The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-13
by CI4ARIssA MACKIE.
Copyright. 1911. by Associate
Literary Press

1 @tNAois IIESS
| Patience is bitter, but its fruit is
| sweet" Drusilla Ford repeated the
lines OF her motto with quivering lips.
Its the bitterest thing there Is in
life,' she added. picking up her sew
ing once more.
Drusilla pulled her needle so sharp
| ~ that the thread snapped. Her life
was rather lonely, for her aunt was old
and deaf. and as she made dresses
for her friends and neighbors there
vas plenty OF time for reflection and
Drusilla meditAted so much that she
grew quite morbid and bitter.
Five years before Emmet Blake had
departed from laurel Cove with Dru-
silas shy. maiden kiss upon his lips
and great resolve swelling his soul.
Was not Drusilla Ford the prettiest
girl in Laurel Cove and had she not
promised to wait for him and be mar
ried when he came back from his
uncles sheep ranch in Montana? If
Emmett liked ranch life he intended TO
purchase a half interest in his uncIe's
place and after the wedding he would
take sweet Drusilla TO the West.
But the years had passed until i've
had marked the round of Emmett
Biake's absence. He wrote regularly
twice a month as the girl in the post
Office testified to curious inquirers-
and as poor Drusilla opened each en-
velope her hopes arose only to fall at
his ready excuses for delaying the re-
turn
Some people said he had married
in the West and was afraid to tell
Drusilia the truth, others said he nan
tired of the girl he left behind and
was only waiting for her to break
off the engagement.
Drusilla had not received her usual
letter and its non-arrival embfttered
her usually sweet disposition. She
knew that the girl in the postoifice
watched her sensitive face as Drusl'la
approached the window each day. ana
she tried to school her features to
calm repose at each disappointment
Two weeks had passed over the usual
letter day and 80 Drusilla stayed away
a from the Office rather than suner
. humiliation from encounters with the
village gossips.
8 The deaf old aunt with whom sae
lived came into the room. To Dru-
, silIa's ANNOYANCE her Aunt Betsy kept
an accurate record Of her niece's cor
respondence and by reference to her
own almanac, could tell II Emmett
letters were a day ahead OF time or
two DAYS late In arrival. Now she was
a-tilt with excitement and vague
speculation.
.prusilla-" she said in the loud
, tone she always used, how long since
you been to the postoffice
, Three days" returned Drusilla-
When are you going again"
Il don't know Drusilia's voice was
, markedly careless. Here are some
pretty pink pieces for your bedquht
! Aunt Betsy"
. put EN- in my basket" shouted
Aunt Betsy obstinstely. Il guess i !
Z 10 over to Mrs. Buell's a little While
! She ierked on her sunbonnet and weh'
! out. leaving the screen door to siam
noisly.
4 hope she won't go 10 the pos.
ONCE" Drusilla unused. as she thread
: I'D her needle. Then her thoughts he"
ia her negligent lover and she won
dered il he might not be sick.
0 An hour later Aunt Betsy came
nonpiur back again trimming VIII
suppressed irrita biiity. She sank int'
:, rocking chair and famed hersei
!, with her calico sunbonnet.
:, :. "Drusilly Ford-there amt a ie'tel
!, to-day. What do YOU think Is 'h'
u ma,tar with Emmett Blake
i; No nrnsi,la paied. Aunt Betsy. 20,
: haven, been to the postoffce'" sh'
i. asked sternly,
u ANN Betsy tossed her head tenant
w II baen over to Mrs. Buells ant
/ Y.nlu came home to dinner while
vas there. and so ! asked her J
There was any mail in our box-
though, mehbe Emenne might have
written
4 You had letter from Emelin'
S three DAYS ago and you haven't an
t. swered II yet" interrupted prusiilt
{, / rotiiv
e Her aunt blushed and hesltated
d them went on rapidly: Lulu sait
o there wasn't any mail, but she wa
g full of news
\, Aun. Betsy watched her NOR
is closely. but prusiila did not RESPOND
r. to the tentative remark.
n News about Emmett Blake. IN
simulated Aunt Betsy.
II II took Drusilla off her quart Sh
grew quite pink and then paied again
aHe-tsn t--sick--or anything sh
stammered eagerly.
Il guess not" retcrted Aunt Betsy
Hes going oget married-just a
everybody said he wouid-the worth
less scamp"
= Drusilla sat as II tuyned 10 stone
At last the blow had fallen and
seemed as though the shock had toll
the heart from her body. for she tel
no grief, no pain. at this .rldenc
OF her lovers perhdy. mere wa
merely a feeling OF icy GOODNESS an
strange lightness in her head.
n, II that isn't just like YOU. pru
A. s!lia Ford, sitting there dumb an
=, quiet. while most girls would e.thc
faint dead away or tear their hal
20 or something. Aunt Betsy Was plain
I'd IL outraged at being deprived OF IN
or dramatic scene she had conJured VI
IN her fertile brain.
~ Aunt Betsy did not spare word
,r she told how Emmett Blakes unct
toi had sent a Montana newspaper 10
relative In the village and in h
, = Windy River nAws was marke
nv paragraph. which stated that w
= understand that our esteemed neisf
=, Dor. Mr.. Emmett Blake. Of Oiyr.pl
= ranch, Is about TO bring a br,ia I
the handsome residence ne has cree,
ed there.
Il expect her name Is Olympus
and he named the ranch after her.
compounded Aunt Betsy. hrea,hlessl!
r in closing
Very likely slii.lsi nrusiila. ut
face suddenly losing Its frozen stern
ness and Aunt Betsy flolnced Irof
:, the room to prepare the ncGle,te
- dinner.
~ When she was allne ,orusilla relax
y ed her clenched fingars and leane
n, back in her low cnalr. She closo
ia her eyes and there were little line
~ OF suffering abou. her temples all
IL aYf 5n.+ -,