Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-02
IDEAS PE sUGOIION
The Daily Story
Who Was Fooled?

| Philippines for two years. What woul
| she think when she received a local lei
ter in the well-remembered handwriting
In his minds eye he could see he
eagerly tearing open the letter in tn
postoffce, He would be outslde to vel
April fool!" Miss Allen always stoppe,
for her mail on her way to school. Their
could be no possible chance Of slip-ul
II he mailed the letter Sunday
He had been looking in Hughs desk fol
some fish hooks when he had run acros'
the envelope. carefully tucked away II
the bottom Of drawer. There had beer
time when he had carried lot Of the
selfsame letters to the teacher. but that
had been before Hugh began to talH
about the Philippines as place fol
young men to grow UP with the country.
All day Sunday Billy grieved over his
anticipated Joke, and Monday morning he
entirely ignored the flannel cakes that he
might be certain to he at the postofiice
in time. and went off leaving his mother
greatly concerned over his failing appo-
tlte. Usually Billy preferred flannel
cakes to promptness at school.
lie had not long to walt. for presently
Nita Allen came brisNy along and
I entered the postoffice. As she turned
away Billy noted that she held In her
/ hand only a long blue envelope and
| newspaper. He thought regretfully Of
! flannel cakes as he realized that his April
| Fool had mscarrled, and turned and fol-
! lowed Miss Allen down the street
There were the usual pranks played In
/ rd bttt Tlil1N al thp
| leader In all mischief stood apart and
| wondered. He was certain that he had
stamped the letter properly and anyway
Mr.. Meade would have given the letter TO
her and collected the money had the
| stamp fallen off. II was something ho
could not understand, though he puzzled
his brain until the last bell rang and he
slipped into his seat Just in time.
Some one must have been playing jokes
on the teacher, for her eyes snapped and
about her mouth there played "A smile
that made Billy want to hug her Even
when Ned Matthews sought to pick UP a
reader only to have 1t jerked from be-
meath his grasp by bit of thread. Miss
Allen only looked the other way and
tapped with her pencil on the desk
though surely at other times the source
OF this demonstration would have been as
patent to her as to the class
During the lunch hour Billy's mystinca-
ton was further increased, for stopping
at the postofflce, he asked for mail for
Miss Allen. "She was expecting two let
ters this morning and she only got one"
he explained to Mr. Meade.
go on with your April fool jokes he
laughed good naturedly. "She got two
letters this morning"
Billy knew better but there was no use
asking questions. He had seen her come
out with Just the one big envelope and
hot tf,t EphO01 CnrDTDTftpa The
other was not under the big one, for he
had pretended to drop his cap as an eX-
oUse to look at the under side and there
had been nothing hidden beneath.
But II Billy had hung about the school
room instead of pursuing his Investiga-
tions at the postofilce he would have
seen that Mr.. Meade was right, for on
teachers desk was tho envelope he had
dropped into the box, and for the 10th
time teacher. with glowing cheeks, was
reading the note.
at have not the courage to speak" it
ran, "but am coming back Monday on
the 4:3s If your answer Is yes will
YOU meet me at the train If you are not
there 1 shall know the answer is no. but
If you can find 1t In your heart to love
me, dear please be there to greet me-
The others think / am coming on the
night train and we shall have n chance
to walk home alone"
The explanation was very simple. She
had slipped the envelope inside OF the
folds of the paper as she had received It,
the precious mlssive and with instructive
modesty she had hidden 1t.
The afternoon dragged intermlnably for
her. Every stroke of the clock, every
tick of the pendulum brought Hugh
nearer to her and yet the minutes passed
with leaden wings 1t was only a lO-min-
ute walk 10 the station, and she fingered
over the compositions, her eye constantly
seeking the slow-tckinE watch in front
of her until at last the minute hand had
come almost to the half hour. She put
on her wraps and hurried down the
street
Billy, keeping watch at the postofflce.
was spending a weary vigil, but her road
took her in the opposite direction and he
did not know that he was waiting in
vain,
The train had Just whistled as she
reached the platform. and in few min
utes the heavy string of coaches pulled
into the station yard, the engine painting
like some tired animal
She looked quickly up and down the
long line OF cars until with tremendous
acceleration of the hearts bearings she
a muffled form stepping from
one Of the sleepers.
"Nita" he cried as she sped toward
him. this is a surprise indeed "
Didn't you expect me?' she demanded
smilingly, Did you think I could forget
so soon?"
Hugh looked puzzled as he fell into step |
and passed out of the station. But no |
one knew 1 was coming" he declared.
you don't mean TO tell mo that my ad- I
vent was anticipatedF"
'I did not tell soul' she said. II 1
only got your letter this morning."
But / did not write any one, not even /
you" was the puzzled declaration. Nita /
laughed.
"Nou don't mean to say that you expect /
a school teacher with a class like mine /
10 forget this is April fool? she asked |
The boys were tOrmentng me all day .
and now YOU want me 10 believe that |
you did not write me that letter You
must have written some one else, too
'or mine bore the local postmark"
"seeing's believing" he suggested.
With q pretty flush she thrust her hand
inside her jacket and presently withdrew
he letter. He glanced at the superscrip-
ion and smiled.
"And this is your answer" he said
,ently, Her eyes gave reply. 81 have
he courage TO ask you myself now" he
aid. tenderly. This Is a letter / wrote
,efore / went away, Do you remember
he time / went TO New York to arrange
bout my going to the East?"
Then you didn't send it7" she asker
mo" ne said. Il didn't send It because
have come all the way from Manila 10
Ask you 10 go back with me. 1 never had
he courage to send you this. l think II
must be that young brother of mine He