Villanova Digital Library - The Girls' companion, v. VI, no. 42, October 19, 1907. :: Digital Library@Villanova University

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Full Title	The Girls' companion, v. VI, no. 42, October 19, 1907.
Contributor	Campbell, Pearl Howard.
Date Added	13 November 2021
Format	Journal
Language	English
Publish Date	1907-10-19
Publisher	Elgin, Ill. and Chicago : David C. Cook Publishing Co.
Source	Dime Novels and Popular Literature
Alternate Title	When Adeline came home / by Pearl Howard Campbell.
Topic	Children's literature > Periodicals.
About	More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers	Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement

OCR Copyright, 1907, by Davi . Cook Publishing Company. Vor. YI. No, 42, {| Rgpiisuey DAVID CG. COOK PUBLISHING CO., Exern, ILLINOIS, AND 86 WaAsuINoToN Sr., Crrcago. October 19, 1907. when pesca Came Home . ADELINE WAREHAM was coming home!: The post- mistress told Louise “Gresham ; and from her. the news spread ‘ike until. every girl in. Pleas- y Addie was prepared to . Meanwhile, by twos and threes, they talked the matter over, It was four years since she went to the city to finish. her education, and every- one wondered what she would do when she eame back, Would she enter with her old-time spirit into the interests of the village, or would it, ‘with its quiet, shaded streets and its beau- tiful, well-kept homes, seem dull and pro- _saic to her after her long absence? Pro and con, they discussed the matter without reaching a satisfactory conclusion, for Addie, clever Addie, had. a dozen tal- ents where most girls had but one.~ She played well, recited even better, cooked like _a_veteran housckeeper, and the gowns she “made for herself were at. once the envy and the despair of’ every dressmaker in ‘town. In addition to all this, she had a “happy faculty for managing things. The parties she gave were the jolliest ever held. The socials. she took’ charge of . sent a “steady stream of silver trickling into the treasury of the church, Every: thing she touched felt the thrill of her restless vigor. So it was no wonder that her friends indulged in speculations about her future. ~~. Fortunately, they had not long to wait. The day after her arrival a group of her nearest and dearest friends gathered in the pretty living-room with welcome on their lips and questions close behind. _.That she was the Adeline of other days, “unchanged and unspoiled, was evident from “the first. There was the same sunny smile, - the little quick turn of the head and the soft ; slurring of the r’s that made her speech a delight to listen to. And above all, the old ‘friendly ways that won their hearts. “Girls,” she* said, with.-an odd _ little shrug of her shoulders, ‘* you'll Jaugh when I tell you what I am going to do. It _.sounds like a practical joke, but I was never more serious in my life. I am~ going to - start a millinery shop. I can neyer hope to do much with my music, and I don’t -tecite well enough to make-a ‘success of that, but I can trim hats, so hats I shall trim.” The girls nodded approval. For Adeline’s fingers, so slender, so deft with a needle, had .a way of pulling ribbons into the most fas- cinating bows, of twisting braids and alter- ing shapes until, under one of her hats, the plainest face grew almost pretty. “We'll all patronize you, Addie,” said _ Bess Anderson, her black eyes snapping at “the prospect. ‘There is no one here, you s Kimball, and she is los- , Hier hats are. frights, every one of them!" “Poor dear!” said Adeline. “T must go and see her. She to be good to me when I was a little ee . Do you think she will feel hurt when she knows what I am going to do?” “Why should she?” asked Bess.. “ She has been in business nearly thirty years, and ought to have maae a lot. of money. Besides, if you don’t, someone else is likely to come here and start a shop. This’ was very true, and the fact that Pleasanton lay in the path of the summer tourist, with a big’ hotel barely ten miles away whose guests came almost daily:to the HOWARD CAMPBELL village, made it a very good point for the articles in- tended to carry. So she rented a paint shop, the only building avail- able on the main street, and. proceeded by means of draperies and rugs, to transform it into a very charming roo! Then she arranged her stock—the fairy- like embroideries that were her chief pride, then the hats, bewildering in their variety and picturesque in style and trimming. Three weeks later everyone in Pleasanton, together with the people at the hotel, re- ceived a daintily printed card inviting them to Miss Warehain’s Opening. It was a great success. Little Miss Kim- ball, watching behind the closely drawn curtains of her shop, saw with a sinking heart. every one of her best customers trip through Addie’s hospitable door. They sipped tea-from the pretty little cups which Mrs. Wareham filled. They burst into rapturous exclamations over the pretty room with its old-fashioned mirrors and quaint furni- ture, then they tried on the nats with low murmurs of approval. Addie had done her best and the hotel girls bought lavishly. “My dear,” they whispered ; to one another, “she has the real ‘French touch. I> never saw anything so exquisite in my life, and the prices are ridiculously low.” By and by they straggled forth, and the little spinster noted, with fast failing cour- age, that almost every other one either wore a new. hat or carried one in a crisp paper “Tndoors Adeline counted up announced, “and taken orders for almost as many more. £ trade only keeps up, mother, we'll have our European trip sometime.” The days that followed were almost as busy as the opening one, Adeline stitched © until. her fingers were sore, yet still her custom grew. Sometimes on her brief walks she passed Miss Kimball’s shop and felt a queer little tug at her heart as she looked in at the window with its crape paper decora- tions and rolls of faded ribbon, “Poor old soul!” she mur- mured, “I suppose I might turn some of my trade her way. Still, she has been. in business so long, I should think she’d like to take a good long vacation, And L’ve got to look out for myself.” So the good seed fell on sterile soil. the nights to fun and merry- making, so that she quite for- got her lonely old neighbor. One Sunday for the first time .in many weeks. she slipped into church. She was tired, and the eautiful, impressive service seemed a wee bit. long, though she dutifully followed the prayers and responses. (Then with a. sigh of relief, she leaned back in her_ pew to listen ‘to. the sermon. Thoughts of her. work would creep into her mind, try as she would to banish them, until clear and em- phatic rose the minister’s voice: Iow much of our religion do we carry into our daily duties? What of the shad- ows we cast on other people’s lives?’ Adeline heard no more, but over and over she said to herself, “ {£ wonder what sort of a shadow I’m casting on poor little Miss Kimball?” On her way home she. walked behind two old ladies who were discussing the sermon. “Where is Susan?” said one of them suddenly. “ She has not been to church for three Sundays! “She is sick,” said the other. “Sick! ‘What’s the matter?” ““*Nothing, only headaches,’ she said, when I. asked her.. “ It’s my opinion she’s worryite. ce to death over the shop.” “The “Yes, “the “hon. Since Adeline set up in business, she ain’t had much to do. Folks is just like sheep, and Addie’s hats are all the rage. Mebbe if she could afford to hire a. trimmer, like she did last year, she’d get her share, but she’s afraid she would not make enough to pay her. All she could rake and scrape for these last seventeen years has gone to support that trifling scamp of a nephew.” “ Mebbe he’ll pay her back,” said the first old lady. SITE KNOCKED TIMIDLY AT THE SHOP DOOR. “Tle won’t!” the other returned grimly. ““He up and died this spring and left her with his funeral expenses to pay.” That was all Addie heard. Yet it was enough, together with the sermon, to cloud the sunshine of the perfect day. she said in excuse. Then quick and clear came the answer: “ Addie Wareham, you ought to have known. You’vye taken Miss -Kimball’s trade from her and made her sick, just because you wanted to save money to go abroad with. As though you couldn’t make enough of life without that! Have you forgotten how good she was to you when you were a child?” Once more she saw herself in a pink calico dress and ruffled white apron, peering in at the fairyland of Miss Kimball’s shop. What marvels of doll bonnets the chubby, childish fingers had sewed under her direc- tion, while the little tongue chatted like a mill-wheel. It was Miss Kimball who first taught her-the secret.of combining col- ors, and to whom she owed that very love of dainty. stitchery~ which made her work a success. “You are going to do what is right and just,” -whispered conscience, ‘even if you sacrifice some of your. cherished plans.” onday she crossed the street and knocked timidly at the shop door. “Come in,” called a feeble voice. v Miss Kimball lay on the couch in the inher room, a little gray, worn figure in the shabbiest of dressing gowns. Pale as she “T don’t know,” was, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink when. ~ she saw who her visitor was. “Why, Addie!” she said. “ What a pleasure! I was thinking ,, this morning that I would Adeline, a “little table and pushing it up to the couch. “ Just some . chocolate .and_ rolls. Mother thought you’ might like them. . When you have finished, we are going to talk business.”, “Business?” echoed Miss Kimball, the roses fading from her cheeks, and leaving them pale as ashes. Did Ad- die. mean to buy her out? “Yes business,” Addie went on. “Someone told me you wanted a trimmer, and I am away behind on my em- broidery orders.. You like to do it, so why shouldn’t we combine forces, instead -of being rivals?” : “Addie, child!” \ Miss Kimball laid a thin, white hand ‘on the girl’s strong, brown one; “we've never - been that, you know. It’s lovely of you to want to go into business with me, but are you sure you won't re- gret it?” “Quite sure,’ said Addie, with a reassuring squeeze. “TF you say ‘Yes,’ I will move the shop right over and have the sign Kimball &, Wareham up before noon.” “Dear child, I can’t say anything else. You don’t know what a weight you’ye lifted from me. ” She paused, uncertain whether to laugh or ery; but Adeline settled it by clasping her new part- ner around the waist and spinning her up, and down the room. “We'll make our fortunes, perhaps." said * Addie, breathlessly. ‘‘ See if v don’t!” No one i in Pleasanton. ever P knew exactly”

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