True Heart Susie: The Story of a Plain Girl

1
Is real life interesting?

   Every incident
   of this story
   is taken from
   real life.

2
     Do men look for 
     the true heart in
     women? Or are
most of them caught by
the net of paint, powder
and suggestive clothes?

3
          To the Women
of the World, enslaved
by Civilization -

4
        Woman is supposed
        to be allowed her 
choice - and yet, not one
in ten ever has a chance
to marry any but one man.

5
To these Women, and
their pitiful hours of
waiting for the love
that never comes, we
dedicate our story.

6
William's father.

7
The aunt of Susie.

8
At the school house -
The Friday afternoon
  spelling class.

9
William - and Susie,
  the plain girl.

10
"Cry."

11
"Anonymous."

12
"Wrong - Next!"

13
Susie, like the girl in the verse:

"'I'm sorry that I spelt the word,
 I hate to go above you,
 Because', The brown eyes lower fell,
 'Because, you see, I love you'."

14
Of course they don't know
what poor simple idiots they 
are - and we, who have never
been so foolish, can hardly
hope to understand - but -

15
The undying proof.

16
"He walked home
 with me, Mother."

17
"College! We can hardly
 make a living - let alone
 college! A good farmer is
 better than a poor lawyer
      or preacher."

18
She manages to 
be along on his
trip to the village.

19
William has no explana-
tion of the evident fact
that he's a devil among
     the ladies.

20
The Gent from the great
outside world - four-flush-
ing - even for no greater
audience than a pair of
  brown country eyes.

21
"My Boy, in your face
 I see the makings of
    a great man!"

22
"Many a famous
 man owes his posi-
 tion to my aid -
 You will doubtless
  hear from me."

23
Passing days bring no
letters or results of
any kind to the simple-
  hearted dreamers.

24
Susie confides her sorrows
     to sister Daisy.

25
"- and I want him
 to go to school -
 I MUST marry a 
  smart man."

26
She tells aunty her
purpose to sell the 
cow and other things
and send William to
the country college.

27
"We won't have to wait
 long for milk and butter
 - the calf will grow up
   in a few years."

28
The various stepping
stones upon which
William is to rise
   to fame.

29
As everything 
was left to Susie 
by her mother,
she has her way.

30
After getting a written
promise that Daisy will
be treated as one of
    the family.

31
In Brightville some twenty
miles away, they mail the
letter that conveys the idea
the tuition and extra sum
for expenses comes from the
self-styled philanthropist.

32
The glad news.

33
William's faith in 
the strange gentle-
  man restored.

34
"A great man is going
 to fix it so I can go
     to college."

35
After due ceremony
William leaves for
     college.

36
William, working to
help pay his way
through college, earns
the unwelcome nick-
 name, "Butter."

37
Susie receives this
somewhat noncom-
mittal message with
great enthusiasm.

38
"Deport yourself!"

39
"What's the three apples
 for? Expectin' company?"

40
"Auntie - -"

41
"Susie - -"

42
"- - William."

43
"Hey, Butter!
 It's on your vest!"

44
William resents the
un-knightly name of
Butter, and battles up-
on the field of honor.

45
Thoughtful Susie
prepares herself to
be a fitting mate
 for her hero.

46
"My name's Bill -
  not Butter!"

47
So Bill it is, until gradu-
ation, when he returns
in a blaze of glory - -
also a mustache, imitating
his supposed benefactor.

48
"Let's go to the store
   and get a sody."

49
"Going to get a sody
   with William."

50
Sir William and
lady advance before
the admiring court.

51
SQUEAK-SQUEAK!

52
"Chocolate."

53
Two visitors from 
  Brightville.

54
"You see those two,
 painted and powdered? -
 Men flirt with that kind,
 but they marry the plain 
   and simple ones."

55
Susie, dimly conscious
she is both plain and
simple, takes this
entirely too seriously.

56
The little milliner from Chicago,
who believes thoroughly in paint,
powder, tight skirts and silk
stockings, - bestowing a few new
 steps on the little fast set
       of Brightville.

57
Including in her
visits a relative
at Pine Grove -

58
- Sporty having 
consented to 
drive her over.

59
William practicing a
trial sermon with
which he expects to
impress the elders at
the next Conference.

60
Susie's diary.

61
The ice cream festi-
val in honor of the 
departing minister,
whose place William 
   is to take.

62
The aunt confides 
that reckless Susie
has had two plates
  of ice cream.

63
"He doesn't like that kind."

64
Going home.

65
"We were just going home
 - are you going our way,
     Mr. William?"

66
"Oh, he had to
 be polite to
 the stranger."

67
Home.

68
William's great, simple 
heart cannot believe 
that all are not like
      himself.

69
"Oh, he's only a punk
 country minister - -"

70
"- - but I'm tired
 working - haven't a
 cent left. I've got to
 marry somebody!"

71
"He writes, too!"

72
The complexion
William admired.

73
"Don't use that brush!"

74
Susie wants new clothes,
but her sacrifice for
William forces her to
make over old ones.

75
So - -

76
Susie preparing
for battle against 
the paint and
powder brigade.

77
Managing, however,
to get silk stockings
   - her first.

78
"Powder! Do you think
 you can improve on the
    Lord's work?"

79
"And that dress!
 You look like a
    Jezebel!"

80
Susie - remembering
how William SAID
men marry the plain
 ones - - makes a
  dangerous move.

81
The Sunday afternoon
      parade.

82
"Susie, don't you think
 I should get married?"

83
"Oh, yes. They have
 more respect for a
 married minister."

84
Sunday evening -
William is going
to play the organ.

85
"Now's your chance!"

86
Bettina impressed.

87
"Will you marry me?"

88
"This is so sudden! -
 I - I'm so flustered!"

89
"Just give me fifteen
   minutes to think
      it over."

90
"Sporty!"

91
"No, Sporty, I can't go
    this evening."

92
Believing Bettina has
found her real mate,
Susie re-determines
on an overwhelming
     assault.

93
"I've thought it over."

94
"Headache? Nonsense!"

95
"I've taken your advice,
        Susie."

96
The merry wedding bells.

97
    Some time
    afterwards -
As he thought it
was going to be -

98
- and - as it occurs.

99
"Darling, we have had
 nothing but cold meat
 for the last month.
 Don't you think - -"

100
"Eat it and like it!"

101
"I hate this damn place!"

102
"I called it by its
   right name!"

103
Trying to make the 
  best of a bad
     bargain.

104
"Some cook, Susie."

105
Sporty and company,
knowing the minister
is away, bring a little
pep into a lonely life.

106
Then - -

107
           Susie decides 
           to destroy the 
five letters she received
from William while he
was away.

108
"Love letters, Susie?
 Well, I suppose
 you'll be getting
   married - -"

109
"Be sure you get
 the right one."

110
"The saddest are these;
 'It might have been!'"

111
William almost certain 
he saw a kiss bestowed 
   upon his wife.

112
"Did that man kiss you?"

113
"How can you say
 such a thing! - Of
 course he didn't!"

114
"You don't trust me at all!"

115
      He is finally
      persuaded that
these great eyes can
hold only truth.

116
After all, there are
single-track hearts.

117
William starts to get
a needed reference
book from a neighbor,
but decides to wait
   until later.

118
Bettina having arranged
to sleep alone in the
spare room on a pretext
of being indisposed -

119
Making sure.

120
Thoughtfully stop-
ping on the way
 for the book.

121
Restless - he -

122
Swearing all to 
eternal silence.

123
Follow the leader.

124
Bettina drops her key.

125
Caught in the rain storm.

126
Forced to trust her 
  fate to Susie.

127
"Susie, I stole out - went
 to a party - and lost my
 key! I'll have to stay
 with you - and you must
      lie for me!"

128
But True Heart Susie -

129
"Your wife was
 nervous - and -
 and she stayed 
 all night with me."

130
"I was so worried about
 things - came over to
 see Susie - took a walk,
 and - and I got your
 book! - Then, the rain
     caught us."

131
Again William believes.

132
"Where's your dress?"

133
Results of the 
ride in the rain
prove serious.

134
William, moved by the 
belief that his wife's ser-
vice to him resulted in
her fatal illness, resolves
that no other love shall
  ever enter his life.

135
"The book - I want
 to speak about the
     book - -"

136
"Don't mention it -
 don't speak, Dearie.
 I can never forget
 that service to me."

137
      So she dies,
as she has lived -
a little unfaithful.

138
Susie would never 
 break his faith.

139
Later, the aunt, not
knowing of his vow,
   takes a hand.

140
"That's the receipt for
 your tuition at college.
 Susie sacrificed much
  to get the money."

141
But his vow -

142
"My conscience has
 troubled me so!"

143
"How could I - ever
 dream - all this would
 come of your wife's
 going to our little
       party!"

144
"Can you ever forgive me?"

145
Freed at last from 
his mistaken vow.

146
"I've learned the truth."

147
"Is it too late, Susie?
 I know now I have
 loved you all my life."

148
         And we may believe 
they walk again as they did
long years ago.


T-H-E E-N-D