The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, October 03, 1917, Image 2
OF PA
ETHEL
ILLUST
- W.C .t
(CopyrigIt, by the
CHAPTER I.
Introducing Her.
None but the residents consider
Mount Murk, Iowa, much of i town,
and the very most patriotic of thet
all hIs no word of praise for the ugly
little red C. 1. & Q. railway station.
Mount Mark is anything but proud of
the little station. At the same time it
certainly does owe the railroad and Ihe
istate a debt of gratitude fIor its preo
euce there. It is the favorite soclal
rendezvous for the conmnunity ! The
arrival of a passenger train in Moumt
Mark is an event-something lin the
nature of a C. B. & Q. "at home," and
is always attended by a large and en
thusiastle gathering of "our best
people." All that is licking are the
proverbial "light r'efreshtments!"
So it happened that one sultry morn
lug, lute in the month of August, there
was the usual flute or of excitement aml
confusion on the IdItformil and In the
waiting room of the station. The ha
bitues were there in force. Conspieu
eus among thema were four gayly
dressed young men, smoking eigaret i xs
and gazing with lack-luster eyes ujn
the animated scene, which evidentoy
bored them.
The ):t ly News reporter, in a w'ellI
creased, light gray suit and n1 sho.
and with eyeghtsses selentifically it
anced on his mluililie nost. wasmai
pointed Inquiries Into the privato e pli
of the travelers. The youig wo:. a
going to I Wli i1ngton to spend the we v
end was surroutnded witi about ilt t'een
other young vomiien who had come to
"see her ofT." Mount Mark is a very
respectaile town, hae it IIdersIt.Iood1, aI
girls do not go to the station withoit
an excuse!
A mnin In a black husiness stilt stood
a0lone onl the plat1fori, his hands in
his pocki'ts, his eyes wandering froma
one to another of the strange faces
about him. Ills p11111 whit ready-mmac
tie proclaimed his calling.
"It's the new Methodist minister."
Volunteered the baggage master, cross
Ing the platform. "I know him. 1le's
not a bad sort."
"They say lie's got five kids, and
most of 'em girls," responded the Ad.
amS express man. "I want to be on
hand when they get here, to pick out a
'girl."
"Yah !" mocked the telegraph opera.
tor, bobbing his head through the win
dow, "you need to. They tell mile every
girl In Mount Mark has turned you
down a'ready."
But the Methodist minister, gazing
away down the track, where a thin
curl of smoke announced the coming
of No. 9 and Prudence-heard nothing
'MUN
"Run, Father, RunI"
of this conversation. Hie was not a
handsome man. Ulls hair was gray at
the temples, his face was earnest, only
saved from severity by the little clus
ters of lines at his eyes and mouth
iwhich proclaimed that he laughed
often and with relish.
"Train going east I"
The minister stood back from the
crowd, but wvhen the train came poundl
ing in, a b.rlghtness leaped into his
eyes. A slender girl stood In the vesti
bule, waving wildly at him a small
gloved hand. When the train stopped
she heaped lightly from the steps.
"Father !" she cried excitedly, and,!
small and slight as she was, she el
~bowed her- way swiftly through the
gaping crowd. "Oh, father I" And site
flung her arms about him joyously, tin.
conscious of admiring eyes, Her father
*kissed hier warmly. "Where Is your
baggage?" lie asked, a hand held out
to relieve her.
"Here!"' And wvith a radiant smile
she thr'ust upon01 hIm a box of' candy
anid a gaudy-covered maain.
"Your' sitcase,'' lie etiaioned pa-.
tienitly.
"Oh I" she gasped, J' bn, father
xud!I I left it on tihe traiu!I"
RUESTON
RATED BY
ANNE
Bobbs-MorrHli Company.)
Father did run, but Prudence, fleeter
footed, outdistanced him and clam
bered on board, panting.
When she rejoined her father her
faco was flushed. "Oh, father," she
said quite snappily, "Isn't that just like
me?"
"Yes, very like," he agreed, and he
smi1e.r
"And so this is Mount Mark I Isn't
it a funny name, father? Why do they
call It Mount Mark?"
"I don't know. I hadn't thought to
inquire. We turn here, Prudence. This
is Main street. The city part of the
town-the business part-is to the
south."
"It's a prOty street, isn't it?" She
cried. "Such nice big maples, and such
shady, porchy houses. I love houses
with porches, don't you? Has the par
sonage a porch?"
"Yes, a big one on the south, and a
tiny one in front. We have the house
fixed up pretty well, Prudence, but of
course you'll have to go over it your
self and arrange it as you like. I must
go to a trustees' meeting at twc
o'clock, but we can get a good deal
done before then. Mrs. Adams is com.
lug to help you this afternoon. Sh(
is one of our Ladies, and very kind
There, that is the pairsonage!"
Prudence gazed in silence. Man3
would not have considered it a beauti.
ful dwelling, but to Prudence it waI
heavenly. Fortunately the wide, grassy
shaded lawn greeted one first. Great
spreading maples bordered the street
and clustering rosebushes lined th<
walk leading up to the house. The par
sonage, to Prudence's gratifled eyes
looked homey, and big, and inviting
There were many windows, and thu
well-known lace curtains looked dowi
upon Prudence tripping happily up thi
little board walk-or so it seemed t<
her.
"Two whole stories, and an attic be
sidesl Not to mention the bathroon
Oh, father, the night after you wroti
there was a bathroom, Constanci
thanked God for it when she said
prayers. And a furnace, too! Anm
electric lights! Oh, we have waite
a long time for it, and wetve been ver,
patient indeed, but, between you an<
me, father, I am most mightily glac
we've hit the luxury land at last. rn
sure we'll all feel much more religiouz
in a parsonage that has a bathroon
and electric lights I Oh, father I"
le had thrown open the door, An
Prudence stood upon the threshold o:
her new home. Together she and he;
father went from room to room, up
stairs and (lown, moving a table to th4
left, a bed to the right-according t<
her own good pleasure. Afterwar<
.they had a cozy luncheon for two h
the "dining room."
"Oh, It Is so elegant to have a din
Ing room," breathed Prudence happily
"I always pretended it wns rather fun
and a great saving or work, to eat an<
cook and study and live in one room
but inwardly the idea always outrage<
me. Is that the school over there?'
"Yes, that's where Connie will go
There is only one high school in Moun
Mark, so the twvins will have to go t<
the other side of town-a long walk
but in good weather they can comu
home for dinner."
"Oh, that's a lovely place over there
father!" exclaimed Prudence, lookinj
from the living room windows towar(
the south. "Isn't It beautiful?"
*"Yes. The Avery family lives there
The parents are very old and feeble
and the daughters are all-elderly
and all schoolteachers. There are foul
of them, and the youngest is forty-six
Dear me, It Is two o'clock already, anm
I must go at once. Mrs. Adams will
be here in a few minutes, and you wil:
not be lonely."
But when Mrs. Adams arrived at th<
parsonage she knocked repeatedly, ani
in vain. Finally she gathered her robeu
about her and went into the back yard
She peered into the woodshed, and saiw
no one. She went into the barn lot
and found it empty. In desprair, she
plunged Into the barn-and stopped
abruptly.
In a shadowy corner was a slendei
figure kneeling beside an overturned
nailkeg, her face buried in her hands
'Evidently this was Prudence engaged
in prayer'-and in the barn, of all places
tin the world!i
"A-a--a-hem I" stammered Mra
Adams inquiringly.
*"Amen I" This was spoken aloud
pnd hurriedly, and Prudence leaped
~to her feet. Her fair hair clung about
e r face in damp, babyish tendrils, and
her face was flushed and dusty, bu~
alight with friendly interest. She ran
forward eagerly, thrusting forth a slim
and grimy hand.
"You are Mrs. Adams, aren't you? I
am Prudenco Starr. It is no kind of
you to come'the very first day," she
cried. "It makes me love you right at
the atart."
"Ye-yes, I am Mr-s. Adams." Mrs.
Adams w-as embairrawred. She could
not banish from her menutal vision that
knerelinug figure b~y the nailkeg. Inter
rogationt was writ tea all over her
a mple face, a nd Prud~ence pr1omptly
readl it and~ huastenedl to reply.
"1 (do not generally .y myj praiyers
Lu the bar~n. Mrs. Adrnin, I as.... ..o..
But-well, when I found this grand,
old, rambling barn, I was so thankful
I couldn't resist praying about it."
"But a barn I" ejaculated the per
lexed "member." "Do you call that
a blessing?"
"Yes, indeed I do," declared Pru
dvnce. Then she exl)lalned patiently:
"()t, it Is on the children's account,
you know. They have always longed
for a big, roiantle barn to Play in.
That's why I couldn't resist saying my
prayers-I was so happy I couldn't
hold in."
.As, thoy wtalked slowly toward the
houo, Mrs. Adams looked at this par
sonage girl 'ii frank curiosity and sonie
dismay, which she strongly endeavored
to Vocead from the bright-eyod Pru
dence. The Ladles had said it would
be so nice to have a grown girl in the
parsonage I Prudence was nineteen
front all account, but she looked like a
child, and-well, it was not exactly
grown-up to give thanks for a barn,
to say the very least I Yet this girl
hand full charge of four younger clil
dron, and was further burdened with
tie entire care (of i minisLer-father!
Well, vell I Mrs. Adams sighed a
little.
"You nre tired," said Prudence sym
pathtle h ally. "It's so hot walking,
isn't it? Let's sit on the porch until
you are nicely rested."
"Th'luis is a fine ehance for us to get
acquaintilted," Said the good woman with
eilgrniess.
Now, if the truth must he told, there
had b1 hveen some ill-feeling in the Ladles'
Aid society concerning the reception of
Prudone. After the session of con
In the Barn of All Places.
foerence, when Rev. MrIt. Starr was as.
signed to M~ount IMark, the Ladies4 of
the church had felt great interest Jr
the man and his family. They Inquired
on every hand, and learned several in
teresting Items. The mnother had been
tke n the fanily flye years be
fore, after a long Illness, and Prudence
tied lest daughter, had taken charge
of the household. The erate fite chil
dren. So much was known, and being
women, they looked forward with
eager curiosity to the coming of Pru.
dence, thle younlg mistress of tile par.
Isonage.
Mr. Starr had1( arrived1 at Mount Mark4
a I weekl 11head( of Is famnily. P'rudlence
antd the othier cildren hud spent the
wee(k visiting at the hiomle of their
aunitt, and~ Prudence had come on a day~
in an~ittce of tile othlers to "wind ev
erythting up)," as she had expressed it.
But to return to the Ladies--the par.
sonatge girls always capitalized tile La.
dies of their father's church--"One o1
1us should go and help the dear child,'
Isaidl Mrs. Scott, tihe presiuent of tile
Alifs, when they assembled for thleir
busin11ess meeting, "help her, and wvel.
come her, and advise her."
"I was thinking of going over," said
one, and another, and severat othters
"Oh, that will not do at all," Bald tihe
president. "I think in a case liko this
the presidlent herself should represent
the society. Therefore, I will under
take this duty for you."
But this called forth a storm of pro
Itest and it became so clamorous that it
was unofficially decided to draw cuts I
Which was (lone, and in consequence
of thlat dIrawing of cuts, Mrs, Adams
nowv sat on the front porch of tile old
gray parsonage, cheered by the knowl.
ed(ge that every other Lady of the Aid
was envying her!i
"Now, just be real Rociable and tell
mel all atbout yourself, and the others,
too," urged Mrs. Adams, "I want to
know all about every one of you. Tell
me everything."
"There $sn't much to tell," said Pru
dence, sm.4ing. "There are five of us;
I am the oldest--I am nineteen. Then
comes Firy, then th~e twins, and then
the baby,"
"Are the twins boys, or a boy and a
girl?2"
-"Neittlir," said Prudence, "they are
both gIrls."
"More girls I" gasped Mrs. Adams.
"And the baby ?"
"She Is a girl, too." And Prudence
laughed. "In short, we are all girls
except father, lHe couldn't be, of
coturse-or' I suppose lie would, for our'
family does seem to Am to girls."
"Prutdence Is a very nice name for
a minister's dlauglteor," spjdl Mrs. Ad
amis suggestively.
"Yes-for some milnisters' dautgh
ters," assented Prudencle. ".ii Is sad
ly unstultable for mel."
Mrs. Adiams lookedloj crieli v at thils
TJ.hen her eyes wandered down to. her
clothes, 1111d1 lingered, In silent ques
tioning, on Prudence's dress. It was
a very peculiar color. In fact, it wai
no color at nil-no named color. Pru.
denec's eyes had followed Mrs. Ad
uams' glance,-and she spoke frankly.
"I suppose you're wondering If tlls
dress Is any color I Well, I think it
really Is, but it Isn't any of the regu
lar shades. It is my own Invention,
but I've never named it. Fairy grew
up 1ad out and around, and one day
when I was so nearly out of clothes I
hardly felt I could attend chuireli any
more, she suggested that I cut an old,
one of hers down Yor ne! At first I
secio . ac ex*~
VA
ness, originality ar
tics. Then, if yox
erateness, and yox
coat, suit and dref
ing. See our Rec
Ladies' Coats
SiCoits1C
OfBkStinglyaplnd ton
oySrigin atn
$5.9, $8.50 and $10~
ing fa edwear byeG
Ladbeies Cothseo
Wihqait and st
$15 $8.0o $20
OfeBlacs, Satin, nCan
cyr trings, S tins
RMakarbte y<l
tyan Gage andices.
D ClarsSeeigs
"A G o
lafughed, riiid then I was lnsuited. rm'r1v
Is three years younger than I, andi
beforo- then she hand got mhanil ded
downs. But now the tabI)Ies Nwere
turned. Fromt tait time on Fairy's
Clothes were'r cut down for m1e. I still
feel bitter about It. Fairy is Itrk, and
dark blues are becoming to her. She
handled down this dress-it wvas dark
blue then. But I was not wanting a
dark blue, nand I thought it would be
less reeognizable if I gave it a con
trasting color. I chose lavender. I
dyed it four times, and this was the re
sult."
(.Continued Next Week.)
WC)
> at U mt S a n
o f Our Rea'
"is a phrase that m
"lardly & Wilson's Coei
press brings new mod
Ld quality,-their domii
i please, link these wi
ihave all the reasons
;s business that Clard,1
tdy-to-Wear today.
I ~Fro as
Of Sege n Sai
Nift Sty and-Bes
$6.50 Suits and$n
$2.f Our $ R50eac
ps inrimed miney mod
g d at,her omue
ou have callteon.on
PattsernHas that0 C$10.C
OfMllierge ShoppinHr
WoSwe ar opetestc
>orte Cool Blanks.
>urhpigpae, whan ere
LAUn rim EdS milney ha
o d Hart ar owe
For Sale by
Laurens Di-ug Co., Laurens, S. C.
and aill good dealers.
d Dresses
ly-to-Wear
ight might be fit
it, Suit and Dress
els- in their fresh
iating characteris
th their price mod
for the wonderful
& Wilson is do
Coat Suits
WihteLoko ni
vidulit
Black an Coor
Ppin andreses
$5y5to $10
nd-muitad aesrsyes
hie in ther frshw
Toheray ie.od
>f& iesondsn do
Weit, thWook Fannei,
yo e vicequaty
Trand Nav