Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-16
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story cia Woman's Transformation
BY MARION RUBINCAM.
LETTERS FROM HOME.
Chapter MIN


Next dav we INDUCED ourselves in the
great luxury of living in bed until s o clock
Then we ate the rest of the sandwiches and
lam. But both of us had country appetites
and we had money enough for simple
necessities, so we went out and walked
until we found a little restaurant and
there we ordered eggs and coffee, and cit
better.
This is the second time I've been in
n restaurant" Violet whispered look
ing about the little place curiously.
That one Bud took us to yesterday was
the first. Just wait Aunt Enid, before
were through, were going to eat IN every
restaurant in New York"
Good Lord child, what an ambition
| smiled.
This day was given over TO sightseeing.
But first we went back 10 our room.
lit is dingv," | said, critical for the
first time. | looked about it, the faded
tan walls, the ornate lace curtains, clean
enough. but with a gray-cleanness that
would have shocked the soul of any coun-
try woman brought UP to Sun-bleached
clothes They were torn, too, IN dozens
of places, and the carpet was worn to
the back. 1t, too, was a faded tan, and
the counterpane had also the gray clean
and indoor drying.
Violet went to the closet and took down
nv Paisley shawl, possession of nv
mothers ,She mounted chair and hung
Il against the wall, twisting the fringe
m some tacks TO catch 1t. IL made a gor-
geous pattern on the long bare wall.
Then the g.rl, her ewes ahght vat in
spiration, unpacked the big patchwork
Quilt Esther had sent with us, and flung
IL over the terrible counterpane. Last
she brought out her yellow silk scarf
and threw il over the bureau.
There" she said, stepping back to
view the room.
And indeed, with those three things
she had turned a piece Of dingy ugliness
into one Of life and color.
Violet had the home-makers touch.
Ii was never so much what she did, as
th " she did IT. The woman who has
that touch. carries a magic wand with
her, TO transform barren places into com
Portable homes. sue woman has a
thousand times more chance of being happy
than the one who accepts the ugly places,
and complains of them, without trying
10 better them.
But the girl h7lsef, mere than her
actions, worked the transformation.
fADttt Wa - siAiNf ctAt ElDhtu VIII lSdklIit
and radlated happint ss Partly under her
influence, partly because the sense of
oppression that Esther exercise began
to lift, j too, found myself feeling lighter
and happier.
At this moment, there was knock
and Mrs. Tupper put her head In the
doorway around the open door.
81 guess these is for you, and she held
out couple of envelopes. 81 see they're
both addressed to Miss. Ones Miss
Violet Haines Ones Miss Enid. Is that
how it's onounced-Haines?"
I'm Miss Enid | answered, holding
out my hand. I'm Miss Violet's aunt. T"
II thought you wasn't her mother. !
told EN- so too. Them at the door asked
me last night when you went In. / say
i knew you wasn't married. =
She did not say l looked like an old
maid, Henly Falls would scarcely have
been so considerate.
Il see you been coin things to the
room, she went on.
'Of course if you mind" vi began
sarcastically
"Mind? Oh no. / never take no one
but nice people. And nice people are al
ways nice, says. They wouldn' mark up
walls, nor spill ink on body's carpet. I
would have fixed up the rooms myself.
But since my last operation / can't do
things"
"Operation?" ] asked politely, want
ing 70 read my letter.
Yes, my last" Her eyes lit up with
the curiously eager gleam of her species
the sort of woman who delights in
talking of serious operations that she
has endured. have found that such
women feel curious aura of romance