Rockingham post-dispatch., 1922-11-09
FATE OR CUPID7
sy MILDRED WHITE
10 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate, !,


20 W Mcclure Newspaper syndicate,)
Margaret Eldridge was very pretty
giFi everyone was agreed as to that
Eut when she came to visit Aunt Mar
garet Wells In Bayardstown, 1t was
not long before the majority Of women
residents at least had dubbed her
frivolous"
Does nothing all day." they said,
except dress up to look pretty and
lo!l around"
Palsy loved pretty clothes. There
WIS also dainty lavender frock---
pa ,ated muslin, It was called-with
vi,siet flowers, scattered quantity over
Its lavender surface. Mother had made
this frock just before the serious time
of her last Illness but Daisy could
moi yet think calmly Of those sorrow.
ful days-days of loving self-sacrifice
upon her part--for which Aunt Mar
garet was now trying TO atone--or to
eff;ce.
Darling" she said the day Of the 1
anticipated picnic to M0rtoYs falls. IL
| wish for my sake you'd wear the Law
enGer muslin; It is so becoming and
want you TO make a good impression
Epon my friends. There's Tilly Saun-
| ders for INSTANCE, a friend Of my own
glrlhood-1her doctor son is one Of the
finest II not indeed, the finest of Bay
ards young men" Daisy laughed.
! But good naturedly Daisy wore the
lavender painted frock. Aunt urged
the dark. warm cape upon her at de-
| parture.
at may rain" she said, land any
4 way II is cool down at MOrton's' fails.
You will need wrap" And as 1t
often happens In this misjudging
world, Mrs. Saunders, glancing from
an upper window at the very moment
4 of Daisy's happy departure for the
/ Falls, viewed the lavender frock, and
the silk-lined cape cOntemptuously.
Her son near by was preparing his
medicine case for the calls Of the aft
ernoOn.
~ declare" remarked Tillie Saun-
ders, shat girl fror, the city Is dressed
to 60 to picnic, as though she Were
going on the stage"
"By the way" he remarked, "your
friend Margaret Wells has invited mo
to meet her niece at social. But II
the niece answers your description,
mother, please write for me the usual
polite refusal-I am beastly busy and
you can make no mistake in saying
So"
Thereupon the young doctor went
on bis way. And Daisy, swinging her
satin.lined cape, went blithely upon
her way.
} Peggy-Jane would not be pleased
with this nor pleased with that. And
Peggy-Jane insisted upon going out on
. the fake in shell-like boats with ven
, turesome youths, or swimming danger
olisly far from shore. i-s
"She is 50 reckless" Peggy James
! mother c0nfded to Daisy.
/ The afternoon was not success
J. just near the supper hour came one
Of the sudden dtenching showers
. Daisy was out in It--so was Peggy
{ Jane-they were far from shelter. A
moment the despised visitor OF Bay.
!, ardstown stood looking down at hei
r rebellious charge. Peggy-Jane wal
4 giggling. at is cold here near thu
Q Falls, isn't It, Miss Eldrldge7 Queer
Q how cold It can be In summer time
!. 5ust because a little rain comes up.'
r Daisy cast one hasty glance ut thu
cherished painted muslin. Mother'i
9 fingers had fashioned 1.-THE violet
. would run disastrously Into the Law
e ender ground. And Peggy-Jane wal
o not the only one who had been warne'
Il against cold or dampness that sim
Z. mer The trip into the country ha'
> been suggested as fOrtifying remed'
Is also for Margaret after her long day
ri OF nursing
"There! she said, as she folded tn
T. warm cape about Peggy-Jane's receI
l. tive figure, that will keep you bot
ie warm and dry. Now let's run for It.
n Peggy-Jane's mother was tearfull
In grateful. "You have saved her froi
au illness, am sure" she said.
n But Daisy had not saved herse
from Illness It began that night aftt
to Aunt Margaret lovingly tucked her
bed. Daisy hated to tell about tf
IN queer tirobbing pain in her back-tt
funny little creepy chills. But AuI
Margaret found out and later Dais
ne found herself telling . kind your
physician.
er "You see," she explained. "our o
alI doctor ct home told me must De car
ty. full to avoid dampness, and all that.
Ill had barely gotten over the flu, VIII
a mother was taken sick. and then"
lat "I see" the understanding youl
physician said. 'The Falls Is dan
,py hole" he remarked later, land y
tn. were soaked in that cold rain; D
lily we are going to prevent any serlc
de, trouble. You will have to take
ted word for It." Doctor stephen smile
80 Daisy took his word for It. She :
r. .AAI n ~ hf ri .