The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-04
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
eUo,s STORY.
story Of a Woman's Transfory
BY MARION Ru5iNcAM

BUDS STORY.
Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
When Enid is 35, she wakes to the
fact that she is homely, hopeless old
maid. Her past is barren, her future
blank. She lives with her brother.
Jim, his wife Esther, and three grown
children, Laura, James and Violet.
Only Violet believes in her.
Violet's desire to go to college
rouses Enid from her lethargy, she
draws out her small amount of money,
and they go to the city. Here they
both suddenly realize the possibilities
of life. When they go back to the
country for the summer, they are
changed Enid growing young and pref
ty. Violet maturing into charming
girl. Enid refuses Mark Upjohn, a
girlhood beau, now a widower, who
wants to marry her; Violet is unhap-
PLY in love with Bud Pearsoll. When
they come back to town, Bud is with
a wild crowd of men.
Chapter 81
Yet when vi did get the story from
Bud, it was meagre in its details and
unsatisfactory enough to both of US.
He came around the following eve
ming and had dinner with les. AS vi
was not attending classes yet, she had
the whole day to prepare for that din
ner-and it was amusing to see her.
I'm going over to the Italian mar
ket and see if they have artichokes,"
she said. 'I'll do the marketing, don't
bother,
So off she set with basket, while
/ secured and cleaned and brought out
the treasured possessions We had
stored for the simmer There was
more than enough work, even in these
few rooms, for the summer dust had
settled down on everything, and Helen
had not had time to keep things clean.
1--WE gone over the surface" l said
finally, late. in the afternoon. ITO
morrow III, begin and scrub. This
whole place needs it and think I'll
give the woodwork a new coat Of
white paint"
"An right, tomorrow" vi answered,
somewhat impatiently. 81 only want
it to look nice for our dinner tonight"
She put away her packages, rolled
up her sleeves, and began working
fast. She served a delicious dinner,
doing all the work herself, and even
making tiny. flaky biscuits.
And Bud ate ravenously. He always
had a healthy appetite. but tonight he
seemed so hungry that l wondered
whether he had eaten any lunch.
did not know till later that the only
good meals he ate those few weeks,
were at our little apartment
Finally he leaned back comfortably,
the last of third helping of frothy
dessert finished, and his demi tasse
before him. vi was very particular
about this little end of her dinner GER
emony. She brought in our incest
China pot and the little coffee cups
on separate tray, and served it all
as daintily as she could.
81 think I'll go over to see Helen"
| began. I'll pack the dishes and do
them later"
ner in her pretty blue taffeta-a little
worn now, but still most attractive on
ner. and shook my head.
) mo, don't go; want to tell vi
something, and l want you to hear
it too" Bud said.
That settled it. I sat down and
waited
But first of all Bud rolled himself
a cigarette, to smoke as he drank his
coffee. And this amazed me, too.
Bud usually smoked an excellent
brand of gold tipped cigarettes, and
/ had never seen him practice this
economy. Plainly, something had
happened.
1.-THE first part is an apology and
a confession The said, and sent little
shame-faced smile at vi.
Il have seen Pete this summer"
l know that"
You dol" All the drama of his
confession gone, Bud could do nothing
but look confus ed-and ashamed of
himself. Evidently he did not know
about the postcard vi received from
Pete!
well, don't know how you know"
he said, after a time. 81 told you,
| promised you, when you left that
l wouldn't run with that crowd any
more. But Of course l couldn't prom
Use not TO see Pete. run across him
all the time in my work, and we eat
ct the same quick lunch place"
You might change the place.
oh. come, Bud protested. Its the
cheapest and best in that part of the
city. Believe me. | know! I've got
ten indigestion trying them all. Well,
our lunch time is the same, so L saw
him most every day.
Then he kept wondering why I
didn't go out. l guess | did everything
but tell him | didn't want to see him.
But Pete is Il thick-skinned fellow-he
never knows when he is not wanted
vi was looking at him, her blue
eyes all intensity. Bud poured himself
another demi-tasse and went on
Il couldn't say l promised you not
10 see him, could -" He reached over
and took Violet'S hand. But strange
10 say. she drew her hand away.
Il couldn't be ridiculed for being
tied to a girls apron string" he went
on, faint suggestion of a sneer
coming around his mouth. so fl
nally l said I was trying to save
money, and couldn't afford to go with
him. He said he liked paying the