The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-12-26
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BESSIE'S
STORY
<Copyright.)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
(Copyright.)
The postman's whistle sounded
clear and sharp down the street. Miss
Brent's heart gave quick throb, and
she saw her cheeks flush as she tied
her hat on before the little looking
glass.
Now the whistle was nearer. She
went to the door and waited. Suppose
she had won the prize! Again her
heart throbbed and her cheeks
flushed.
She held out her hand as the man
stopped before her. A low groan es-
capped her lips as he handed out a
thick package. She went inside and
laid It under some books on the hall
table.
Again she had failed. She waited
long enough to brush the hot tears
from her eyes, and then hurried out
of the house and down to the store
where her long, tiresome days were
dragged out.
The lamp was burning in the hall
when she came back. Snatching the
thick package from its hiding place
she went up to her ROOM,
"A letter, bolly?"
Miss Brent kissed the pale face that
turned so gladly toward her.
Nothing of Importance, Bess. How
have you been today"
Pretty we'll. The sun has been so
bright"
Miss Brent looked around the
cherries little room. Each year had
found her home poorer and poorer un-
til now there was scarcely a comfort
left. She laid her hat on the bed be.
side the letter; nothing of import
ance" she had called it, but how her
face had beamed over those neatly
written pages! How she had hoped
and prayed that good might come to
poor, patient Bess from that labor of
love! and now here it was before her,
returned as utterly worthless.
Tears came, again, to Dolly's brown
eyes, but Bess must not see them. She
went about the room preparing the
evening meal.
"Only one cup of tea, Dolly" Bess
exclaimed when her chair had been
rolled up to the table. =.
Il must be taking care of my
nerves, Bess. My hand has trembled
twice today" Dolly said, bending her
face low as she took up the toast.
Bess stirred her tea in silence.
"And no butter ON your toast?" she
asked, as Dolly, chatting gayly. ate
her dry bread.
"Bess, my dear, look at that" She
leaned over and pointed to a pimple
on her pretty, dimpled chin.
"Well, what of that?"
Gust this: I'm not going to ruin my
complexion for the sake of having but
ter on my toast. At 80 a woman
needs to take care of her good looks"
Il never imagined you cared for
such things, Dolly. l am surprised"
Bess said with wide open eyes.
"You pin one down SO, Bess. I'm
very much ashamed to show my weak
ness to you, but l abhor pimples."
Dolly said with shamefaced air.
"Oh, don't blame you, only it must
be so hard to not eat things you like"
Dolly's lips quivered, but she smiled
bravely. Pride knows no pain" she
quoted merrily, and then chatted
brightly about the people she had seen
in the store, entertaining Bess with
many scraps of conversation she had
overheard.
After awhile the child was asleep.
Dolly covered the little aching limbs
she had been rubbing, and turned
away from the bed.
She sat down by the lamp, holding
the thick, unwelcome letter in her
hand. Mechanically she opened it,
and instead Of the printed slip she
had expected, letter fell out of the
envelope. She laid the manuscript on
the table. and unfolded the letter.
Am dreaming, or are the words
really here?" she said aloud, glad
light in her eyes and her hands all a.
tremble. She read it again. There
was no mistake. The editor had been
80 pleased with the plot of her story
hat he returned it, begging her to
!engthen it for him, and offering
price for it that amazed her. In the
meantime he would buy her short
stories.
Dolly wanted to scream with de-
light. And then. settling down in her
Joy, she began to wonder what short
story she could send.
With the editors unexpected letter
before her, her thoughts, somehow,
went back to her own little romance.
Why not write that? Nobody would
know it as hers. for who would sus-
pect quiet, poverty-stricken little Miss
Brent of having a romance tucked