The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-02-16

ociated Literary Press>
harness room, Mamie and Grace, dis
porting in their attic f1nery. had
grown tired of admiring themselves
alone
Lets 60 over to Aunt Mary's. !"
Mamie was adventurous. Lets
wear 'em over"
Il don't believe father'd want US
to-" objected Grace.
Huh, fathers in the harness
room, and it's no harm If he didn't
tell us not to. Besides, he don't care
very much what we do, so long as
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" as
Mamie called it.
Ten or twelve years ago the silk
gown which Grace wore had been
familiar to Mary. for Jennie had
worn it that fatal summer when she
won Jim's love. Even now, with tho
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 Marys
note asking Jim to meet her at the
foot Of the orchard under their par
ticular tree. where Jim had con
structed 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 wnen'
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 ne
had decided he had nothing part1cu-
lar to say to her.
"see, Aunt Mary, isn't my dress
full? It's lots wider'n Grace's.
Maybe, it's, but my dress has got
a pocket" rejoined Grace. "a real
deep one. You can't get to the bot
tom. Auntie, you feel and see II 1t
udS u OOtLOn.
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-Jennie's love letters.
no doubt. But no. She c1utched them
wildly. One was Jim's note to her
asking for a meeting. She remem-
bered she had hunted In vain for II
after the evening in the orchard. But
the other letter was her answer. and
that answer had never been opened.
Jim had not received it.
Suddenly a hundred little incidents
crowded to her mind that made 1t
clear what part Jennie had taken IN
her life and Jim's. Then a rush OF
gladness came over her. How she had
m1sjudged Jim!
Mary could have laughed aloud as
she thought Of Jim and how she
could make up to him for his years
Of puzzled wonder. Then she looked
at the little girls staring at her alb.
straction and began to unfold plan
that delighted them.
When Jim Bomar came home from
his afternoons work he could hardly
believe the evidence Of his senses.
An immaculate kitchen gave forth
the odor of such supper as only
good housewife could prepare. In a
swept and garnished living room his
two girls were dancing about a pref
tlly laid supper table. And beside
the table stood Mary, his sweetheart.
the woman he had always loved:
Mary with a smile on her face and
a light in her eyes as she stretched q
hand to Jim and said:
Il came over to stay to supper. Jim.
Am welcome?"
The light in Jim's face was answer
to that question even before his
tongue stammered out eagerly a well
come in words.
In the late twilight he went with
Mary over the path that only the
children's feet had pressed for so
long a time and his eloquent eyes
told the story. Silently they took
their way along the fragrant path
until Jim touched Mary softly on the
arm and said:
MARY, this is our tree. See, It is
all in glorious bloom. Won't you
sit down."
And the apple blossoms wasted
their fragrance and their petals on
two unheeding figures while the
years Of misunderstanding and pain
were swept away to make room for
the love that was to illumine all the