Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-22
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubincam.
CopyriGnt George Asthcw Adams.
SOME NEWS.


Alice Fairbanks has always won
her way through life by her optimism
Her sunny nature has buoyed her up in the
face of such circumstances as her fathers
death, her mothers invalidism, her need
of money! her necessity for working
hard. She has gone through all discourage
ments with smile of hope. When she
meets, falls in love witt becomes engaged
TO David Thorne, her cup of happiness
is full to overflowing.
She sacrifices her trousseau TO send for
an orphaned couin, Lois Kennedy. Lois
gradually wins away David. Alice, fear
ing his love is weakening, frees him from
the engagement. Lois becomes engaged to
him, and leaves for the city.
CHATTER 81.
The saddest part--at least, the most
pathetic part-of any great tragedy, Is
that things must go on as they did before
and to the world in general it must appear
as though nothing had happened.
Any woman who has experienced
great sorrow will tell you this Her first
born child may lie dead in the room above,
but she must go on into the kitchen, and
decide whether there shall be fried or
boiled potatoes for supper, and whether
last nights roast shall be mad into
hash or stewl And if she is rich, which is
not always n blessing, she has not even
this diversion TO take her mind, for a brief
instant, from her trouble.
Alice came to bless her work, after
time But the first few days she had an
intense desire to get away from every
thing, in the vague hope that she could
get away from herself.
Mont YOU go away" Mrs. Fair
banks said. Her gentle, IMPRACTICAL mind
did not consider how il was To be done
she merely saw that Alice was res. less,
tha there were ci clcs under her clear
gray-blue eyes, that she looked tired and
i'll
''Oh, how can II" Alice answered,
half irritably.
'I'm such burden, when | should be
helpl I'm no use to you ut all my dear,
Mrs. Fairbanks did not say 1T in the voice
which the sympathy-huntlng woman uses.
She stated il rs n simple, sad fact.
Alice reused herself at once, and going
over to her mother put her arms around
her
Don't talk so, mother darling. What
would | ever do without your Now that
haven't David, | only have you. What
would | do without your love and your
sympathy
Ii was the nearest Alice had ever come
to q sentimental remark. Deeply as they
loved each other, there was little demon
strative affection between them. During
the EARLIER and the worst part Of her illness,
Alice had waited on the little invalid as
though she had been baby. She had
hathed her and comhcd her hair, some
times had almost lifted her from the bed
10 a chair when the muscles were sore
from lying down. But except for the per
functory good morning and good evening
kiss, and the conventional words of en-
dearment, there WAS little demonstration
of love.
Besides" Alice said, her unconscious
optimism coming out in her as she hunted
about for the most chez rful aspect of the
case. you ne so much better now than
YOU were few months ago. DO you re-
member how helpless you were even two
wears ago. Do you know that you are
dressing yourself, all but combIng your
hair. every day now7 used 10 have To do
Yes. am thankful of that" Mrs
Fairbanks said. But | wish l could be of
practical help to YOU"
Alice sat looking thoughtfully across
the room.
"He hasn't gone yet" she remarked
after a time.
There was no need to SAY who-David
was always present in her heart.
do you mean you think he'll be tired
of Lois, and won't go to the city after
all?" Her mother asked il eagerly.
Yes, ] suppose | mean that Alice
responded. Then she began TO talk abou {
il quite calmly, and rather impersonally
IL was never any use to hide her real feel
ings from her mother; they had lived
too intimately for that. And Mrs. Fair
banks had the Invalld's s supersensItIve-
ness: she could guess the things Alice
withheld from her.
1T like this, Alice explained David
Is wrapped up heart and soul IN the pro!l
ect of this Model arm. You see they ne
already beginning TO teach the theory of
new and efficient farming 70 stIder Is,
mostly young farmers who can be spared
from their home In the slack season, the
winter. David is doing some of that too.
He can Z leave, he won { And Lois, much
as she wants him, won { come down to
the farm to live. | know her too well for
that
II know. She could never be happy
away from the city, and the people ard
the lights and excitement" Mrs Fair
banks nodded
David couldn't leave until spring,
anyway, and by that time, perhaps his
infatuation. if IL is that, viii be over.
Perhaps Lois will have found someone
else in town She attracts them all, shes
so pretty II he really loves her, of course,
the engagement will stand, and he will
go TO her But / cant believe, somehow,
that he can love her as much as that.
She sat for a moment thinking, her
face less sad than IL had been for days.
Then she picked up the little local paper.
1t had come an hour ago and was lying,
unopened, on the table.
She unfolded it. glancing irdifferer t'y
down the column of personals on tie
frort page A name caught her eye in enc
paragraph She read One Of the faculty
Of the newly opened Model Farm has re-
Gently resigned and left for New York.
Mr. David Thorne, well known in our
social set took the 215 train this after
noon. He said he did not plan on coming
back
Alice gave a little gasp sound Of
utter bopelessness-
Tomorrow-A Letter From LOIS.