The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-12-24

neighbor, but some day 1 am going
to yield to temptation and look at
her. Don't tell Janet-it is Janet
who has kept me from looking all
this time.
1 am sure the knothole is just
about opposite my eye. Now, to
stoop to peer through knothole
might hurt ones dignity, or to reach
up on ones toes; but to sit quite still.
as the Lord made you, properly and
dignified in your wheel chair-why
would that be hazard to propriety :?
1 like Janet and Janet likes me,
but we have to do 1t in our own ways.
We are made like that. JaneU's way
embarrasses' me; 1 can imagine how
Janet feels about my way. She is
the older-I don't know how old
Janet is, but l should say about the
age she was when / had the habit of
sleeping in a cradle and she rocked
1t. Janets begin life old--they do
not grow old in startling ways like
other people.
do. There are twenty gray hairs
in my head, and l have stopped let
ting Janet comb my hair. 1t has
hurt her feelings; she has not
hummed to-day.
My neighbor does not hum, but
sings jublantly. She is singing now
she always sings.
July 12.-Janet is counting her
handkerchiefs at the window. If my
neighbor was not singing lifting
little love song 1 should hear Janet.
Why is it nearly always Il love song?
Then | suppose she is young and has
a lover.
never had one of my own. Long
ago l knew 1 never should have, and
/ settled back in my wheel chair and
knew | must make the most of Other
peoples lovers. But Janet's was
such a short one-it is no more than
fair that | should have my neighbors,
too. l am glad about his eyes, for
mine was to have had blue, blue
ones-mine would have loved me
like that, Ion land or sea-" There
is surely beginning a close tie be-
tween my neighbor and me.
The time is surely near when I
shall have to look through the knot
hole at my neighbor
! am lonely. l want to see my
neighbor at her singing. OF course,
l know how she looks---swect and
slender and fair, to go with her voice
And her eyes are blue to match his
But the knot-hole is there, and l
shall look. 1 feel it coming on.
July 14.-The blue. blue-eyed
lover is on his way over the sea-
to my ne,ShDor. He seems to be
coming fast to-day, and 1 must hurry
or shall not get there first! want
to see my neighbor alone, at her sing
ing, the first time
Janet is not humming to-day, AMI
1t augurs i'll. 1 have more courage
always when / can hear Janet hum.
l only took one cup of -ea at break
fast, and | would not let her put on
my shoulder shawl-Janet takes too
much care of me.
No, | shall not look through the
knothole to-day. The ambition has
ebbed out of me. Tomorrow, per
haps-perhaps next week.
August 19.-It is pleasant to be
out here IT, the yard again. l am
glad / stood out against Janet and
would come to-day. She has come
with me and is watching to see that
/ do not unpin my shawl A minute
ago Janet" 1 said. "hark!" For
my neighbor was at her singing. 81
hear. Jane. nodded, Il used to sing
that tune" Then to her knitting
again.
To-day / am certain there is a
plaintin note TO my neighbours sing
ing / have noticed it ever since /
came out. 1 have missed the jubi-
liant swirl and swing. and swing.
Why? Janet. do you notice any sad
ness anything different?" yes. "
mods Janet. she's down-hearted %
but 1t sounds to me like dread.
/ never knew before that Janet lis
tened TO my neighbor. SO all this
time she has been interested, too2
1 wonder 10 she has been tempted
no, that is wronging Janet. Janet
is above knOtholes.
August 22.-The impossible has
happened. II happened yesterday
out here. If i had not seen It han
pen, do you think / would believe it?
had been asleep. I opened my
eyes. Janet was looking through
the knothole.
If Janet knew saw her! But
she will never know.
When I openly woke up she was
back at her knitting. But she vas
smiling she was certainly smiling.
And Janet never smiles.
Such an odd, un-Janetlike little
smile that ! liked so muchl It soft
ened Janet's good, hard face In an
indefinable, wondrous way. have
thought of 30 over since. And IL was
what Janet saw through the knot.
hole that made her smile. am
! certain Of that.