Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-23
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
REALIZATION.
Cb,>yor NNNN

l wonder III most Rlris nave w 'S
of life through it's hard knocks? II seemed
to me that my disillusionments came IN
great lump Poverty had always ahd i's
iron grip on my childhood, but ! had
grown accustomed TO Mothers WORD,
NO. we cant afford that Hazel or
" on know YOU are not like those other NV.
lte girls: YOU will have 10 do without,
w, had been poor so long, that cold
NOT imagine what il would be like to be
unaware Of the pinch that lack oi money
hrines. Nv dresses had 10 be turned and
dved. my shoes were always hai-svied
md all my pleasuers were oi the kma
that are free.
Rut il had been Peggy who had re-
bcllcd against the narrownesS ei our nc.
often had seen Mothers face grow
white and worn when Peggy cried "But
don't see why | cant have IT. other
girls do
Vet through il all. | had been happy
Tbere were my friends and jamie.
I, made no difference 10 Jamie that our
Garnet was worn and that the same old
morris chair stood over the largest hole.
We laughed over the hidcous mantel and
called Il the beast for We saw the lovely
Colonial one that We should have when
our ship came in
Then had come school, that Peggy
might g. 10 the Art League The long
davs. when ste oi IN the drcary room with
forty little heads before me, and heard
them rrad. and say thelr numbers | had
hated that part 81 niy life; hut even then
| had SAID to myself When Peggy Is
through Art School. can do something IN
fcrcsting something different from thus
weary grind
Vow. IN the turn of a page, everything
Was changed Mother was gone, Peggy
was playlng a minor part on the stage,
and | Wa no longer teaching
All tho carcfrce DAYS had been swept
away hl the war. and | realized what Il
is to bc left alone with no one who cares
very much Even poor Uncle Thco with
his pithil little home IN the country,
was dCHd
The rlrl~ that ! used IN know were
married aud gone away-vIth new
cares and wartime anxiety brooding
over them JAIME too, the best trend ri
them an vas fighting across tho water
\ow If | should choose the one IN the
world who seemed 20 care most about me,
Ishould betemptcdt tosay Mr. Trcmaine
MIR Trrmalnc 20 scc YOU. Miss
Della. with hand on tho door, smiled
in ~ mC
Nv heart bounded and then seemed
10 stand sull | felt the sensation that
ALWAYS swept over me when ] heard his
name half an uneNplainabic fear and
half a Wild delight He was gong to Eng
land soon. | knew. but he had 20 come 70
say good-hyc- and what else My wildly
heating heart. and the blood that pounded
throught my temples, gave tho answer.
| should bc lovely for him, Out Of my
closet took the black dress that Charlotte
Newton had insisted that buy for evenings
II waited the faint fragrance Of lily the
valley. On nv feet | drew slippers with
wide rhinestone buckles.
The pins slipped from my hair and
remember that last time when had seen
him. and he had called me 10 him, with my
hair falling down my back | drew the
comb through the dark, gIstening masses
and wss glad that ii vas lovely-for hIs
sake Just drop or two OF the hly-of-the
valley / smoothed into my hair, and
coied il IN twist at my neck. My cheeks
were flushed with color.
The dress fiuttered down about me.
| shook out the soft skirt and clasped
the floating sleeves to my wrists,
The long mirror told me | was ready
and more; that | was lovely
Out in the hall ] treaded the soft
rugs with light footsteps. My heart
gave wild leaps as though IT would
be free, and put hand to my burning
checks. One look into my eyes and he
would sec
The velvet portieres drew apart al
most noselessly and fell behind me.
Across the rug | stepped to him. The
room was all in soft light, the gray OF
very early twilight, there was no bright
ness in the room; but to me 1t was all
radiant with my feeling.
He turned from the mantel on which
III
quiet approach, and bowed
words. falling coldly in the enchanted
air. sounded like the broken bits of
glass against stone.
The enchantment slipped from me
The cold light of afternoon shrouded
me. and | felt alone-lost-
Il wanted to say bood-by to you be
fore | sailed the voice went on-that
cold heartless voice that held no vibration
for me now
'Oh YES answered. The tiny words
sounded to me as though they were
spoken 10y some other.
The atmosphere that he created.
charged with a subtle magnetism that
was like wine TO my blood, was as lacking
as the cadence of his voice. He was per-
forming duty, necessary, painful, to be
gotten over.
Like "a doll. that speaks and answers
10 some mechanism, | replied TO him.
/ was not conscious of his words nor of
ny answers, only knew wanted il to
beover-this intolerable ending Of d dream.
He had said good-by and taken nv
cold hand in his and the dark curtains
had swung behind him
To-morrow-The Old Fashion or the New?
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