Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-02-20

s. Ohm, dear!"
- "Winnie?"
My sister Molly's coming home to
morrow for her holiday. She's ever. so
much prettier-and younger--than
am"
LAS if that would matter!"
John, l know you'll fall in love
with her"
Il hope to like her, for your sake,
Winnie"
Winnie Comfitt sighed. She knew
she could not hold her own in looks or
attractions against her sister Molly,
with her young freshness and city
ways Molly was like dancing fairy,
a sunbeam. How could John help but
love her?
John was a young lawyer who had
lately come to Prescott to open prac-
tice there. Winnie lived alone in the
little house at the end of the street
Her mother had died four years be-
fore. Winnie had elected to remain,
while Molly went to the city. Molly
was doing well. She was only twenty
three, six years younger than Winnie.
Molly arrived the next afternoon
with three suitcaSes, and Winnie
watched her sister and John with a
bitterness that increased as she saw
how instantly John was attracted by
the girls charm and freshness. She
grew more bitter as she prepared the
supper and heard them laughing to-
gether on the porch.
That ring in Johns voice-that ring
that had been in his voice when they
two had first met. 1t had long since
gone out of it.
She left them largely alone that
evening, and during the two weeks OF
Mollys stay John contrived to come
to the house every day At first
shamefaced, afterward he tacitly ac
knowledged the situation. And there
came one bitter evening when Winnie
looking through the window, saw Johr
with his arm around her sisters waist
and their heads very close together.
Molly went away the next day. A:
she was leaving Winnie said:
MOLLY, you haven't told me some
thing"
"What, about John?" Molly laughed
in her irresponsible way. "Oh, thai
was just a sumper Irritation, Winnie
Isn't he engaged TO your
Winnie could not answer her fol
very shame. She watched Molly drive
! away.
And John came no more to the little
house. Days ran into weeks. Some
times Winnie met him in the street
and he would raise his hat, while he
colored with shame. The weeks raj
| on
About two months after Molly hat
gone Winnie heard Johns familiar TAP
at the door one night. John stood out
side.
Come in, John" said Winnie. il
the old manner.
She took his hat and coat and made
him sit down in the chair he always
occupied. well, John?" she asked.
winnie" he said hoarsely, ''you
know why l haven't been here for Sc
long? I've been too ashamed"
why that's all right, john" said
Winnie with assumed brightness
THAT couldn't be helped"
1--WE been a cad, Winnie. But
can't let things go on this way. l came
to ask you if we couldn't be friends
just the same"
"Why, of course, John. We'd have
70 bn opvuoU wnulIp't ua2N
Have to beT
aren't you going to marry MollyT
winnie, hasn't she told you?"
Nothing about you, John"
"You thought we were engagedY'
He laughed bitterly. "She--she made
fool of me, Winnie. On the last
evening, Just after I'd kissed her, she
told me she had only been playing with
me to spite you, and that when she
married she'd get some one more
worth while than a country lawyer
l thought you knew"
81 didn't know, and | think she's be-
haved abominably," said Winnie, I'M
able to restrain the tears that
streamed down her cheeks.
"Winnie"-his voice was hoarse-
you know it was sort of madness
while it lasted, and l awoke too late
to realize that I'd lost the love of the
only woman who had meant anything
to me. But l want your friendship,
Winnie. May | have that?"
And somehow she found herself
soothing him like mother, and COM
forting him. Men were like that. She
knew that her love was deeper than
any transient passion. There might
be another Molly in their lives some
day. But Molly herself had been but
an interlude.