Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1918-02-14
HIS NEIGHBOR
BY AGNES @. BROWN.

cheap upuTlIuenlsS lhls' pSNauSS We
are nearer the business center than q
desirable residence section. To me,
however, obscurity lends value to the
situation, as l may be free from visit
ing interruptions. The picture pro-
crosses favorably and am intent up
on a second. Please save yourself the
trouble of instructing friends to hunt
me out, I have already been obliged
to refuse various evening invitations
rendered In my SISTER Gwendolens
name.
/ suppose you are, as usual, busy
with your pet charities. Do not worry
about my welfare, as l shall keep you
duly informed.
Your affectionate brother,
JACK.
Dear Gwen:
The morning sun comes In Mt right
angles through my glass roof, the
painting grows apace, ana meals
served from q nearby restaurant are
perfect. In my enjoyable isolation l
might be on a desert isle-save for
the young woman across the hall. She
would, / think, be fit subject for your
passion for helpfulness-if you could
reach her. Oh, these proud, self-sac-
rificing American women of ours!
What will they not do for love and
dutyl Though l must confess this Is
my first actual experience with the
kind. "Carrie," who "wipes up our
fioors," says that when my neighbor's
husband went to war she gave up her
comfortable fiat and came here to live
with her child. During the day she
has taken up an unaccustomed posi-
ton In a flower shop, it seems, but she
sings right cheerlly at night as she
cooks the child's supper. 1t was this
same singing which attracted my at
tention to the two-that ana the
childs evident glee when her mother
brings home q currant roll. Can you
imagine it, Gwen, unalloyed JOY over
the fact Of a currant roll? Joy In three
dingy rooms near the roof? Joy, after
hard days work? 1t makes one
long to step out and buy quantity OF
those dellcacies we stated ones take
as our er-of-course-and leave
them at their door. But the presump-
ton would be resented. The child
looks like q Christmas show-window
doll.
After school hours she often sits at
turn of the stair, knitting for "fa-
Their" When ! almost fell over her
one day she naively informed me that
at was not SO lonesome there as In
side."
l thank you for comforts kindly
sent to myself. Your loving
JACK.
Dear Gwen:
1 am having difficulty with my study
Of spring; the face Of the central fig
ure lacks that significant sweet fresh
ness which it must have.
Following your advice, stopped at
the flower shop one evening, purchas'
Ing from my neighbor a rose tree
which has been sent to you. Acting
again upon your suggestion, 1 frankly
presented myself and made inquiry
concerning Peggy-May's father. Peg
gy-May happens to be the unusually
connected nam9 Of the child. Charm
ingly free from circumstances were
the mothers replies.
"Mr. May was well and In goot
spirits; she, herself, managed yer!
nicely, and Peggy-May was happy.
was thanked-and dismissed. So t.
help these brave people seems beyont
our power. Love to you, my sister.
JACK.
Dear Gwen:
The second idea was bright one
and speedily acted upon. With diplo
macy and persuasion it was arranged
that Peggy-May should pose for m,
child model Of Spring. The pictur
will be success. We paint very earl,
in the morning, before the little mothe
is due at the flower shop. Her needle
flash in that everlasting knitting q
she sits beside us. Like flower, hei
self, Is the wife of that soldier Il
France-and courageous always. Wha
q contrast to the fortune-favored girl
we have known, Gwen-ycu and
Very hastily,
JACK.
Dear Gwen:
Pardon me If this letter may prov
, somewhat incomprehensible. Perhap
, "joyously irresponsible" would bette
suit my case.
You accused me Of negligence 1
writing, while the sittings of my pit
ture were going on, but if you coul
: but have known the desperate stat
of my mind at the time. Inwardly
was accusing myself of falling in low
: with a married woman. And thong
the object of my love bent ever al
sorbed over her knitting, she mus
have known the state of my hear
Then, blessedly, miraculously-no'
: that it is all over-Peggy-May took tn
Group, and the woman / love cam
swiftly for me one evening, begin
. me to stay with the child while sh
hurried for the doctor. Then the stor
came out. "Carrie" had made q ma
ural mistake-Peggy-May's father ha
Q gone to war, but it was his sister WI
q had taken the motherless child I'M
=