Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-28
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
By Mary Douglass
THE FIRST NIGHT.
Chapter XIII

ne Wfn0OW resisted my unRpTS Rs only
the ohstinacy of glass and wood can.
tried to peer in and get glimpse of my
! new home, but the streaked panes for.
| bade such impertinencc.
] walked around the bare, small house
As | came TO the back, stumbled on a
piece of iron. 81 shall break in, since there
is no other wayl" laughed. climbed on
An old box that stood near, and with my
thin iron weapon, | showed and tugged on
! the wooden framework of a side window.
| 1t gave gently to the pressure. With
aching fingers, pressed it open little by
! little, until could place my hand IN the
crack. | pushed with all my strength and
! 1t creaked open slowly.
| With a spring, | WAS in the room, hands
| fret, and breathlessl I'm home, any
way" | said aloud, TO cheer myself, and
| looked curiously around at the room had
| entered SO unceremoniously.
1t must have been the dining room, for
= table of rough wood and two kitchen
chairs, plainly showed the purpose. A
funny old dresser built into the wall,
reused my curiosity and | went over TO
| examine this-my new home and Its
possessions. The door groaned open at
last and / viewed few broken and dusty
plates of various patterns and sizes. Be
meath, the drawers that pulled open,
| showed me empty interiors.
Not very hopeful 80 far! But perhaps
the rest is better" ] thought, with my
| dream of blue china and white curtains
receding into the distance.
Across a narrow hall came tn a closed
door | thrust it open The sitting rooml
Dingy brown paper with a spiders web
festooned in one of the corners, greeted
my eyes. A funny black stove and In ono
corner a couch covered In some hideous
red and brown material, were the only
ornaments The room also held two
chairs with the seats worn through and a
pile of kindlings tumbled TO the side uf the
stove In a crazy heap.
''I'll have a fire and some food at least,
| thought, and unbolted the front door
which gave with a rusty creak.
II was growing ark already, and saw
the bulky form OF my trunk standing out
in the dusk | tried to move 1t, but It did
not bulge under all the strength that
put In my push
picked up my bag and went back into
the house Even through my coat, the
chill Of the house, closed for so long, crcpt
into my ZONES But ! could have q fire.
showed some wood and paper into the
small stove and was thankful for the
matches that had put into my bag AZ the
last moment 1t blazed up cheerlly
enough, and for a wonder did not fill the
room with smoke. sat down before II
and took out two stale sandwiches that
had found tastcless on the train
munched them with real hunger. / ate
them both to the ver- last crumb and
wished there had hecn more. But | was
thirsty. Could I find any water on tho
place?
A candle end almost burned down
stood on tho ledge above the stove
picked il up and bearing the tiny flame
aloft, | opened the door into the next
room
Unrnistakably. a kitchen sew at =
glance even with the small circle Of my
candle flame 4 pump was in the black
sink. and pumped some clear, cold water
into my hands and drank The shadows
flickered about me, growing larger anC
smaller as the candle flame wavercd
stole back 10 the comfort II the warn
sitting room. and closed the door that leo
into the kitchen
Before the kitchen FIRE made up my
mind that everything was against me
The house with its barren outlook and still
more desolate interior was not inviting
| had practically little money. In spite d
all nv care, had only been able TO save
forty dollars al Mrs Newtons 5. ] took out
nv purse and spread the contents on my
lap Now | had only $50 = left Eacf
month should have twenty dollars iron
Mrs Newton for attending to her affairs
Andfo for the first time, ! saw things a
thcv were-n not as they ought to b., 81
might be in my dreams-I was ignorant
i = I
pcctcd 10 RAISE on my own ground
Enough for the night are the evils
thereof. | misquoted. Suddenly | re-
nembered with a laugh, the house had
pictured 10 Peggy : white. rambling
rambler roses climbing over it The rooms
bright with color and old bits Of furniture
that Uncle had picked up looked up II
the char with the hole in its seat and the
uninviting csuch.
The FIRE was dying down slowly and my
candle had already guttered In its stlcl.
I'D better 20 to bed, while the going Is
good | thought
Out of my bag ] took sweater and
put it on Then ! looked at the dubious
couch 1t was not as bad as | expected
though the mattress must be straw Over
me ] pulled my coat, glad OF its warmth
The fire was only embers, now, in the
small stove. and could imagine myself IL
the home of my dreams If ! chose But
found the reality had misplaced the
other, and | could only think of q dingy
brown paper and two seatless chairs In 8
dull room
I shivered a little and drew the coat
closer about me, ! almost iancied that
heard strange creaklng on the stars. but
/ plunged my head into the pillow and
shut my eyes How long after | fel
asleep, scarcely know"