The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1921-12-23
The Wedding
Present
By M. MAcWILLIAMs.

VIII the lame that you're rich In
Build fire in the kitchen,
Or the little god Of love turn the spit
spit. spit?"
to cure hypochondriac. But 1t did
nothing Of the sort to her sole specta.
tor. Bess Leech, her sometime chum
was deep in very angry blues. 81
think you might have little pity for
my head" she scolded: ITS splitting
Il came here in hope of quiet-and
consolation-and you're so cheerful it's
wildly disgusting"
why not be cheerful? Praise be,
I'm not contemplating matrimony OH
the grace of God,-and expectations"
Josefa retorted. Bess sat up very
thrown herself. to say acridly: "Sour
grapes, my dear! You know you were
quite mad about Wilmot-and he has
the same as confessed to me, you at
tracted him-until l came"
mot really" Josefa drawled, going
Bess sob angrily: ~ laugh to think
of you as the Angel of Deliverance,
Elizabeth Betsy" Josefa explained
when she could speak: "With your
red hair and the way you dance
When you give your whole mind, and
body to it. nobody's Salome-not the
original OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES article-has
anything on you"
"You! Notwithstanding" Bess
painted. II won't stay here to be
Knocked. II thought you were my
friend, not jealous cat" Bess re-
turned, however, without making a
motion Of departure. Josefa smiled
behind her hand.
Better have lunch before you CO."
she said. "Swear won't poison you,
no matter II am jealous, and cat.
Fact is Betsy Elizabeth, believe
you're suffering the pangs of hunger
even more than love. Tell me, what
did you have for breakfast?"
"Quite all I wanted thank you"
Bess answered with her gravest dig
nifty, speaking truth literal, and fiction
actual. She had had all she wanted
from the tap, but now there was n
void sensation conducive to weak knees
and trembling hands. Josefa knew 1t,
but was too kind. In spite Of her rail-
lery, to stress the point. "Me myself
has bear Appetite" she said over her
shoulder. keep house please till
come again; shan't be long"
She came back quickly to find that
Bess had sobbed herself to sleep.
Josefa looked at her with kind eyes,
II merry ones. murmuring. IF heaven
doesn't help these babies In the woods
I'm afraid they're in bad way"
But nothing of that was in her voice
or manner when she reused Bess to
sit at q table well and beautifully
spread and to find further the be-
loved Wilmot just entering the door,
and saying: "YOu here? Joe fooled
me. I thought she was cooking in
my honor"
I'm designing person you know"
Josefa retorted. always something
up my sleeve. This time it's some
thing for the pair Of you-a chance
TO honeymoon In heavenly cottage
for six weeks or so. rent free, and do
work enough meanwhile to take you
half through the winter"
Bess bridled at that. but Wilmot,
otherwise Billy Johnson, said half
shamedly: mighty good of you. Tell
us some more" O
After the more had been told,
specifically the illustrating Of a book
that might lead to something perma-
nent, he dropped shamed eyes, saying
huskily: "Joe-I-we really don't de-
serve this Of you"
BY her showing she had happened"
to hear of the chance. Wilmot thought
the happening had been really an offer
ically diverted his way, knowing his
need. He wanted to thank her; some
how the words stuck, choked back by
memory Of vainglorious boasts. to his
new love. Josefa might have had him
for the taking. With Bess II was In
deed matter Of catching on the re-
bound" And he had the grace to be
heartily shamed by this brand of re-
venge. Well. he would work hard. so
as to do Joe credit with the publisher,
meantime keeping wary eve for any
thing that might lessen in any way
his obligation. He had been rather
appalled, nv the prospect Of matrimony
without money-scarcely the price of
a wedding ring. But how gainsay a
sweetheart extremely temperamental
Sure in her lies salvation for her lover
and his money. Bess was almost
genius, hut lacking In practically.
She could never stand alone, for all
her looks, her charm. Wilmot had not
withstood her. but had shivered at
thought Of taking the plunge.
Bast ate heartily of Josefa's provid-
inps. Certainly she had an appetite
for any fate. But. hunger once APP
bessed, she began to rumlnate--to
mil over things In what she was
pleased to call her mind, with results |
rather startling. Josefa was plotting |
10 separate her from wilmot. She
must be made to understand that Bess
would never permit him to be patron
lied by her. What II she was good
friends with John Brennan, head of |
the big publishing Arm whose word |
made Or married coming Illustrators |
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