Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-13
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story of 4 Woman's Transfor nation.
BY MARION RUBTNCAM
A SNOWY EVENING.
Oh apter CN.

In nv eaCCrIleSS ! forgot all pre-
cautions and ran out the door 70 greet
h1n. without throwing anything around
nv shoulders Instantly | felt myself
fairlv picked up from the ground. ana
crushed against him. | remember holding
tight 10 HIM with my hands and | re-
member the clasp of hrs arms Once more
the feeling of absolute sec urty and peace
came over me-t rancis was with me- ana
nothing else mattered.
NV land. this is a high step. q
voice said behind me, and saw Esther
starting TO climb out oi the car
10 | came back to earth again.
started 10 laugh even, because II was
9lwavs Esther. somehow, who brought
me down to the ground. Francis turned
IN heIp her. and / kissed her, taking her
.hawls and bundles from her hands.
There's a hean Of things IN the car,
she remarked.
Enid Francis voice had sudden alarm
an it. Go back into the house. OF Il be
down with pneumonla-run, you silly
Glad to obey even so slight a com
mand as that, and laughing at being
called a child ] turned and ran up the
path
By this time James had come out, and
old trunk which was strapped on behind,
and the dozen or more bundles and bags
which fairly filed the big tonneau ofs the
car itself. Francis was introduced 10 the
family In a room that looked Ike moving
day.
You must be tired from your long
ride. and chilled, too, 50 we are gong
10 have tea early, / announced. And
| Irnotioned James TO come and help me
So the two of us served tea now as !
did In the city, James carrying IN tray
of cups and saucers, and bringing me
newly baked cake and some thin bread
and butter sandwiches. ! had made
up that morning. | poured tea In the
living room. but Jun refused TO stay for
it. and Laura was frankly contemptuous
Of what she remarked was ''one OF Aunt
Ends new city ideas
"Oh. ALWAYS had tea Esther said.
coming TO my rescue Tor once m her
life. when Vi wasn't home, Helen
ALWAYS invited me to her restaurant
She's tne giri
James walked about happy as could
be, urging everyone TO eat every last
cr,,rnb. and consuming four cups of
tea bv himself james sometimes bios
sonned out a. a delightfully."- sociabe
creature. Then after the FIRST enthusi-
asn had subsided. Francis went out 10
the barn with James and later We saw
them with Jim, climbing the hlu to-
wards the north field
Laura, Esther and myself got sup
per-or dinneri- that night, since ! had
purposely saved up the main meal for
the day until evening
"T think" Esther remarked, 'sinee
we've got such fine company tonight,
well set the table In the sitting room.
Laura, you do it. ."
that Young woman asked sarcastically?
Esther was human enough to want
to boast about what sac shared-and
she had taken the longest ride Of her
life with Francis and had lunched with
him at roadhouse on the way up.
These and other facts she impressed
/. upon Laura.
And when went out to call the men
TO the neal-this time sensibly bundled
up In NV furcoat-I found the three of
them bent over the motor Of the car, which
had been run into the carriage shed And
James proud of his knowledge Of motor
mechanics. was explaining to his father the
way it worked, while Francis pointed out
the superiorlties Of his motor over that
of other makes The three of them
had become as good friends over .eollec-
ton of wheels and cychnders as three
women over a new crochet stitch.
IT was the most delightful evening |
ever had in my old home. A little snow
was falling outside, and. we gathered
under the lamp in the sitting room. with
cider IN jug on the table, and apples and
nuts on a big dish, aud a red fire glowing
in the Franklin stove.
s'This ls 60 much like the old-fash-