The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-10-07
COMPARED
WITH REAL
YOUTH
((9 by D. ]. walsh.)

- Everett WATERS U Cdll upoH
i / her that . evening : The They were
way which is pleasant without being
provocative. Everett Waters had once
proposed TO Helen and she had put
him off gently, leaving him to hope
that if he ever asked her again She
would probably accept him. But he
had not asked her again, although he
continued to call upon her regularly,
to write to her when he was away, to
send her gifts at holiday time or upon
her birthday. Meanwhile Hulda was
very content. She was too comfortable
as she was to care to change the con-
dition of her life. Her father had left
her well provided for. She had her
own home, mother who bore the
cares of the household and plenty of
leisure to paint charming little pic
lures that she never sold. And she
was still young, attractive, graceful.
Lots of time yet for marrying. Pos ,
Sibly, too, somebody might appear who
was more like the lover of her dreams
than the plain, quiet lawyer who had
been her schoolmate and now managed
her few business affairs. She did not
stop to think that Everett was lonely.
that in keeping him dangling she
might be shutting him out of happi-
ness and some other woman out of
home and a companiOnship. AS far as
that went she was not afraid of any
other woman. She was absolutely sure
Of Everett Waters.
Upon this summer day she was
painting in the large northern room
which she called her studio when the
door opened softly and a young girl
entered Hulda numbered no young
girls among her friends and she stared
at this one in surprise. Then she re-
cognized the lovely blooming face I'M
der the stern little black hat-such a
hat as Hulda would not have dared to
wear.
"Why, it's Ethel" she exclaimed.
"Your own niece, Ethel, Aunt Hull
da." The girl kissed her. 81 knew you'd
be crazy to see me. Dad and | just
got back from Paris last week-and
here am. Eve been gone two whole
years, do you know it?" s 7
"Of course, am glad, dear-I sup
pose those clothes are French?'
Entirely So" Ethel spun around to
show them. dad loosened up his
purse strings just before we sailed.
But you must see what I've got in my
trunk brought my trunk, auntie.
You see, I'm going to stay while.
How well granny is looking! You, too
only you are getting gray, did you
Know it? What a nice little picture!
Oh, how is dear old Everett Waters?
Is he just the same constant thing as
everr' .
Hulda flushed and bit her lip. She
arose from her easel and took off her
apron. Downstairs she could hear her
mother at the telephone ordering from
the grocer. The peaceful current. of
life had suddenly become brisk tor
rent owing to the arrival of this gay
young visitor.
Twenty years before Huldas BROTH
er had married girl whom Hulda and
her mother did not like. Ethel was
like her mother. Somehow Earl Lewis
had been able to acquire good deal
of money which he spent in leading a
careless, rowing life. Two years before
he had matched up Ethel and gone
abroad. Now here was the girl de-
velOped into something so beautiful
and altogether fascinating that Hulda
felt a curious pang of jealousy.
Ethel took possession of the house.
The trunk came and she appeared in
pink and black Hulda, who had
grown a bit careless in dress, prompt
ly made toilet. Ethel laughed at the
blue crepe But when Everett Waters
came up the steps In the moonlight
she did not laugh at him. Instead she
ran to him, flung her arms about his
neck and kissed him. Holding her at
arms length Everett studied her
through his glasses. Hulda looking on
grew cold She suddenly felt old. ugly,
questionable. And while Ethel chat
tered gayly she sat silent, not listen
ing, but thinking strange. inexplicabIe
thoughts of her own.
Afterward Ethel came into Hulda's
room clad in astonishing silken pa
jamas. which, with her black bobbed
hair, made her look like a surprising
~ adorable pierrette.
'Everett's a DEAR" she said. Hes
improved so much. while I've been
gone That gray hair makes him look
very distinguished. He reminds me of
q great diplomat, saw In Paris. I'm
quite wild about Everett auntie. Did
you know that he remembered every
one of my birthdays while ] was away?
You did not, but he did. He sent me
this bracelet | am wearing" She
turned the circlet round her wrist.
Hulda did not sleep much that night
She lay awake thinking. II was true
Everett had improved, while she-it