Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-30
Resiinol.1
TIE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
Ry Vary Douglass
TREASURE TROvE.

The sunlight. streaming III through
dirty windows, wqkcncd roe from
heavy sleep Forthe first dro7ysy moment,
stared around me- without eomprehen-
sion at the dingv brown paper
at the black stowe with the
bt u faded carpet ii 'front.' ~ Il ut the
two stiff chairs, aith worn seats.
tossed Laidc he cnat and stretched my
crampcd body ln the cold room. Vow
At least, he honsc did not frighfen uc
with its strange creaklnRs and ] could
view everything IN the clcar telling H2hf
Of tho sun
IN no kitchen I pumped some cool
water into n cracked basin, and spiashed
my lace till II gaa rosy, aQd washcd nv
gri.ny hands Breakfast | had none
must % to the struggling village n get iood
First would plan what needed
for not penny must be spent rastcfnIly.
Bread butter eggs potatoea, milk that
should do rne ii thc food line fora davo
Broom. 7oap. scrubbing bri-h. clndlcs
that must start me in my housekeeping
brushed my hair and Strengthened my
rnmplcd dress and pinned 0n nT sat
Nine o clock already, and had much todo
Spring house-clcaning. of course Out
slfc, the fresh sharp air lnv1gorated mes
and drew long, deep breafhs and hurried
on ny way.
The occupants of the big, white house
were up and busy ! heard he sound y
woman 8 singing through IN open
window. and t.e sharp swish 81 'he
broom on . porch showed nc oov oi
| fifteen, or 81, hard at work
1t was almost ter when mad secured
| my purchases and returned - NY home
stead. Even il the kind sunlight. Il bad
| taken on no new grace, nut stood bare
| and solitary Ou the lane thar wound in
/ front OF II But the golden lght lld lend
| charm n the country around. scross the
crumbiIng stone yal. ou tt.a other -lde d
| the road, ! -aw 2 rim of bite hills that
/ seemed 20 shut ia he world
| pushed open roy door. hat mad
left Unmatched and iook ny possessions
| into the Kitchen 4 large clumsy. old
/ fashioned coal stove ua- nv next enemy.
| Whether ne v4nquNhed meo was tc'or.
| can not answer surly Tor that morning
| / came out u he fray with alackcneCi
| hands and scsnt patience, though
| could SIT down 10 an egg and hread and
! milk at the white ltchen table.
| Now to work crIed and opened
| the stiff windows nd let the warmer
| outside AIR flow In through wl1ety-openel
| doors. Room hv room | would take II.
| | vowed pulling IN old paIl from under
/ the sink and sWlshing It full Of water
| But must nave rags 20 c,ean with.
/ The kitchen showed bachelor scarcity
Of such necessary things
Across It | saw door fEa, might
lead 10 > possible stofehouse- I pressed
| against It and il gave with the cre4k that
seemed 3 part OF the shut house II wsss
not a closet, but another room, slightly
shut of from the rest and with tightly
shuttered windows wrestled with the
blinds and AZ last little light came creep
ing in.
a funny ciuttered place 1t was, covered
with dust and filed with Al accumulation
OF ODDS and ends, or o It seemed 10 me st
first glance. Gingerly lifted "a long roll Of
something. then 70 my surprise. saw II
was not rubblsh-but paper. ! unrolled H.,
4 length of cheerful yellow paper, sunny
rs the day outside. met my eyes. Another
roll and another wall paper that Uncle
had cvi ieatly intended 70 cover the
hideous brown InousToSlty ot the SIT
tingroom
With real excitement I plunged IN
10 the 0t her dlugv heaps that I saw, nov,
aS heaps of treasure. K can. crUSted tbIca
with dust and oycrlaid with vrappings,
revealed white paint. umpy package
showed nails oi all lengths !ostled together
Across the dusty room was An old chest
Of drawers that ! scarcely glanced at IN MY
cagerneSs 70 peer within | was like . child
let loose in an old attic full Of moth
eaten trunks
| pulled and tugged at the drawer thar
seemed 10 Be swollen. % my impatient