Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-15
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
by Mary Douglass.
THE BITTER TRUTH


At last Mother left us. | must have
cast n bcsecching look at Peggy. For she
! iumpcd from the piano stool where she ilad
| been plnving us some snatchcs OF her
new songs. and cried, 81 know you two
want to be left alone!
II was a tactlcssand unknd thing to say;
| Jamie hurriedlv answered No. iiazel
and would rather have you with us
wouldn't we, Hazel!
! "Ncs. Z" | answered, the words choking
| in mv throat
| OF course. il was mere thoughtlessncss
| on Pcgev's part. She had no realization
| a. what these last minutes meant TO me
! with .Ionlr II wa not Jamie IN parti-
/ cr,lar. that Peggy wished 20 charm, but
/ any man. Ii II were only the boy at / {,
! switchboard. Peggy must make INN leci
! the power of her charm ] must say she
never failed either.
81 Peggy still stayed. Jamie seemed TO
/ be comfortable enough He leaned back,
Watching her a- She showed hm her steps
IN the horus, PLAYED sna< chcs O. song and
nimickcd tie funny fpcmh'rs OF the
cast
felt completely outFof It Now and
! then Jamie would turn 90 me and say
rhats pretty good, is|n't t. llnzcl3
The precious mmuteE We're slipping
away. Perhaps | would see him again?
"~halI We see you again, jamie !
asked when the Suspcl had become
inhcarahie
.AvtulI, sorry but ] " got 70 g around
with tie Mater and say goodbye 10 alt
! the auuts tomorrow Jamlc explained
Ii was nj Ihal moment that heard the
| tinklc Of the telephone. Peggy ran out Of
| the room alu:l> IS Gag 7 furueW >cltcmoni
,Iaunc sad. Pardon me. end glanced
| at his watch 1T ls much later than |
/ Thought BIZ added
How wished hy would not 60 Just a
! hall houI an hour longer. would make alt
the difference MT I'D wordta inc perhaps
Thcn lamt, hertn - talk % me, lie
| TOLL ul Some ct H,- experiences "a he caTnn
ID his lr,Hd ihat bad gone acros7, u All
4 thc Istu. u h., both boon rested II
/ bclnc ltr tri gone IL etnT
III would u uu Ike this to thc very crd
4 and t5yn sly gooihv casually. thought
! desperately How would another girl have
managgdta II lonly knew thaf he did not
I care ior inc. could stand Il Net nc might
4 a.iro
2 ia ctc wasa pause Outside heard son c
lovs ilayng Ill tuc streets and whur oi
passing mntor- 4 street organ stopped 2
4ttt. ua1 urun tbr in,h and hogan
grinding out. "tNtr There
vari tu aSk you something, Hazel
/ ri-cI my eyes e. hIs fFAveN.
HIS brown rNt~ looked lnck into mlnc,
-crguu~ and t,uder.
uaut ,ou lo do som, ,'hsnr for M
tha' no an, cisr ran
III haG come III last Il great W1Fe
ni uaprnr- swept ever nc starc 81
hn noru patch p tlsc carpet
Mother vll TN left alone ! should feel
-o pa.h U,pplrr hncw someone would
r.lrs it II, ~.,. hcr Ihr, ar- tc tunt-.
knnN Ii5f i you rouil goNltu Nour sweet
~>mr.th,tW u.r, | Know Il notId mfa
mach tn hrr
oh ~.y, li- yoi,a changed from hat
MIR ran. jcndcr mote to hIS ordinary ton,
! mustn't Keen Nou from your dinner
" stayed way over my time
~al eood-jA tD folks lor me m not
much cn HAT llc took my hand n hl~
ilg. Hard one. SuJlcti with thc old friendly
lank i0 h.s eyes, and Was gone
Conc heard hc door close behind Mm
caad Not believe il Tic had said mot hlnl
netting lookcd IL the oak door thai
Ead SHAT uut tie one thing that ! loves
i,~. lu Till world OHrk!v went - th'
ula,luM and leaned out, careless Il h'
Should seq me
Il.rc Il. VAS I watched the maui1
Sul,g a hls shoulders The quick stria'
aova ,nc !och ilc did not look tatk
,....Il .ia fiu!~l curtains ia my land~
vlale uv e1c4 rev tl4nd ulfh tear-
,ia nU cr< ca9iiv Act noW the sal:
Shook u< af!S cren' so.til 2" H1 room
and locked ih. door behfn4 'an ! threw
mss ,l ,.y icd auth ua tLaEir naN
l.r tie lovely freh ! trpa 81 >ttie n1
~s. H fft pl.iaN
III toraat' nal> Is foree Peri,aps
-E.auIa l.,vsr 81. huu a-"Iu ~ he woult
IT, wounded. ru,ilat,.d III QoIJ not b
rue Is Iursa |ack to health Aline t
irr ana Struggle Jar III the tane belos
tie rsr c,. l.
Itne iovcl n.e' II Ii L,.d oaIv owed me
could have gone tiroueh separation
death. #fA ag0rv for should hove ha'
the con~aoI>,i oI bl- love
bur now | ls~ - h4agy, empty
uua.4 uevsrlle tho~, dear arms arouH'
l.ie
i3oN .a9 ~ hore. DO not know
lst l.rue aIng:t the door reused ;nc frou
tl. rui-er:.t dola nt1 which had taiilu
Inuor.nU l.Iyrg III the PAST