Evening star., 1928-03-18

deavored to turn her thoughts there
would be basket BAN hanging like the
sword Of. Damocles. ready to destroy
her. II ohSessed her waking moments
and haunted her dreams. Combined
With her sense OF modification over
the disgrace Of her punishment for the
Eisdemeanor In which she had been
involved, she was IN o sorry plight
Patricia took Life very seriously. E.
Even the plans for the approaching
Christmas holidays and the midyear
dance. which Was TO inaugurAte the
return 10 school, could not tighten her
oowncast spirits. Wherever groups of
girls gathered there wes talk Of new
frocks for the -'midyear";; programs
we're being arranged; invitations were
rendered 10 eligible yeang males IN the
vicinity.
Aren't you going to invite Bunny to
come Up for the dance?" Louise de-
rz1anded. s
"oh. yes. s'pose So" Patricia re-
Wei, for goodness sake, get busy
about IT, He win certainly have thin
time IL you don't get some dances for
him. Al! the girls are filling their pro-
grams and you haven't even started"
"T think programs are dumb and old
fashioned anyway. Why don't We have
o cut-an dancer"
"Bus, Pat. how silly. None of the
boys know any OF the girls. 1t would
be 50 stupid"
what Kind Of dress are you going
10 have. Pat?" asked Mary Harris.
oh ] don't much care. Black, /
think. with q black veil over the face.
snc black shoes and thick black stock
AxeA I1Ss0 ksiArk hid OfSzpeg lfs
Pat, how you talk Why not bor-
row your fathers black oyercoat and
sew q crepe band On the sleeve 10
make the funeral aspect compIete?"
80 II was with anything but a light
hearted oenseznor that Patricia arrived
home for the holidays. Her parents
were alarmed TO see her looking pale
and o little worn, joining paihetically
Ia me festivities attendant upon Christ
mas,
4 don't think the child has been
getting enough 70 eat" fused her
mother. and planned new dishes 10 en-
tee Patrfeia's appetite.
1t Is something more than that. ''
returned the father. and ! mean "
find out what il is. She is worrying
about something"
One evening Patricia returned from
some youthful gathering quite late and
found heg father reading before the fire
In the library.
Che threw Of her wraps and warmed
herself before the blaze. "um-n, That
feels GoJc and II looks 80 c3zy." She
sighed a little and percned herself on
his knee
why tkeae deep and lugubr!0ls
signs, kitten. have hardly heard you
laugh since you came home now, don't
you want 70 tell me what Ia botneFing
your Maybe taking IL over would
.selp."
oh, Daddy. everything has gone
wrong, / got into a MESS oyer that
oi6 f0Ot Dau game and then lhey
wouldn't let nIe have my gIace ot1 iiae
bSsket bill team. and when did ZsI
iB,o the game &s sun flmnIed tte
tsil and almost lost the game.
know tias girls al lnst hate me
FteF voice tFailed III into long wsil
aDd the cropped. soyaah head dropt,ed d
oDtO the s,asentai shoulder. II fell
FoUgh atad s1LGsi898 So9tia5Ag P2lFicss
weEy. tof9g sE4d satisfactorily IN an Org
of 6elf-pity. her father quietly siTokinp
laFF hsir With complete understanding
~ is$t when tbs 6GDDiDR had ab6te1
G9c Patricia sfl0Be0 signs Ut fetiirl
10 Der n0TmsI state by fanlbsing afoiinf
for heY DggdsF puff. he profferec 4
4s1sot bfAA ASEJtJ4G tbS{0SE8Vs@sAEt S8A
fle Sed keY 70 1Fs her eyes ana blow
hsf Isaee Then he SPIKE
We all have our hard knocks oe
cksiogaeiiy, ssa6 IL sometimes seems u
Eae that ftl0Sa We get wien We sTl
W9urag are the hardest " take. bat iig'
way We tske them really counts, Don
yol think sof"
Patricia snHne0 a little kilefpisiiJy.
"Whea you say that he girls ri
late you. ] ailihE you are dead wrong
iNcaube 1t seems ~ me- tliat you af
ul4ite iDFaI3ie gittls person, Of Ca1I' ~
NY oointon may be biased. tite smiieI
HtIle) n Lls &snle Tins | feei per
feciy safe Ia saying that they 81
BE yOJ more than you think. and the
80 DTeksi,jg waiting tor sou " il@
stypve t3lese 6isspDoinimenis and eho'
N4st YOU are Ha9ds Of L. foT one, nav
every coUfdenGe iIa4 you csn make iD
tSest ~ bad bargain ] kn)W spi
srs not gong 10 dissplA1Ht me by mop
Ing about il iqnEef. sic s1Q1"