Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-11

AFFIE POTTER and her sistel
Cynthia lived in the old Potter
homestead. They were middle.
~ aged. healthy. good-lookinl
and possessed of comfortable
incomes. To their friends and acQuaint.
ances it seemed as If 1.-The Potter girls.
as they were called. had everything tc
make them happy and contented. But
this was not the case In fact. they had
too much leisure in which to find fault
with each other and their surroundings
That was why this sloppy morning they
were driving along country road. The
night before at their evening meal they
had had perfect duel of words ovei
some trivial thing and had only settled
the matter by deciding to drive over to
see Minty Granger and have her decide
the dispute for them.
Carrie was driving their bright new
coupe and skimmering along at good
rate of speed when suddenly they we're
confronted by detour sign. The sign
bore rudely executed arrow which
pointed toward a road that seemed TO
follow crumbling stone walls off through
o field.
What a perfectly dreadful looking
road" CYNTHIA cried.
Il should say it was" Carrie bit her
lip nervously.
We'll. it's very evident the main road
Is closed. Carrie" Cynthia said. You
can't possibly drive over that rough one.
The only thing you can do is to go
back" There was relief in her voice.
No We won't 60 back" Carries
voice was firm. Not for one moment
would she show the white feather before
the timid Cynthia, and anyway If they
did go back home the dispute would re-
main unsettled, for Carrie knew that
her sister always managed to get the
best OF an argument. Cynthia would
fire all her guns. as 1t we're, and then
when she saw she was losing ground she
would begin weakly to cry-tnat usually
ended all disputes.
There was another reason why Carrie
did not wish to turn back. She hated
to turn car around. She could drive
straight ahead, but when she had to
take her eyes from the front OF the
car in order to see where the back
wheels we're going she always lost her
nerve. Cynthia knew this.
mo! We will not turn back" Carrie
said with a little shake in her voice.
She drew long breath and taking
firmer grip of the wheel turned from
the main road into the detour.
Cynthia braced herself as the coupe
bounced and swayed over the rough
road. Their suit cases and the generous
box which they had packed with nuts,
candy. fancy cakes. a canister of I'M
ported tea and sundrv books and maya
zines they were taking as surprise to
Minty Granger. ratified ominously. The
car windows cracked as If they would
break. but Carrie kept right on going.
They had followed the road for some
time when the sunlight began to dim
and an occasional raindrop slashed
against the windshield Carrie set the
automatic windshield cleaner in motion.
Finally the road seemed to leave the
level and lead straight up steep hill.
"Oh-oh!-Must be climb that hill?"
Cynthia could not keep back the ex-
clamation. The hill loomed ominously
ahead of them. dark with trees.
Carries lips frightened and she
changed to lower gear. The car would
need all its power to make the grade.
Up, up, up they went, the engine labor.
ing oh" Carrie thought with despair
gripping her heart. will we ever get
out of this mess?" Just as she was be-
ginning to hope they were nearing the
top of the hill the engine gave wheezy
gasp and stopped dead sill. She set
the brakes to prevent the car from
sliding back down the hill. Turning she
met the frightened eyes of her sister.
more courage in her voice than she felt |
in her heart. mo damage done so far |
and if I'm not mistaken I see smoke |
right over there. Let's explore. We |
may find a house."
They got out of the car and after
moments search found a path leading
through the woods. This path led
straight into clearing where they
espied a small, rough shanty. A dog
came out and barked as they ap-
preached. At first they were terribly
frightened because he acted so un-
friendly. but Carrie spoke to him coax
ingiv and after a moment he let them /
proceed to the house. Just rs Carrie |
was about to knock the door opened and.
o tangle-headed little girl of ap-
peared. She gazed at the two women |
with wide open brown eyes and after
giving them an appraising look smiled |
ct Cynthia.
How do you do Carrie said. "Is
your papa or any one here who can
help with care"
ASK the lady In. Hetty." a weak |
voice babe from within. The little girl |
opened the door and nlotioned them to
enter.
AS their eyes became accustomed 70
the dim interior of the room they saw
a woman lying on an old couch which
had been drawn close to the fire.
Come in. ladies'" the woman in
vited. "Hetty. give the ladies chairs"
abe added to the little girl who stood
shyly by ner side. Hetty showed two
chairs toward the women and they sat
down
"Are you ill?" Cynthia asked with
deep sympathy in her voice. The wom-
an was young and would have been
pretty had she not looked so sad.
mo. not really sick" the woman
answered with a weak smile. But
fell some time ago and must have
strained my back. My man works down
in the village during the week. He
comes home Saturday nights. Hetty
and I have been getting along alone
I'm afraid things don't look very NICE
she added alphabetically.
Things did not look very nice. While
the woman had been talking Carrie and
Cynthia had been taking note of their
surroundings. Never in all their lives
had they seen so bare room. Here
vas such poverty as they had never
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