Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-16
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
LIVING IN THE PAST.

napier ' L.
aren't YOU going to have any dinnerY'
Mother called through the closed door.
I'm not hungry" ] answered IN a
stiflcd voice
"Ill leave some toast and tea here for
you" Mother answered softly.
raised myself on my elbow and brush
cd tho hair back from my forehead. The
miserable thoughts came clustering back
to torture me. Jamie WINS gone. ] would
not see him again perhaps never. lie had
not asked me to marry him. lie had not
even told me that he loved me.
All the months that he had been mt
camp and officers training school. ! had
nurscd the thought that he cared for me.
Why? had cared for him So dearly that
believed he must love me. Yet love docs
not run out to meet love. | must learn that
hard lesson
As | lay there on my elbow. bitter
thoughts chased each other through my
mind had nothing else to live for. ! saw
before me n long. wearing life of school
teaching THIS was my second year. | was
none too successful; for ! WAS not what
is called u born teacher. ! would grow
like those other women ] saw. with their
narrow interests and their pale and
shrunkcn lives
should never have home of my own
nor chiIdr,n-thc hot tears OF scii-ptty
Scorrhcd my eyes.
Mothers voice outside the door changed
The tenor cf my thoughts
There's your tea, lcarIc, drink II and
then 60 right to bed II II help your head
ache
Mother must have understood rs well as
thou, II had told her. what was the matter
l. To hath
my pride
Under the stimulus Of the hot tea and
the delicious huttcrcd toast that only
Eliza could make 90. fclt more normal
| should make tho best of n | resolved
NJ one should know would try to live
more fcr others | would he like dear
little AUNT Martha, who had never married
Int showed none of the usual Grabbed signs
that come with that lack of a rounded lie.
As | put down the tray. ! caught a
GLIMPSE ,d myself III the glass Blue eyes
4, ,nllrn almost bcvord recognition, lhc
delicate azure dress - crumpicd, unrcfogniz
ailc mass of wrinkles | took Il Of none too
gently tied il up in the very box ~ which
! had brought II home 50 carefully !
thrust il wav hack on tho upper shell
of my closet never wanted tosCc II again.
II onlv Mother would never ask me
about II glanced ~ tho faded spot nn lie
wall-papcr where tho miniature of grand
mother had hung Tho miniature that !
had sold. in order to &c this dress.
The first money spent would bc to
buy the tiny painting back again from
the old art dealer
The first few weeks Of school dragged
along monotonouSlv My class hard
one to discipline tins year, ~ five O'Clock
when returned from school ! could only
throw myself 6mplv on my bed WAS glad
for the work which druggcd my unhappy
thonghts. When did think 0f Jamie, which
did at unexpected moments, All through
the long days. tried TO crush the thought.
One afternoon when / was ret rniDg,
I heard street organ piayin Over
There" The last time ! had seen Jamie
came back 10 me 50 clearly Outside the
window then they had played this same
Old tune The weight of It All seemed TO
drag me down | know when ! reached our
little fiat. could only throw myself
across my he'd
Mother came into the room gently
She sat down on the chair beside my bed
and polished her glasses with a slow
thoroughncss.
Little daughter. she began, inte qas if
were a chil again, Il am afraid you are
living too much in your own thoughts
lately When your work is over, want yo
TO 20 out and to do something for recrca-
ton
As threw back my head inpatien'ly,
she went on You must not thmkthat you
are suffering alone Think Of the mothers
and wives and sisters that are bearing
what youare now and bearing IT bravely
# ats different nv voice broke.
suffering is never different, dear. =
She went on gently, YOU are gong to be
strong. fine woman, but no one can achieve
that without suffering and struggle. II you
take it in the right way, il will only make
YOU more beautiful
Mother left the room Was she right?
Was there way Of taking sorrow that en-
larges and softcns ones nature, instead Of
narrowing it?
'uazcl. Mother said, roappcaring at
the door. Jack Madden is coming tonight
and should like you to get dressed to
see him
| bathcd my hot face in cold water
Mondav The Blue Velvet Case