Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-09
NEW ENGLAND

bungalow would have seemed like a
palace to me then, but she isn't any more
than just satisfied She somehow lacks
the feeling of contentment / had even as
a young thing, although as l say. young
things haven't much sense l guess there
wasn't a happier creature than was that
day you took me home. I'd always had
a home, of course, but this one seemed
more real somehow. fuller of meaning.
There were only four rOoms-two up and
two down But I'd string the things your
folks and mine gave me around so that
they would take up as much space as pos
sible. l remember how tickled was
when your mother gave me one of her
blue ware tea sets. / used to leave the
cupboard doors open on purpose so
could see them. and l handled them as II
they were gold and silver. Oh, l was
the proudest mortal. But there was one
drawback-the wall paper on the front
room. ] guess you never dreamed, pa,
how l suffered on account Of that wall
paper. You know We rented the house or
Abe Springer. and l tried to get him to
change il he wouldn't. Then l ask
ed You. and you said we couldn't afford
to waste paper on house We rented-it
didn't look bad to you. you said 1t
was the nastiest dark brown paper, with
out much of any pattern, and light wall
papers were just coming in. One OF the
neghbors had just had some put on. and
was so taken with II that | dreamed
about It. Seemed to me. l couldn't en-
else in the room-my new carpet and the
framed hair wreath and my nice new
chairs and center table-everything.
determined to get rid OF IL somehow. and
I did,
The note OF triumph in her voice made
him look at her curiously II sold my
black silk coat, trimmed with guipure lace
and bugles. Even now the. severity of
that long ago sacrifice found reflection in
her face Il sold it to Caroline Dodge
hon Ghe me home 4-EiSitinE
I showed IL to her one day and she want
| el 1t. So I let her have it for s..
| got my wall paper. My. il was pretty
a faint cream background all run over
was all foolishness. but YOU liked ii al
! the same I let you think my folks had
| helped me 10 it, and let my folks think
! your folks had done IT. Not that lied
| But IL took a lot OF headwork. Caroline
never gave me away. We We're talking
about that the other day. she and l.
| guess she never knew till then what l die
| with that 81 she gave me. Well. she
/ wore my coat out, and. as / said. didn'1
| have any clothes to spare. l went with
| out summer coat good while but
kind of enjoyed shivering on cool even.
/ ings when l went out. for / knew | hao
a pretty room TO go back to. always
| had Some excuse ready when anybody
| asked me why l didn't wear my coat
| And after while everybody forgot about
/ II Ou uld soonest OF any, DciiiS IL
4 It's all been out Of my mind good many
wears till | got to talking To Caroline
| the other day. And tonight. somehow. /
| popped into my head again. and thought
Id tell you. For / knew you'd remem
BIER that rose wall paper"
Il do he said for IL made me fee
So mean to think that l hadn't handel
YOU out a couple OF days wages and lie
YOU get II before. You've kept it a secre
"A good while. Sally. Has Ii been tn
only secret you've kept from me-"
1.-The only one she answered steadily
And leaning together. they kissed
CTHE ENID