The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-06-27
CAMILLA
by MOLLIE MATHER.
C. 1871. Western Newspaper uniOn- }

IL not a doubt that Camilla was 40
sweetly charming that the steps sis
tiers above mentioned had little chance
or attention while In heI company;
masculine attention especially. Not
that Camilla put herself forward In
any way, or tried for the admiration
that was invariably hers. Rather. II
came to her naturally. as one bends
TO inhale the fragrance Of q flower
which was. after all, Camilla's secret.
Her very personality was all fragrant
with unselfishness and charity and
friendliness toward others; you felt
this instinctively as you talked to her
or looked into her crystal clear eyes.
And IL you were a man. weary Of pre-.
tense perhaps. or too much insincere
coquetry, you appreciated Camilla's
truth, when you met her. But the
step-sisters could not understand.
Camula's mother had died when she
was born, which had In a measure
placed her under her sisters control
However, as time passed and the
Thornton finances dwindled, Camilla,
who had not been fitted either by re-
lationship or advantage for the social
life that Grace and Gwendolen en-
1oyed-took up cheerfully the neces-
sary tasks of the household and fell
heir to garments discarded. Frocks
and furbelOws for Grace and Gwendo-
len were all, and more, than the
driven fathers purse could manage.
Camilla secretly and laughingly as
sured him that she didn't rlind a bit.
As Grace was taller than she, and
Gwendolen fatter than she there was
always material enough In the CASTOR
dresses to insure remodelins. And
Camilla was very clever In the re-
modelling, so much so. that-she sis
ters gazing In wonder at the disap-
proved one, clad In some charming re
incarnation Of united blue and gold or
perhaps Of dainty pink and lavender,
would forbid emphatically the young
er girls presence at parties.
I'VE are sorry, Camilla" Grace
would remark decidedly, land proba-
bly, your own time will come later.
But just now you must not reflect up
on our hard-held position by appear
ing In that very apparent made-over
affair. You will oblige US. In this win
you notr'
And again, Camilla did not mind. In
fact her elder sisters impressive Ian
guage never failed in its purpose Of
imbuing her with that same idea Of
superiority TO which she had been
raised. After all, what did she want
with their high flown company she
confidently asked old father. And the
two would sneak Off gleefully together
to hammock far back in the garden.
And sometimes, to sit on the grass
beside the hammock, came the man
from next door.
He was a serious. humorous, inter
esting sort of man this, who had moved
there in order to complete the writing
Of his great book. Father told her
this. on one Of their happy talking
things-over-together evenings. And the
man was great too, father said.
Though still young, his name was
known across the country, because Of
his last success.
Camilla was jOyously excited about
1t. She told the man, as he, and IA
Their and she, sat out under the star
lit trees together, how very glad she
was that his earnest labor had won
success. And the man was pleased ,
and gratified that she recognized the
element OF labor.
Most people," he told her smiling,
regard literary success as mere
lucky chance"
And as the evening hours beneath
the trees grew into regular and ex-
pected meetings, the man Of letters
looked forward gratefully to the re-
spite and inspiration, while Camilla,
listening to the music that came from
her household, felt no envy or desire
for aught beyond her own small world
The sisters were giving a tea one af-
ternoon; they told her about II. TIA
bles were to be laid IN the lovely old
garden. A celebrity was coming whose
presence was always dificult Of at
tainment. The celebrity positively 70
fused to be lionized, 30 they had
gained his consent by the ASSURANCES
that the tea was merely q family NJ
fair. They were. therefore, too busy
to be curious, when Camilla informed
them that she was going that after
noon for q drive.
Leave everything ready before you
CO." Gwendolen admonished, "end
have flowers ON all the tables"
-And Camilla" Grace reminded her,
IF you come back before six, do not
pass through the garden; your old
straw hat is too shabby for public
display. Later, you may have mine"
1t took painstaking planning after
that for Camilla to fashion a lace pic
ture hat, out Of Gwendolen's old lace
waist, but the hat was q delightful
success, with a golden rose that Grace
had discarded for punishment.
You see, Camilla had TO come into
the garden. In fact IL was necessary
that there she should be the very cen
ter Of observation
Clyde Hammerton had insisted that
upon their return from the drive their
opUoOamAnt ahauId he announced