Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-29
THE DAILY NOVELETTE
A MODERN ROMEO
BY Mabel n. Thompson

&C SVL1HAT is so rare as day in
w June?'" quoth Julia H to
herself. ex-stenographer and present
farmerette.
For moment she rested on her hoe
and gazed around her at the cloudless
summer sky. the crows circiine overhead.
the vast fields of corn and other gar
den stun including potatoes cher own
particular job). and the other farmer
cites working near. II was such q peace
ful. happy scene that she could not help
comparing In her mind this field and
others over 5000 miles away. 1t did not
seem possible that such a thing as war
could exist In a world like this.
Still leaning on her hoe she thought ~,
our boys who went from scenes like this
to fields with far different crops. Then
her thoughts new to the one boy who
had said good-by few weeks before
as he went to don the khaki uniform Of
Uncle sam. Her hand crept into her
pocket and caressed the letter she had
| received only that morning from a mill
tary training camp.
She, jumped guiliily and commenced to
hoe those potatoes with unusual viEor
aa one OF her companions called mer-
| rtly 'Smatter. Julia? Are you trying
to hirt with our scarecrow? You've been
stdTlnH AT LOT the laSt nIteen minutes
Tossing back q laughing reply. julia
| hid her burning face. and worked hard
should summon them so dinner: Once
| steal look at the scarecrow. She start
ed, and her face. already flushed. grew
crimson as she realized what she had
been staring at.
This particular scarecrow was the
pride Of all the farmerettes on Hillcrest
Farm, as 1t stood In full view of the
farmhouse and also the road. which
was much traversed by autoists. and
had attracted wide attention because Of
| It's Ingenious makeup.
Upon their arrival from the city each
that she would dress that scarecrow.
One by one. each confided her am
billions to the others. and between them
admirably in their attempt at camou-
4 rainy day exploration of the large
old fashioned garret with the assistance
heart and hand BY the merry girls, had
breeches and a red flannel shirt. both
Of which had seen better days With
potato sack and a large shade hat with
feather duster for trimming our scare
crow hero made quite a hit" with all
| who saw II.
This. then. was the supposed object
of Julia HIS contemplation as she
hoed her rows of potatoes and dreamed.
Again her thoughts ran riot and fled
back over many weeks to the night of
ter before. when she had been Juliet
and Ronald B her Romeo. Some
how the outstretched arms Of the scare
crow were very suggestive Of that
night. Again her hand caressed the con.
tents Of her bloomer pocket. hut Just
then the dinner bell interrupted her
| reverie.
| During the dinner and the rest of the
day Julia was somewhat preoccupied and
made little attempt to join her friends
in their merry fun and nonsense. After
the days work was done and every
body had gathered on the big piazza to
watch the sunset she slipped away ana
wandered slowly through the orchard
enjoying the lovely summer evening.
| Not realizing where she was going. she
suddenly stopped few feet from their
It seemed very lifelike in the fading
twilight. and. half smiling she mur-
INJURED softly as she started on:
10 Romeo: Romeo! wherefore art
Il take thee at thy word Call m.
but love-" answered deep, tender voice
and as she turned In amusement the
scarecrow doffed its feathered hat ana
disclosed the laughing features of Rom
aid b as he made low bow.
why, Ronald. exclaimed Julia
breathlessly. but she said no more. for
| like the scarecrow of that morning and
the Romeo of months before. he held
out his arms.
When speech again became possible
he told her Of how he had seen her leave
the house and go through the orchard.
knowing that she would have to come
this way. he had run across the 1elo.
and. seeing Romeo. the scarecrow, hao
had just time enough to plan his sur
prise
"And, Julia. dear" he continued. IL
have only four days leave-just time
enough To-" his eyes pleaded the
rest She said nothing with her lips
but her eyes must have answered, for
when he left her four days later she
wore on the third finger of her LET,
hand two rings
Tomorro,D's Complete Nopelette--
"CUPID AT THE CHECK ROOM"