Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-07
STUDY
PIT 40


So passed several months. Alice
went through a metamorphosis which
ali women who have the capacity for
feeling go through at some time in
their lives. Usually it is a sorrow
that brings this about. but not al
ways In the case of Alice Fairbanks
It was the unhappy termination of a
love affair.
Of David she heard nothing. After
that one letter Lois never wrote, and
OF course the two women had not
answered that hypocritically sweet
hoped they were happy-she cared
enough for David. n she was gen.
erous enough in her love, to wish him
happiness. And that Ion proved
that she vas different from many
girls.
There is one thing that makes
me very happy" she told her mother
David a gone away. And hat is
the fact that you are feeling so much
better. We never even hoped you
would grow so well. You look-just
fine"
And I feel fine Mrs. Fairbanks
answered.
Indeed the little lady had grown
so well that nowadays she could
walk quite a bit aroun the house.
She could even dress her own hair.
by resting her arms occasionally. and
that, necessitating as it does, holding
the hands high over the head, was
considered a fair test.
n evening In February Alice and
her mother were sitting in their tiny
living room. A stove of nickel and
black with little ~isiuglass windows
nat reflected n CHEEKY red light, was
over at one side. An extra pipe went
through the ceiling. sending up
enough heat to keep warm Alice's
room above. 1t was really very coy
and comfortable in the little house.
The furniture was valueless and
shabby, h rug was worn almost 10
its warp, but the room was a a
place of beauty by the number of
growing plants and flowers. Alice
herself had made shelves for them.
and had brought into the house as
much of her beloved outdoors as II
could.
Alice. on a hassock by the stove,
broke the silence.
IT think I'll try growing things
under sashes next spring" h said.
The first chapters tell how to make
them"
She read a few pages aloud-how
how the sides of the frame" were
sawed, and embedded in the earth,
how the g~lass-paned top was sloped
to eaten the sun.
"I can handle a saw, I made the
shelves over there" Alice said.
Mrs. Fairbanks nodded and agreed.
Alice could do anything! If by means
of a glass sash on a frame Alice
could gain a few weeks on nature in
her beloved garden, and start things
growing before h frost was out of
the ground, why hat was no more
wonderful than anything els the girl
had ~ccomplished
Mother" Alice spoke suddenly.
I'm going to ask Mr.. Joyce how
much the classes at the o d Farm
are. It's silly of me not to go when
their instruction is what L want, just
because-well because / expected to
be there with David"
"You can't study so we'll alone?"
Mrs. Fairbanks asked gently.
"Oh, I'm doing fine" Alice an
swered. 1T was hard enough at
first, my brain was stiff from mac
toni hadn't studied for years! But
after a few months I could almost
feel my brain cells unlimber. And
now, there's only the framework to
do, and you do most of that, 50 I've
plenty of time to study"
She went back to her book. and
for an hour pored over diagrams or
small hothouses and cold sashes."
Mrs Fairbanks, busy with some
mending, was thinking that mos
daughters would be spending the
time reading novels. Something i k
this she said presently. and Alice
closed her BOO to stare into the lit
tie red windows of the stove.
II can't read novels" she said.
''They make me heartsick. II the
girl is unhappy ] want to cry be-
cause i was so unhappy. and If she
is happy and they get married in the
end. I'm positively jealous Of them!
Isn't that silly?"
1t was like Alice to be perfectly
frank about herself-at least to her
mother and to Clara.
II used to think all n woman