Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-28

I opened my envelope A grinning creature met m
There" l screamed, passonately. yesterday whe
Zoe and Sudie and Martha and came home fror
toes meet as She says mine do We thought it aw
fully funny; even old Doctor Dodd, who was driv
ing past, laughed 1t isn't funny now" carried tn
hdeous valentine the fireplace and laid It on tn
burning logs. 1t did not blaze so hoty as did my an
you girls are tired out" said our gentle mother
come to bed"
She helped US to undress just she used to d.
and bent to kiss Sudies red locks while she te'
ribbon at the end of each thick braid Father cam
lay quiet, except when Sudies sobs broke the still
ness: was too angry TO cry. -
you don't suppose Lettuce she whispered once
you don't suppose anybody else sent-those?"
of course not. Our names were printed exactly
sides we saw them come right up the steps"
oh dearw cried Sude. oh dear! l didn't thnI
Martha would have done such thing. She AWAY a!
auburn-not red at all. Oh. dear
III never. SO long live, speak to Zoe or Marth;
again" I whispered. You promise the same thing
She promised between her sobs. We still ly
ing wideawae when the old clock the stairs strucl
As we passed the Holbrools house morning or
way to school, Zoe and Martha came rushing
after us with shout Zoe was tugging one arm into
her coat as she always did. She ready or
time. Sudie and walked quickly without turn
aGirIs" cried Zoe wait; we're coming"
She reached us breathlessy and threw her arm!
about my waist turned and W., looked i at her Sh
took Sudies hand in mine and we turned to go, STUN
bling through the snow to the opposite side of the
street.
"sudie, what is the natter?" cried Martha shriIly
left them behind.
The school-bell began to ring, and had to hurry
Neither Sudie nor [ had our lessons We were KEEP
in for recess The girls stood in chattering group
valentines Martha and Zoe seemed to have no in
terest in the valentine display They stood staring
The coasting skating, snowbaing and merry even
ings which always made the long Maine winters pas
Sude and chose two other friends from the school
girls, but they could take the places of Zoe
Martha We passed each other now without turn
One day late in March, Zoe stood close to my desl
talking to the teacher. She was saying good-by thi
was their last day in school heard her tell Mis-
Morse that her father had sent for Martha and he
to sail with him on long voyage. We walked hom
slowly. In front OF us was group OF girls towering
about Zoe and Martha. There great excitemen
their going away. / did not dare to look a
Sudie. l knew tears were dropping on her old brown
coat,
Mother. looked grave, when We told her about tn
closing of the Holbrook house. at seems to q
if you girls ought to make up and say good-by," sh
suggested
place to here if there is making up to be done
We watched every preparation ton for going away
ing and going. At last carriage drove up to TIL
Hobrook house, and the girls got in with their grand
and L ran wildly down the garden path out into tn
road
The carriage turning the street but Zoe
handkerchief waved-she had
1t the first of May before winter ended tina
year. Crocuses and ssnowdrops pushed small gree
caps through the black earth in sunny of TIL
yard but in Swallowed places and on the face of tn
high banking at the front of the house lay gray
nants of snowdrifts. Sudic and took pride in tn
garden. and we searched eagerly one bright Satur
day for crimson peony points and green lily tips
which ought to be finding their way up to the sun
shine.
"You girls bring rakes." father said. "and clea
away the leaves from the lawn and Aower-bede
as soon as get this old snowdrift on the bankin
broken up"
We. set to work. The fresh spring air made on
feel like singing the birds did in the buddin
branches of the great elm.
Lettice, SudieP cried father suddenly.
We ran down the bankin' to where he stood anon
chunks of dirty ice and He pointed with hi
pick at two letters which lay on the frozen ground
They were pulpy and begrimed, still could read i
large letter printed with violet ink, "Sudie" Let
tice We picked them up with trembling fingers. TIL
envelopes had long been soaked apart, and the
dropped off in hands Inside lay the faded glorie
OF the valentines Sude and had picked out from til
display IN Shaws window three months ago
Sudie and sat up late that night All the love a
poured into letters for Zoe and Martha. On Monda
morning father went to Captaia obrooks lawyer
Ind the first stopping place of "Kennebeck' tn
vessel on which Zoe and Martha making til
voyage.
You will catch them at Gibraltar" said Lawyer Gel
rish, If you mail letter right away. You may hes
from them by the first of July"
july brought The long hot sumns
we were forgiven or even remembered The wnts
closed down on us-the long. cold, unbroken wint,
OF Down East Sude and haunted the post-ofh,
til we said despairngly: Zoe and Martha will
One day the June was tying up rosebusl