Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-27
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
THE GUEST AT SOUTHAMPTON

napier Nv
When | woke the sun was streaming
in through the windows and showing me
ali the charming lghtncss ot my room
I stretched myself luxuriously and drew
the silk comforter up TO my chm ms WAS
INST the kind of guest room | should nave
IL | were married and
| stopped abruptly. must crush those
,houChts. If were to be happily. studieu
the prettv painted furniture, all gray with
= conventional wreath of yellow flowers
20 l;gbten il I looked At the sunny yellow
naner that seemed 10 melt into the cream
of Inc wood work How Jolly the roomwouia
he in midwinter with n fire flaming up 'hat
chimney and sending ITS sparks mt" tle
ROOM What fun It would be To SIT GOWN ~
tbat desk between the two windows ana
,,-r;,o long letters How delightful life IS
foc some people. | thought longingly
Someone knocked on my door
YES" | called.
breakfast In half an hour, answered
the maid
must hurry, | flung back the covers
and ran INTO the white, SHINING bathroom
that suv sole possession. IsplaShed around
IN tho water and jumped into my clothes
;, vcr>. few minutes What should !
U.cars In the big closet my clothes looked
even more shabby than usual, but
nicked ont nv tan Jersey that Mother had
tried TO frcshcn mp When had shipped y
I'm and nut on new collar and Guns ol
sheer organdie fctt ! could meet the
guests.
lo,,r .,lass On the bathroom door Perhaps
my dress was not - new as It might hf,
bur. nv skin was fresh and clear. and the
dark HAIR swept away from my forehead
IN a shining mass; and felt as young and
S,u of life as anyone could wish
On the stairs ] met another glrt going
down. Good morning she smlled'
shall We take . turn around the ve-
rsndah until the others come down
The yerandah swept aroEnd the house
+, a v,de curve it. was almost like walking
Che deck Of ship
What a charming drc-s'' the g1ri sa'n
aOh this" | said dcprccatingly
'Do YOU like mine? she asked
7 saw now the reason for her qurs i0I
For her dress WAS evidently new II was
Of the finest serge and the smoothe'
satin. II was the kind OF dress that grows
cn = person. that can be only put together
by srtist fingers. The utter simplicity, tn'
heautIful lines made me exclalm, II !
lovely
"T'rn 90 glad YOU like it, she said; then
as the vcrandah door swung open and
man stepped ont. she went up. 70 nm
~rucklv. She held out slim hand, and y
that charming VOICE with ITS sliding Gao
ences, she began To talk. She lett me stand
inc there as if | were porch ornament
wondered II that were the way TO ~
popular for this girl had Just talked with
had 50 many coquettish ways, So may TIM
sfTectatons Even if il were, ! could no
he ike that in 3 thousand years
just then the msn sped me and cam
toward me- with outstretched hand
al think we haven met he asked
We stood there speaking nt the day an,
uhat we might do that morning, but II
the time the thought was upp rmost y
nv mind. Why isn't he fighting III
question that seemed TO sTrIng always Z
nv hips when ! saw s Young. strong MAJ
Nth no apparent rea on ioT beng '0u
OF il OF course | said nothing
breakfast is ser< cd. SAID the mal
at the door
We vent in to find the others stand
ing about the dining room
Jack Mad. 'cn bowed 70 me With tina
~illIen expression still about his eye an
mouth hlt | saw II was only meant tC
nc. for Ii, turned to his nelghbor an
spoke III his usual confident gay VA
Mrs Norman, Jack 5 sister, nentlone
ny name to the guests, and we smile
across the table each other There wa
Jean War1ne whom / had Just spoken
On the porch, but ! did not catch the nam
of the man who had spoken me Their
Mr.. Norman was q large. pompous Persol
with heavy, lowering face. ] looked frol
him 70 his wife nd asked that oil question
why did she marry I'M the brlgt
light I aw Ii was not the beautlfi
person | had thought her last nigh
Her face was rather worn, and showed III
traces Of q heavy discomfort
To me- tie most fascinating person
the breakfast table was d woman who
Mrs. Norman called, Mrs. Newton
She was dark with plquant face ar
dreaming gav-Ueen eyes. / wanted
watch her talk and sec her perfectly fre
natural gestures and the curve Of b
full bps Still there was one empty pla
al the table.
Il was not until we had almost hnishe
breakfast that the occupant OF the emp
seat came sauntering IN. Everyone I q
table seemed 70 be most interested IN hlf
And ] looked up curlously 10 meet "
Trema1ne,
He was ANYTHING but handsome
short man with reddish hair, who spo
WITH AL accent | did not recognize.
9ne redeeming feature VS. pair