The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-02-20

L
Mamie was adventurous. Lett
wear EN- over"
II don't believe fatherd want u,
TO-" objected Grace.
Huh. fathers in the harness
room. and it's no harm II he didn'
tell us not to. Besides. he don't carr
very much what We do. 90 long a
We don't bother him." treasured
Mamie.
:. So the girls trailed up the road and
surprised Aunt Mary in the orchard
telling secrets to the trees" a.
Mamie called 1t.
Ten or twelve years ago the silk
gown which Grace wore had been
familiar to Mary. for Jennie had
worn 1t that fatal summer when she
won Jim's love. Even now. with the
gray in her hair. Mary felt the old
pain fresh at the sight OF the hated
raiment. Jennie had worn that very
dress the night she delivered Mary's
note asking Jim to meet her at the
foot of the orchard under their par
ticular tree, where Jim had con.
structed a bench and where they
often sat on summer evenings.
On that summer evening Mary had
gone to the trysting place and waited
with her heart full Of love and Joy.
But Jim did not come. and when.
deeply hurt. Mary returned to the
house, he was leaning over the front
gate talking earnestly to Jennie.
Later Jennie told her that Jim had
sent her a message saying that he
had decided he had nothing particu-
lar to say to her.
See. Aunt Mary. isn't my dress
full? It's lots wider'n Grace's."
Maybe. tbs. but my dress has got
a pocket" rcjoined Grace, "a real
deep one. You cant get to the bot
tom. Auntic. you feel and see II It
has a bottom
Absently Mary put her hand into
the pocket Of Jennie's dress. Her
fingers touched something that re.
sisted, and she reached again to draw
out two letters-Jcnnie's love letters,
no doubt. But no. She clutched them
wildly. One was Jim's note to her
asking for meeting. She remem-
bcred she had hunted In vain for It
after the evening In the orchard. But
the other letter was her answer. and
that answer had never been opened.
Jim had not received II.
Suddenly a hundred little incidents
crowded to her mind that made It
clear what part Jennie had taken In
her life and Jim's. Then a rush Of
yladness came over her. How she had
Jim!
Mary could have laughed aloud -
The thought Of Jim and how she
.ould make up to him for his years
II puzzled wonder. Then she looked |
It tho little girls staring ut her ab-
and began to unfold . plan
hat delighted them.
when Jim Bomar came home from
10 Afternoons work he could hardly |
Delieve the evidence OF bic senses.
IN Immaculate kitchen gave forth
ho odor Of such . supper % only .
GOD housewife could prepare. In .
wept and garnished living room HE
NO girls were dancing about . pref
lily laid supper table. And beside
he table stood Mary, his sweetheart,
no woman he had always loved:
fairy with q smile on her face and
light In her eyes as she stretched .
and to Jim and said:
Il came over to stay to supper, Jim.
IN | welc0me?"
The light in Jim's face was answer
, that question even before bis
,ngue stammered out eagerly q vel.
ome In words.
In the late twilight he went with
larry over the path that only the
hildren's feet had pressed for 10
ing a time and his eloquent eyes
I'D the story. Silently they took
leir way along the fragrant path
ntil Jim touched Mary softly on the
IN and said:
MARY. this is our tree. See, It 10
! In glorious bloom. Won't you
down."
And the apple blossoms wasted
eir fragrance and their petals ON :,
70 unheeding figures while the
,ars Of Misunderstanding and pain
ere swept away to make room for
9 love that was to illumine oil tho
ture.