card
"You have won a true friend" sh
read simply.
The mysterious message was but tn
beginning of many. More frequen
than even Betty's chatty communica
tons Brief were these messages. hu
bespeaking always deep admiration
true friendship. No name was signe
to the manly handwriting. Each tim
that big Dan passed one of these OF
velopes through the post office vii
dow his keen eyes searched Ellie
Terry's face, and Ellen becomingi,
but gultily. blushed.
Reckon" Dan said laughingly on
day, you've got a faithful fricn
down there in New York. You migl
tell us about him. Ellen. l.eastwis
you might tell an old friend-lik
me. John Towne. his name IS, | see
ess it's on the outside o this envelope
- Ellen took the letter ard hurric
toward the door, From there ST
threw back at big Dan, an unaccu
toned smile.
"Mebbe sometime I will tell You,
you come over, DAN" she said. the
~, stood abashed at her daring.
XII BE over tonight" Dan answer'
promptly.
Ellen could scarcely concentra
her mind on the letter, but the rea
cation presently came TO her that I'll
wn. John Towne Of New York, writer
gen, her admiring missives, was Il
he betrothed lover of Betty Blair.
1ore wrote now TO announce this fact. Al
n nic not only gratitude had prompted Jol