Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-03-27

dame turned away, while Peggy, with
cheeks burning deeper than the pinkest
plume, laid Il OBTAINING hand on the
young clerks arm. Apprehepsivcly the
girl wheeled about
Your hat is not ready, Miss May"
she sighed, but you will have 1t by
sunday"
Il don't want it for Sunday Peg.
~ burst out. That is what | wished
to tell you. Miss Claires hat NAV be
trimmed in my time here before you
leave the store. You understands"
For moment the girls eyes met
hers, oddly shining. Yes, think
understand" she replied Then with
little shaky laugh Peggy took the old
hnt up again. Il will have to do some.
thing to this she explained ut is
necessary to remove the soied plume"
Still with that softened look upon her
face, the red haired girl held out a
bunch Of realistic violets, fastening
them with deft fingers against the gray
felt brim.
1t was with nn apologize feeling
akin to modames that Peggy ap.
pronched her tiny home. NIotheg would
be desperately disappointed.
Not rcadyY she cried IN dlsmay as
Peggy opened the door The girl slow,
" removed her newly decorated mil.
Iinery, gazing at it in open dsapprov.
al; then with n sudden transforming
smile Peggy cast the hat from her.
Let us hope it may rain on sun
day. she said.
But there was no rain Indeed, the
spring month seemed to have borrow.
ell Il day from the coming summer
and Peggy stood on the porch steps
and sighed. That provoking old sun
Is bound to reveal all my shabbiness, ,'
she told her mother, and her eyes
widened at the unaccuStomed appear
ance Of Il special messenger
THE box cannot be for me-" she re.
itcrated but the boy repeated the nd.
dress. Miss Peggy May, II Poplar
street" he read convincingly. And in its
bed of green tissue nestled bunch Of
fragrant vioIets, matching exactly the
false ones of her hat. With trembling.
joyous fingers Peggy pinned them close
against the lapel of her faded coat.
"Oh. who could have done such love.
/ y thing?' she cried.
| Her heart was atune with the morn.
ing as she walked down the long
church aisle, and when she had seated
herself Peggy's eager eyes sought out
the face of Lillian Claire. Yes, the
Easter hat in all It's glory rested upon
Lillian'a blond head, but no weary
white faced girl had passed the night
hours in ts trimming. Peggy brenthet
u sigh of content while the softenet
light of colored window fell upon
the uptuned face beneath the knot Of
viClets.
A broad shouldered man IN 4 long
neglected family pew thought II the
very sweetest face that he hmd eyel
seen, hut Peggy, meeting the stead
fast gaze Of earnest brown eyes, failed
TO find therein resemblance to GER
tain pair OF merry eyes which had
m0cked ut her print pinafOres After
service she fingered Il moment, look
ing back like some small pnrlah nt the
"hill' Young people assembled about
the returned celebrity But her ileet
Ing resentment vanished MS she came
out again into the sunshine. Up from
the common came the sounds and
scents of spring, and Ms Peggy hurried
on n quick stcp sounded behind her.
] Pardon called mans pleasant
voice; "have you forgotten nm old play
fellow. oh, Miss Peggy MayF
/ Gravely Peggy EXTENDED her hand
II should have forgotten" she answer
ed frankly had we not heard HI
much Of your coming. wonder, Mr.
Clark, that you remember my name
The man laughed 81 will be as
honest as you,' he replied. 81 might
have forgotten the name had not
heard It repeated few days ago In a
millinery store" ImpuIslvcy he touch
ed the yiolels on her breast, 81 sent
you these" he said abruptly "hoping
YOU would pardon the liberty Of nn old
friend"
81 am afraid" answered Peggy
slowly. "that do not understand"
"NIay walk with you down the
hillf" he asked with becoming humil
lty, and side by side they fell into
step. IL have been wanting TO know
you" he went on, "eyer since that day
in the millinery store. Yours was n
kind and conslderate most unusual
deed Seated screened behind The
palms could not help hearing all
that passed. You may know that my
profession Of writing certnln duh mr..
ticles carries me into many curious
places on ernnds Of Investigation, n
millinery parlor nt MONDAY perhaps or
sweatshop at night And stlll the
problems which vex us remain forever
unsolyed." The young man stood siIl
IN the road looking seriously, tenderly,
into the girls wondering face, "And
/ should not be surprised" he snld
gently. III you, little Peggy May, were
wiser than va ALL"
But Peggy laughed and shook her
head. why I've no views at ALL"
she told him. And when they reached
the humble home or the common Peg.