The Washington herald., 1919-10-16
THE ROMANCE OF
A SUMMER GIRL
NJ ZOE BECkLEY
Bentsviile Cor Is It Heavenly

1t must be o dream, Joani But,
oh. I pray not to wake out of IL!
I almost fear to touch pen to paper
lest I break the spell,
It was toward sundown when the
rivver logged us into Bentsville by
the old back road. Everything was
bathed IN deep golden light and I
fancied -Auntie- Hannah q soddess
Of peace and plenty as she came out
onto the lawn and held out her
hands in welcome.
'Is-there's nothing the matter.
Is there?- I urged.
Not q thing. dearie." said Han
nah, bustling into the kitchen to
watch the biscuits. SOne Of the
children's got q bit OF fever and
Miss Joan she always feels she's
got to help every human creatur'."
.Forget Joan for q minute" put
In Randy, -and pay . little atten-
tion to me. I've got to be fed. And
then I want you. Dorothy, to take q
walk with me. I want to show you
the little house Run upstairs. get
freshened up. II you like to and
let's eat!"
sim struggling with q feeling OF
strangeness and unreality. I skit-
tered to your room. washed UP and
got into q clean frock.
sentimental bawl, out OF sheer Joy
to be back again. But Randy kept
believing up the stairs to hurry,
and Hannah insisted on immediate
hot biscuits.
And now comes-the miracle.
Randy and I walked out to the
Little House
You don't deserve to be told an
other thing. for running away like
this. Besides. since you and Randy
did all this plotting together. you
know the end Of the story-so why
should tell you more?
What an adorable darling Of a
home!" I cried.
You-like it. DoIiy?- said Randy.
IN q stffied voice from close behind
my shoulder.
I wheeled upon him suddenly. and
again caught that look in his face
that had puzzled me once before.
Like 1t! Rsndy-what is your
idea of a real homer
"A--a place Of shelter" he said
softly. "a place where love Is, I
guess"
'SYes-but IT'S more than that When
I look at this little house Of yours
and Joan's, feel what q homo truly
is. It's the souls body. Randy. It's
place for all your thoughts and
feelings and dreams and love to work
out in"
Joan put the curtains up" he
went on. so 1t wouldn't have stark
staring look when you saw it. I
started the garden and the tea ar
Dor and the fountain and the flowers
because I knew you loved outdoor
things
"we, thought. Joan and I. that II
we kept writing you about them.
you'd begin to want to see It all.
We didn't want to drag you back to
Bentsville But we wanted to make
you want to come. Oh Dolly.
It was all for you, dear! Don't you
understand? Joan and /"
He stopped so abruptly that I
stared in amazement. Joan-you
won't believe, dear. that I could be
so slow-witted and dense! It was
only when I read 1t in his eyes that
saw your whole plot clearly. Even
then I couldn't believe"
Joan and you" echoed. feeling
that the world had suddenly begun
turning somersaults. Joan and
you"
ARE the dearest friends on
earth. Dolly. Joan and Aave built
everything on you. We believe you
would come to understand and re-
spond and-care. Dolly. Dolly, don't
you know I've loved you since we
went to school together across the
hill? Don't you realize I wanted to
tell you when you went away. but
dared not risk the loss of everything
by thrusting my love upon you when
you couldn't see and didn't want?
You wanted a career. The big
city Work. Independence. I loved
you so that whatever you wanted.
I wanted for you. 7 resolved that
my game was the old waiting game
the stay-at-home game. the working
game. And II have worked. Dolly,
and I've won-well. something.
When saw you weren't 50 happy.
and that things were going rough.
] wanted to bust right into New
York and CAVITY you Off and MAKE
you happy despite everything, your
Joan wouldn't let me. She said
her way was best. So she cooked up
this limiting idea about herself and
me. Gave you cire impression we were
engaged or something. She swears
she never said so in words. but you
you seemed to fail for II. dea<-and
I began to dare believe you did feel
a BIT of curiosity IN me, at least.
interest even.
He said more, Joan beloved. But
can't tell even you, the-truly part
Or what I said Indeed. I don't know
what I said. ! was delfrious with
happiness. I caroled and yodeled and
giggled and stammered and gasped
and cackled and probably cried on
his shoulder-my wonderful. wise and
true-hearted Randy. my pal and baby
days friend. my dear. brave, stead
fast sweetheart. whom didn't
know! Good night precious girl
DELIRIOUS DOILY!I