Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-10
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
IUV TINT y 'TOINs
Chanicr LII.

.sNhv dor't YOU come along?" PEGGY
asked She was standing, dressed for the
bacon hat. staring out OF the sitting room
window. Her tone was careless and per-
iurctory ! knew very we'll that she al
most sand they did not want me.
.'ph hcp he is'' Peggy called paviy.
Howard drove up ia the funny old cart
that Wa hls H~ual vehicle. ! went out to
tie road with Peggy and watched her
climb in Her dark hair curlcd from under
the rcd tam She worc. her pretty hgure
loolcd almost hoyish IN the loose sports
coat and - rt of tan velour.
'Isnt She a picture Howard asked.
lcanlrr hack and studying her with ad-
mlrinG cvcs
The two waved and shouted back TO
me; but | felt strangely alone aud lett
out. as ! went back into the silent cot
taGc
This th,nv ,snt going 10 do, ] rcason-
I'd with myself You just get to work and
fntccl vour rWr slt
pulled on q pair OF ovcTallS and a
,hlauidaicd oil hat. and with my hoe IN
hand went out tn the rough patch OF
ground that was - hI my garden The
Saft alr iauned my checks, and the sun
hqh, ,IoVcd cu my hody with It's shafts OF
! h,a, ON and on worked bending and
/ hrc.king up tho clods oi st,f earth and
SIN, ,thInc oui the patch ot ground that
4 >cru "a 50 small vet took al nv energy 10
4 cr' INTO order
A. hst ! '5neh'rncl ON my hoc
! &,r8 thc tll, The llcht Was CHANGING into
r,-, louj that l"ut radiance to ihc
ral, lr.an world could almost fancy
4 thli the ,rccs ,aowcd the coming Of buds
i IN ttcIr stark hs;n"hr~.
Ir, MieSu~'
looked up ia sec lt'lc hoy standing
m tho rotd waving q long yellow envelope
"for me
Rc ,on Miss Alargarc, Richards" he
-'utll lrd, reading the name with squut
ms cNcs.
MI night called
f tuok the n,omrntouS looking envelope
ud ,Nlmncd j: carefully Nhy docs q
+ telegram always send strange forehoolng
i 81 fear through one should ! open n.
+ knew how Peggy could rot brook ntcr-
Terence ! carried II, st,ll ~caiod, INTO tho
house But after had taE.u"G uiN mud
stained oycrall> ard washed my hands and
tacC still questioned Whether should
read i u nnt
rhc envelope was unlN partially closed
+ ~n,a~ll ] could break hc ln> opening
+ Peggy would newer know vhru had
4 ,inrvd i back ana sealed 4 anew tightly
The tcmntatiou was almr ta' strong
+ Prrlqr, | rauli save hcr something | rCa-
I ~anci Then toch thc hateful yellow
4 uott and pu' ou the shell nhoNc thf
stowe. | Should niA, fir ~ would wish
someone H a,i with III,
tr, uNet us ,g;pc, ! tucd ~ reason
4 WITH i ,-,h uta ,h,c'u.nrss He tml
\ Shsc / ktrdlv yellow right over thr one
/, r4t -,t ur thc Whit, Table Bread and
,ca and hakc5 apple Was no meal 70 hc
+ ~,,r..,i Bu, | pictured Howard and
f T,zlN 4. taci r the woods. teasing
4 th..u I4o,u ,lcr sticks held - the blazing
FIJI cluu ~, Howard laughing iac'
aui he.r hie Cuarui teasing remarks
You 4 mt appreciate a thing until YOU
hay, lo~t n -aId !. myself
My did always mi~s' Why mus; some
on,, cl~f aiwavs step IN nd take NY hap
pac, 4w4y' Was X my fault The tea
z taS.ed hittcr il my mouth and ] puzzled
ac,ua avrr my fate that seemed 70 hc
marked Dut ~ clearly bctor me- Men
nk III, viI .u ,.ch ln certain waN
I hut ihA + ail make Jollv cuf: pan,on
(, r,Iceabl, irItrd tut 4 th,rr i q
+, pu.', PEGGY near II even an u'enS,
NiN W Irmpio uv plac, i u thc back
.rc..p4 must mss, un my mind to get
u~.l 4, r. he har.N .lonc 8 he 81
i U.s.
ph H.a. VI have had ms tho best
, time Howard and l.
cr> .auccd into the room with 8
+ tl~hed ,e, and sparkling cNc~
Dit ycu ever laugh :, hard in youl
4 l'c IS vhcL the cuficc fell into III" IRE
/ Howard
!, VA Howard and Peggy a.
reldv. ! saw vet ] st,ll called him Mr.
ParA- xccp, IL myself NJ, he csllec
! Nll~- Hazel
Howard wa sitting opposite me on ont
q the white dining room chairs. Some
how ~ other, had completely forgotten
Ia, ,elegram
Peggy's Is good as tonic' he said
/ Hl> face glowed with color and anothe'
expression that ! could not fafhom ut hll
ewes - lie looked across the table TO me
! I'm aira,d ! get 70 broodng 10 much
Nha' with this h. notloned 10 hr
c-r,h. and the war and all Fl lie stop
pcl hort
W, ddn You tell me, Hazel
! Pe.gy cucI coming back INTO the room
>hc c'utchrd the telegram tightly in he
hrnds and turned ~ angry, excited fao'
Z. ne II : Just like >"u She flunl