Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-09
A SWEETHEART AT THIkl1
The Story Of, Woman's rrans'or ma"o"'
BY MARION RUBINCAM.
JIM AND JAMES.
Ch,p,er Gil.

NhaptcT III.
uIb,d Thought that would appreciate
my new life the more after n taste OF ti'e
old. | did we'll To come back 10 i'ens
\ Fails. But my motive, of eourse' vac
more than that. IL was, really, 10 e,Vo
Esther chance to rest ana see .he o'1S
"a grt hold of herself once more, To ne
~, frnp, linn long enough so each would
feel the separation, and ENJOY the 'e-
union. - ,a,rar
than | originally planned And ! fancy
that | did make some little changes t'iac
were for the good.
"I1l get the water this morning, ne,
fore | co out to the barn, jim Wou'o
say. when we met in the kitchen before
hrcakfast There is nothing more de
pressing than cold room with the ieaoeh
kgbt al nm early winter morning breaking
through the windows, with an hour before
breakfast. dreaded getting out oi hed 50
early, and starting the new cheerless uaN
10 Jim would go out to the pump
and come back with buckets oil water
for me. As a rule, he went on 10 tne
outside work, and Esther, wrapped III
a shawl. brought IN the water. >.
"Don't oct nm when We do. Wait hall
and hour and III have Tn fire up and the
kitchen warm for YOU, James volunteered
another time And so it happened that
was allowed "A little more sleep and came
down to. n warm room, the table set iof
me. and various breakfast arrangements
s,ndrr way. And was glad-no SO mucil
because of the shiverS II spared me anu tsie
work II saved me- but for the new Thought
fulncSs 1t showed.
In spitc of this. caught a severe
cold. since was not used 10 the unevehiN
heated house Upon this Jim insisted on
having a coal fire IN my bedroom. ana
James Offered to bring UP coat1ot y ana
keep IT going
!But / don like 10 take all this from
YOU. | venturcd ono day. !.
Guess ain I offern You much hlxufN
Jun answered ANYWAY, YOU re my sister
but you're offering me luxury you
wouldn't offer your wife, | answerru.
Jim did not answer. but could tell by
ms expression that what | said had some
eject upon him.
Ono evening there was am entertain
nent in the Sunday School rooms, to
which Jim and James escorted me
Uor,, one of nv prcttiest dresses on pur-
,,,.r,-shabby enough in some ways. since
h,d scarcely dared buy new clothes tins
WINTER. but new enough TO the people IN
thu village.
"IookS like millionaire, was James
,u,-ari,ble comment when | wore some
thing nice.
She doe. agreed Jim.
oh bv the way. ! SAID trying 10
.ornd casual. Esther can get some things
,chcmply now. ! see that all the stores are
having sales You better send her some
money now. il YOU are going to at al
She wouldn't spend 1t on herself
jun protested
Wouldn't She, Try her and see
And Jim did. as | learned later
Every dav had short note from Fran
c,s He was working hard, but each even
inc from his club. he sent me some mes
sage And he bad the daily papers mailed
mn To me. and some magazines as "eil'
These nut on the table IN our sitting room
,ho,gh there was little enough time 10
read any of them.
But i found Jim enjoying the city
nspers. as we'll as the one paper ne ior-
n,crly permitted himself. so wrote fran
cis 10 send him a subscription TO an agrl-
cultural paper. and to James, magazine
OF mechanics and inventions.
Never saw so much mail, James
remarked each time he brought IN the
letters and papers. And, indeed, II was the
days bright spot for me--for loiet "rots
too. though her letters were not cneeriul
and occasionally there was word IRON
Esther. :. =.
"You mustn't think me mlser, JIM
s,d one evening Il was gong to seno
Won enough money to keep you ana VI te
thc end Of the term anyway. She my
daughter and I've let YOU do more iol
nor than I've done myself.
Tbi. was a confeSsiOn-from Jlm.
took L up quickly.
st wont matter now. M gong i
lct Francis send her on through college
and while we are away on our weddlni
Tim. she will live at the college. But Wisi
,-oil'd take that money and put m a no
water system YOU 'vF no idea the TIM.
A a work and strength you save Esther.
But the price
No more than You offered to send z
vi" | said III needn't be so elaborate
4 tank in the attic-you already have TIT
windmill Tor pumping water TO the barr
some piping, q pump IN the kitchen s!
Esther needn't go outdoors Tor every pai
uf water. 3 coil connected with the stove
Eventually that, too, was arranged
And so. little by little, | did make thing
smoother and happier for Esthers home
coming.
| had been there a month when ! go
the letter from Vi asking me TO com
back. AID telling me, eventually OF tn
ending Of the case IN which Bud ; goo'
name was involved. / opened the lette
with a little feeling of fear.
Monday-The News From Town.