The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-04

Knox's English frends but felt this time lihea tss- towel fallen among napkins Mrs. Birkhead w1s so sorry my mother could not come mother was out when she called Then Miss Lorins iuspected quite properly of course. Presendy Sof1e offer people came in. and Mr. Ships and eet iuo suc sa lovely argument that forgot myself and smiled He laughed out loud, and Mrs. Birckhead a1bed if tey might De allowed to join in the anuser1enG looked up and caught reflection of myself in fe 1ouS old fashioned mirror My smile had frozen juse naidWay< it was ghastly It hung 50 second, while | stafed fascinated and then melted in senseless 9ielle sr
 ? .TFz7 -. -. = 2 = ssis= E ssss Msy slsk
 have a note from Mrs Birckhead aslinr ne to join terested in local color must stop and egns;des what I shall do.
 Well, went won't excuse m5self even to n.y. seif and won't deny that I prayed over it AndBew and Mi. Shipps Miss .Ioring and Mrs. Bisct4eld made up the party. Mrs. Birckhead begged me 10 point out to Miss Loring all the interesting festufea as I was "so familiar with them" This seeated to amuse MT. Shpps much that decided to acosbt the humor of the situatiop and acted up b my paft beautifully. s
 We went in Mfr Shipps's car, and stopped h Joplin for lunch. Then we went to the mines. Miss Loring wanted to go in the ground and it xss 60 late when we. were through that. the men were changing shifts Mrs Birckhead and ' were walk front, While Andrew exp9i0eQ tO MISS 4o41DB about the companys shantes in which their miners lived. Suddenly we came face to face with some women in their calico mother-hubbards and singham aprons carrying their husbands supper buckets to them Mrs. Brckhead put up her lorgnette; Miss Lorng raised her eyebrows and I-I suppoee-ta1sped red, or whte or something, for there was Aunt Ma. tha and ma! She did not sec me at first, bt AQAt Martha did, and called out Hello, Gladdyw I hadn't time to think though saw-ke they say dfowning does-the whole of my poor, dead love affair, sno felt through the back of my head Andrews look 0e surprise. But acted without thought kssed AMnt Martha, and as mother turned, introduced them = my friends" I don't know how l did it-not woSse I'm sure, than they received it. for they showed tf surprise, though they tried not to.e ., ass
 It may have been awkward onfthe M1y honse Fl 6o6t know for haven't idea what I said or what tttk&y said Something inside of me was saying: Tin fanl I'm glad! Pm glad!' Somehow was not asllaned or embarrassed. was just myself, Gladys My Haney, and proud of it.
 Now that I am home again feel all gone inside, as if the bottom had dropped out of 1ife for. Of courSe my beautiful dream is over. II hear them now quietly and reservedly referring over their coffee cups 70 Andrews late infatuation."
 Midnight:
 had to stop. couldn't even stav in113rsI hunse, so went down into the garden. Tfc town .cl6ek struck nine, and sat there-not waiting, but just couldn't bear to begin the long, sesple.s night knew was waiting for me upstairs. The great sky, with its tiny twinkling lights, seemed trying to ease the hurt little, when sone one came up the walk, ana heard oh, softly: Gladys l" Yes it was Andrew. it was I, but there he beside me, and his arms were around and-oh, can't write it, even here. But--I knew! l knew
 He says-Andrew says-that I am the dearest girl he has known. So I'm not afraid of angfhiag now.