The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-10-29
An Act Of
Providence
By MARTHA M. WILLIAMS.

S, 1921, by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
Mercy How / hate sewing."
Elinor said peevishly as her thread
snarled for the third time in a minute.
"But-not quite as much as you
love new frocks-pretty ones" Doris
answered, adding with Il smile: Never
mind the knots-it's a sure sign when
your thread ties up so you'll be mar
ried and happy before what you are
| sewing on wears out"
IF | believed that" Elinor be-
gan with a lurking smile. But OF
course it's nonsense-superstiti all
are"
I'm not so sure" Doris said teas
lngly. Science is finding out that a
heap Of superstitiOns, so called, are
surface indications of important facts
How ridiculous ~ from Elinor.
Doris went on rehectively: Sup
pose something inside you powerful
enough to captivate big man was
also powerful enough to make your
thread electric-you know almost
everything goes back now to cleo
tricity-'
and l wish you wouldn't parade the
fact that you do. You make my
head ache wOrse-and it's bad enough
at best. Unless l get help somehow,
this rubbishy thing, touching her
work scornfully, will never get done
in limo H. Il nt'
"Stepmama will help if you ask
her nicely" Doris bantered.
Elinor sprang up, stamping her foot
angry tears flooding her cheeks. You
know l won't ask her-I can't" she
sObbed. "She ought to do it with
out asking taking my mothers place
And you, my own cousin, ought tf
help"
Like heaven, we help those who
help themselves" Doris returned.
Elinor flung herself across the bed
crying hard. But at the sound Of
her name, spoken in strong. young
voice below stairs, the tears ceased
magically-after some little bushes:
with the pOwder-puff, she trippe'
away, a pattern Of April sunshine.
IF knew enough, I'd write pro
found thesis on The Alternative Value
of Timely Beau" Doris commented
philosophically But those who nee'
1t would neither read 1t, nor heed II
Dick BrOwnley least of all. He think
Miss ElinOr came straight from HEAVIER
by air-express. Because, forsooth, sh
has baby-curls, a beautiful baby-Stare
dances like a sunbeam, and sings Xix
seraph. Strictly ornamental-fin
for keeping in cotton wool-or unde
glass case, but apt to get Clipped il
this rough-and-tumble world. How
: ever, it is none Of my funeral. II
no feminine knight-errant yearning t
save men from the desires of thei
own hearts,"
Elinor rushed back crying: Put 0
your hat. Do-Dick wants us TO G
motoring know l can't, unles
! you WILL Thanks to a stepmothe
We're to be gone all day-lunch q
:, some swagger country club, and dine 8
another She-stepmother, you kno'
: has planned to teach me canning th1
!. afternoon. Fancy spending it in tn
4 kitchen-with such weather outside
. "You might do worse. I'd prefer
to playing gooseberry," Doris sale
her eyes speculative. "Oh! You won
do that-Dick is to pick up anothe
man-over at the Travers place
Elinor said coaxingly: DO come, Of
dear. Everything may depend on it
In spite Of better judgment, Dor
went. She was really sorry for Elmo
badly spoiled child, suddenly brougl
under a curb, strict If kindly. Ma
urally she was unhappy. Marriae
was a way Quit might also be
way into worse and more lasting u
happiness. Dick Brownley was .
spoiled as Elinor, as headstrong, ar
extravagant. He would make duel
and brakes of decent inheritance
unchecked. ElinOrs would not chez
him. But, said Doris to herself, SIN
ing wilimsically: what a good tin
they will have spending everythir
together"
The man picked up should ha'
warned DOris-he was so deeply,
a cleric, pallid almost to anemia al
solemn as an owl. He looked, indee
much like the bird of wisdom, pee
ing through huge horn-rimmed glass
set astride beaky nose. Ente
tanning him was easy-it involved
more than playing audience. But b
droning answered to mask the amoro
dialogue in full blast on the fro
seat. Luncheon at the country eli
reduced 1t to the terms of blusht
giggles and heads touching as tn
bent together over the menu. st
Doris was obtuse-it was, she though
only the rebound. Elinor had be-
held at home sewing for the tv
DAYS past Naturally, accumHfat
I'd affection broke out now.
d, But presently as they sped pa
n, roadside stone Doris knew TIL
re they were in another state. The