Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-02-03
Just a Spoiled
Child
BY MARTHA M. WILLIAMS
(Copyrlght.)

" hCA WI % AA9Niiis INV vi
rect answer to prayer. She had a
handsome son, and twin daughters,
not merely homely but undistin.
guished, all three away at college.
Roberta with doe-dark eyes, rose
bud mouth, frame of real baby-gold
ringlets for her dimpled face, could
not help grow up ravng beauty.
Then, too. she had foil to set off her
charms, In the person of Lump, three
months her elder, her fathers orphan
niece, left thus alone by motor accl-
dent, left also charge upon her
uncle's charity He took her instant
ly to his heart, his wife the while re-
senting her, though silently. She
knew already Lucille and Veronica
were pills that 1t would take fine
sugaring to place right in the matter
Of matrimony. She positively must get
them off her hands before Roberta
was ten-Roberta, the beauty fore
ordained to renew and strengthen the
Estill social ascendency, the Estill
fortune.
Lump was no more than excess
baggage. A born drudge, said her
aunt-in-law, the three Rs were all the
education she would ever take.
The double wedding supervened
when Roberta was ten. Providential-
ly Lucille and Veronica had made
their market before they grew too
shop-worn. Their husbands, brothers,
safe and sound prospects, had no
claim to eminence.
Veronica's new home was near a
famous and expensive private school,
so In the autumn following Roberta
was sent to the institution. At first
all was rosy-everybody petted her
and praised her. But when she came
home for her vacation she was
changed. more mature, saucler, ac-
tually pert at times. Her mother eX-
planned she had grown to be the wit
of the school-people noted her smart
sayings so much because she was so
beautiful, young and small, hardly
more than baby. But later she came
back In high dudgeon, vowlng she was
done with schools of every sort-she
wanted governess until she was six.
teen-after that she would be ready
for college.
She had her way, of course. AS a
result Lump got somewhat scram.
bled education from succession of
Outlanders, to whom her fOrlornness
appealed, as did her sweet temper
and intuitive good breeding. Grow
ing up changed her but slightly.
At fifteen Roberta's nose was al
most strictly Roman. She did exact
ly as she pleased. when, how and
where she had a mind, was delhi
erately rude to old friends and scorn
full Of everything approaching her
own age.
At sixteen she put off college an
other year Her mothers heart sank
PROFESSIONALLY this child of her love
and pride, was fairly breaking her
heart. She was not beautiful now
even In her mildest moods. The high
nose, exact replica of Great GRANDPA
ther Governor ThOmpson's, dwarfed
all other features. Baby-gold rings
had turned reddlsh-rusty black, so
closely bObbed II gave a pepper
salt effect. Compared to II Jumps
glory. Indeed, Lump had changed
only for the better.
Roberta leased her, ragged her,
without ceasing, never dreaming she
could provoke revolt. She flew into
violent Mysteries when she knew that
Miss Grace Lester. otherwise Lump
had got job as saleswOman at Bel
tons the finest store In the county
town. Straightway, she went to bring
the recrennt home. but brief inter.
view with the Beltons. father and son
changed her mind They had EN-
ployed her cousin. with her Uncle
Estill's full approval, so clearly moth
Ing more could be said or done.
A fateful encounter. Roberta lost
her heart to the goOd-loOking Young
merchandise was so wholesomely un
like the tag-rag poets and artists with
whom she had made touch through
letters very, very sophisticated, either
In criticism. or rank adulatIon OF their
work.
Roberta haunted the store, insist
ing upon taking her cousin home with
her at least twice week Sunday
she all but forced young BeltOn To
dine with them After the third trial
he prudently ran away to the city
upon pretext of shopping Home again
he managed to evade her for -four
weeks WhereupOn she decided It
was time for action. Lump had told
her that young Bolton always stayed
very late Saturday nights TO lock up
and make sure the two watrhmen
were on the spot-what she had moi
told was that he had got in the way
OF keeping her to bear him company
and afterward taking her to her
boarding house.
Had Roberta known II might have
made difference. Again II might
mother mind once set on thing
she had never yet given way. Alone
In her small car she slid ghOstllke
through starllt December dark, stOl'
inside unseen, and made her way cat
footed to the private office. Bolton
was there-alone she thought Dart
ing upon him she caught him tight In
her arms, saying: "Tm here to marry
you; must do H. Unless we do II
both will be ruined
"Oh, no." said Bolton placldly you
are just here visiting kinfOlks You
don't know It, but Grace and ! have
Just been married. Come along with
US to the train. TO wish US joy