The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-10-12
She Played
absent"
By DOROTHY R. scovILLE

sometimes house. Safety Harbor was
no exception. 1t had Mrs Semple.
After ten months Of Mrs. Semple's
living in Safety Harbor, the towns
people knew just as much about her
US when she first came, and they didn't
know anything about her then.
Bill Crosby, who had the building
contract for Mrs. Semple's house, didn't
even know what she looked like. His
orders came from her lawyers. The
house was smallish one, but coy
and pretty; away from any neighbors
though. Everyone remarked at the
time the lumber was hauled to the
spot, what far away place she had
taken. But it was pretty location
close to the beach, and nesting In q
grove Of young pines that overlooked
the harbor and the sound.
The day the house was finished Mrs.
Senple came. Jim DeCosta drove her
up. and he told all about her; said she
was mighty nice looking woman, but
she had sad eyes. That was the most
he had noticed about her-the sad eyes
part.
The Sunday after she arrived she ap-
peared In church. She was dressed In
quiet, dark clothes, but they were nice
things She evidently had money.
Everyone welcomed her, and she
seemed a friendly kind; but the funny
part about her was that although she
smiled with her mouth, her eyes were
not smiling bit. They were sad, just
as Jim DeCosta had said.
OF course that started folks talking,
and wondering why her eyes were sad,
but no one had the courage to pry into
her affairs.
AS winter came on the women's clubs
and societies began to have their
meetings. Then there was the hospital
work and the church work. Mrs.
Semple was invited to everything. She
was a willing worker, and generous
contributor to the funds. But somehow
she didn't seem to enter heart and soul
into things. She seemed to be trying
! to forget something-no one could find
out what She never spoke Of her per-
sonal affairs. After quite bit OF hint
ing, they did find out that her husband
had died few years back, Of tropical
fever in South America. He had been
In some kind Of government work
there. Outside Of that, they found out
nothing.
Then Christmas week came. All the
societies were busy with baskets for
the new little hospital, and for the
Mariners hospital, and with comfort
bags for the Seamen's Bethel, Safety
Harbor being quite a place for ships
to come in out Of the storms that
rampage outside. Safety Harbor, in
It's younger days, was quite whaling
port, anyway, but now most of the old
houses of the whaling shippers belong
to summer people.
Mrs. Semple contributed a lot OF
money toward the work the societies
were doing, but she seemed to do more
for the Mariners hospital and the
Seamen's Bethel than anything else
The funny part of 1t was that she
would never go near either place.
Sometimes the clubwomen would gt
over to the Bethel, when there were
some boats In, and would give little
entertainments for the boys. Mrs
Semple would never do anything like
that. She always had a headache whe1
the time came.
Christmas eve the Patriotic club hat
planned to go to the Bethel. There
were a lot of boats In that had beer
held up by the storms. The clut
women all debated whether the!
should ask Mrs. Semple to go or not.
SWELL" said Martha Greene, "sh'
never goes when we ask her, and
don't believe in wasting my BREATH
Then some one said she might fee
hurt If she didn't get asked.
81 think we should ask her." sp0k'
up May Alden. May was the younges
member Of the club, a-d there WASH
a sweeter, nicer girl In the village
Mrs. Semple liked May, too, and the!
knew that IL May couldn't get her Il
90, no one could. SO May went owe
to ask Mrs. Semple. When she came
back she seemed quieter than usual
but she said Mrs. Semple would 60
and would be glad to play her cell
for the-b
Every one was surprised, Of course
but glad she would help out. No on
knew she could play cello.
Christmas eve came, sparkly clea
and frosty. The stars looked as thougl
they had just been shined, and tn
little covering of snow glistened lik
diamond dust. On the way to tn
Bethel every one was Laughing an
talking so that no one noticed HOY
quiet Mrs. Semple was. She and Ma
were talking together.
| At the door Of the Bethel, a little
vine-covered cottage, down by tn
wharf, Mr.. Ward, the chaplain, wa
welcoming every one. Inside ever,
thing was all trimmed with green an
crepe paper and holly. Over In tn
corner was the Christmas tree, loade
!. with the comfort bags and cand.
There were about 45 men there
good many young fellows. All tn
: chairs were filled and some Of til
fellows were sitting on the magazin
tables that were pushed back againi
the wall.