The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1921-12-16
BETSY
By GRACE G. FREEsE.
1891. By Mcclure Newspaper syndicate


of desire found In child flattening
its nose against the pane at the sight
of unattainable sweets, for with her,
also. desirabllity rested largely upon
the impossibility of attainment. The
window held miscellany Of articles
intended to appeal in some way to ev-
eryone, but so poorly arranged as a.
most to escape the attention OF all.
Betsy did not know this. She saw
only one thlng-a perfect card index.
such as she had always dreamed OF.
She stood before 1t with rapt gaze.
First 1t was her cooking recipes which
she saw neatly catalogued, then her
dress patterns. Again 1t was list or
all the books she had read. Betsy
breathed rapturous sigh as she
turned reluctantly to go home.
Her sisters greeting held Its usual
tart note: Him, late for dinner. And
you the methodical member Of the
family" But Betsy. unheeding, saw
dreamily only the obJect Of her adora-
ton, wreathed, as Il were, In an aura
Of glory. "Such a perfect card cata-
logue," she breathed.
Emily glanced up. 'Whered you
see itf'
"Eber's window. 1t would be per-
feet for my recipes, or my letters,
or"
"Grocer's bills" supplied Emily.
1.-TWO came this morning" Betsy
frowned. Aside from the JOY of cata-
logulng them, bills did not interest her.
Nevertheless they must be attended
to. She turned to the task assigned
her as the methodical member Of the
family, and soon reduced the bills to
hopeless muddle, from which, as
usual, her sister found II necessary to
extract her.
Emily sorted them out. "How much
was that card cstalogueT she de-
manded suddenly.
81 didn't notice" Betsy was startled.
"Guess I'll get It; some Christmas"
returned Emily. ut might pay"
Betsy looked at her sister queerly
and left the room. Her own pertur-
baton surprised her. To own a card
catalogue had never occurred to her.
Ever since she could remember she
had dreamed of what could be done
with this ideal possession, and It was
this alone which constituted her claim
as The methodical member. Her fam
lily had entirely overlooked the fact
that this dreaming was the sole evil
dence she had ever given Of orderli-
ness OF any kind.
Never for q moment had Betsy faced
the possibility of actually owning one
OF the cherished objects. She was sat
isfied simply to imagine. But Emily
seldom spoke lightly, and Betsy's Joy
ut the thought Of possession was a
little dimmed. What would she cata-
logue?
Emily would expect her to do the
bills, but the very thought OF 1t tired
her little. Not her recipes, for the
old book she had always used was
Indispensable. Her letters = where
were they? They could be found In
every corner Of the house. Betsy
shrugged her shoulders.
"Never trouble trouble till trouble
troubles YOU" she murmured, and
forgot the problem forthwith.
But Emily remembered, and Emily,
though sharp Of tongue, was kind Of
heart, and was saving up to buy Betsy
a card index. 1t would take three
years savings, but Emily did not
grudge a penny. She cherished the
family tradition that Betsy was me-
thodical, and she determined that at
last her sister should have the desire
Of her heart.
Perhaps" thought Emily when It
arrived, Betsy won't need my ad-
vice now about the bills" Advice
was an inadequate word to describe
the bulk Of the work, but still Emily
blushed at her selfish thought.
On Christmas day Betsy took her
sister and her new card catalogue to
her heart with untarnished radiance
Of spirit. For the first time In years
she had a moment of perfect happi-
ness. It was not, indeed, until she
had gloated over her new possession
for week. that she began to have a
qualm. What should she catalogue7
The old question was now startlingly
imminent, and she could find no satis-
factory answer.
1t was the middle of January be-
fore Emily spoke. "The bills and
receipts ought to be fixed up" she
suggested. "You can catalogue them
now, you know"
Betsy shrank. This was just what
she had begun to fear, and despera-
ton furnished her with reply.
"Oh," she answered hastily, II
thought our lists Of vegetable and
flower seeds would be about the right
thing for my new card catalogue. eve
begun to arrange them"
For a moment the scales seemed
lifted from Emily's eyes, and she
seemed to see the real confusion and
lack Of order In her sisters mind.
But the tradition was strong IN her,
and the glimpse was a brief one.
II suppose methodical person
would think Of details like that
che sighed. and fell to sorting the
bills.
Whero others scoua AcrooaS