The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-01-04
LAvINlA BRAND
BY ELIZABETH M. LEE.

When Susan Mary Smith became
Susan Mary Evans. or, as she pre-
ferred It,. Mrs. Peter, pretty nearly
everything was changed, as well as
her name. She had always thought
Hinsville was darling place to live,
but now that they had come to West
Greenfield, she was not quite so sure
about anything. for In West Greenfield
everything was different.
OF course. there was Peter, always
there was dear Peter, but even Peter
of late had begun to change. He
was preoccupled and absent-minded.
and as long as she could Susan Mary
loyalty excused II on the grounds that,
OF course, the Office manager Of the
biggest bakery for miles around would
have to be absent-minded. If he didn't
have a worried, careworn expression,
argued Susan Mary determinedly, he
wouldn't be working, and IL he weren't
working. he wouldn't be thinking about
what happiness he could bring her.
So 1t was all for her, she thought
uNhabti3b OuC awful udy WITH
she was tidying Peters desk In the
den, bit of work she particularly
adored. Sorting out the envelopes of
different sizes. she had dropped a bit
of paper with scribble of Peters
writing on 1t. She read 1t once twice,
and even a third time, and each time
her world got blacker. for the writing
on the paper said:
"Lavinia Brand"
Now who could Lavinia Brand bef
Susan Mary sat down on the uncom-
Portable edge of chair and thought
and thought, and the more she
thought, the more certain she became.
For up In Hlnsville there was fam
lily by the name of Brandt, and one
Of the daughters had gone to school
with her. What could be more nat
ural than In these days of anti-every-
thing that sounded German the family
had dropped the obnoxious It" and
become plain Brand? And that girl
her name began with L, she was sure.
Lucretia, Leonora-what was It?
I'm p-p-positive it's Lavinia,' wall
ed Susan Mary, and with sudden.
fierce little gesture she tore the Offend
ing slip of paper in hundred pieces.
Then one morning bit of paper
fell out of Peters coat pocket as he
pulled out his handkerchief. and Susan
Mary, picking 1t up. inquired innocent
ly as to what 1t was, knowing perfect
ly we'll that 1t was THAT Name"
With an expression almost guilty
Peter snatched II and crammed II back
In his pocket, hurriedly telling Susan
Mary that 1t was nothing at all and
it was very late and he must hurry or
he would miss the car.
The climax came that afternoon
when Peter called up and told her
that he was bringing Mr.. Grayson to
supper. Mr.. Grayson was the man.
ager, and Peter worshIped him.
iOf course everything went beauti-
fully. Susan Mary was too proud to
let Mr.. Grayson know that there had
been any suspicion Of GOODNESS be-
tween Peter and herself, and she was
| honey-sweet to both the men. Peter
was bit puzzled, for the atmosphere
OF late had been decidedly frigid, and.
manlike, he put the browning touch
upon 1t all. As Mr.. Grayson was
leaving Peter went out to the hall
with him, and stood talking In low
voice, but not quite so low but what
Susan Mary could hear the managers
| voice.
.sAnd Lavinia Brandt And then
Peters voice, worried, hasty-"For
heavens sake-my wife doesn't know
anything about that"
Quite convinced that her heart was
broken, Susan Mary still bided her
time.
She had become quite resigned to
the bits of paper floating around ev-
erywhere, and she was really very
calm and cool and collected when Pc
ter called her up and told her that he
was bringing Lavinia Brand home that
| evening.
Eyes, l remember her." said Susan
Mary sweetly, and was rewarded by a
burst of laughter from the other end,
and, "Oh, Lord You remember herr
and then the receiver clicked agra
vatIngly.
But Peter came alone. Only he car
rled bundle, which he waved at her
as she stood on the piazza. and then,
wondering at the exultation In his
face, she felt herself picked up bodily
in his arms, and heard only con-
fused Darling Lavinia Brand
suceess-fortune's made" before she
had sense enough to dlsepgsge herself
and demand Historically what 1t all
meant.
Here's what 1t means!" cried Pc
ter joyously, waving the package
again, and when at last they were