Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-15
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
by Mary Douglass.
THE MORNING AFTER.
Tbantnr VNH

: talked long beside the soft lights IN his
study. Then, as | sprang up To say, good
night, he had said that he would walk
across with me. Realizing his sensitive
ness, had asscnted silently.
Shall ever forget the stars that swung
| above us rs we walked? Only too soon
we reached the shack, standing bare and
lonely in the darkness.
"Iet 90 or Just little way, Howard
pl cadcd His voice caught at my heart
strings and felt my own heart beat more
loudly So we walked on silently through
the darkness that was lighted only by the
lamps above us in the sky.
"ill have TO turn back, now, Howard,
| said as we came to the huge elm at the
cross roads.
Just the lane farther, " he begged.
Again gave in 90 his vibrant voice.
We came back silently rs we had gone.
Before my door, we stopped moment,
and raised our ewes to the moon that was
slowly sailing from beneath n cloud.
Hazel" he said suddenly, his voice
was husky and he caught my hand rough
" in his
How IL happened | do not know-but
tho next moment he had caught me to
hrm and kissed me. quickly, roughly,
hcrcclv With my hand on the door, l
heard him limping off down the road.
March madness and the moonl But
no II was neither | had dressed de-
lbcratclv in the sapphire dress, had piled
my hair about nv head and worn the
twInklIng earrings and the bright buckled
shoes. though | had not admitted IT to
myself hCforc-l know--that | wanted hlm
to feel my power.
lie had said was beautiful beautiful.
somehow. dimly. | had expected tins.
lad felt the sting of his rough tweed
against my check had felt his warm lips
on mlnc and was not sorry.
Would II have ever happened u hau
not been dressed for the part; II had
not been spurrcd ON by his admiration OF
Peggy ; and Mary's beauty? No, con
fcsscd to myself.
IF he could sec me now, said TO my
self, the next morning, rs | scrhhoed ",
kitchen floor. 'all the glamour ~ laSt
night would fade forever from ms rhiilu'
The shades were pulled high ana the gar
lng sunlight spared no spot on the Whl'c
floor. nor made me look younger IMAM
was Nv hair was showed back from my
forehead and knottCd behind carelessly
Mn checks were pale not flushed with
excitement Nor did the pitiicss bright
ness snare tho small. drawn lines about my
ewes
dipped my arm into the hot water and
went ~ .crllhbIng with my head bowed
over tic work When lifted It suddenly
/ Saw Howard there in the room before
mc
scrub away. fair lady, he SAID scat
no himself on the kitchen table, this
reminds inc of one Of the yellow backs,
that | dcvourcd III my youth-the scene
where tho lord of the manor calls upon
the charming washwoman as she : q t'c'
tuh,
There was no slightest intImation IN ms
tone that ANYTHING had taken place nc
tween rs out 0t the ordinary hhcl'
there IN the floor and lifted my iaccto
III N thc searching light knew he must
study lts plaiunc~s with curious eyes ana
wonder al his crazy admiration q tho
evening before ] was not like Peggy nor
MARY Dalrvmplc, who would look heau'i-
ful alwavs, no matter what the occasion,
PLAN. is the only word that would
cover me today.
| felt As the masqlcrader must when
nc mask Is torn rudely from his race
leaving him to show haggard and mIrth-
les countcnancC.
Vet Howard seemed quito unaware oi
nv feeling. or in fact, Of any difference IN
me. He smiled down al me from ms ~
10 nor height on the table and SAID,
v antcd YOU to be the first to know, hazel
that my book Is accepted
'.Your hook ] asked
..Ycs didn't YOU know I've been work
ing on one? y Aou shall have the very nrst
COPY that comes out Of the press inscribed
with the authors name. I'm Jolly giad,
ton. " he went on For now know that
this lameness isn't going 10 cut me out OF
ANYTHING When ! came hack-irom over
there he hesltated, Il scarcely knew
winch way 10 turn. was lucky, know,
jIsl To get knocked up So but IL meant
my hobbling around the rest OF my liie
Il manned creature, and at hrst dloh
know lust where ! was. came down mere,
AN alone my folks are all dead ana
thought Id just get hold OF myself, II
Was prctty rotten, too, when all the others
are Still fighting over there, and had 10
IT, sent honIc. out of It. | was forester
before and this lamenesS Knocked tnat aii
Ia pieces and things looked pretty olack-
But We been luckN--CIod only knows
IN more than one way.
He told me about himself III quick,
hurried sentences. that seemed TO hur,
hirn To voice Under the broken words
glimpsed something Of the man had not
seen before-the struggle-and the black
days-and the sadness OF being out OF IL,
when YOU are still young.
You'll forgive me for telling you this.
h5 asked with embarrassment. DO you
nkow, | came over to bring you tins, ana
/ forgot all about II.
lie pulled out a letter and laid 1T on
the table
Tomorrow Peggy writes.