Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-08
H. DAILY NOVELETTE,
THE
By Julia A. Robinson

TIER soldier boy was coming home
IL and Nita dreaded the meeting. OF
course, she would have to see him and
he would find out her deception. What
would he think Of her? How could she
bear tina he should look al her.?
1t had all begun at the girls Red Cross
meeting. Let's pin our names and adj
dresses on the inside of these socks we
are knitting" suggested May Bond.
Perhaps the soldiers who get them VIII
write to u.s."
Each girl as she finished a pair of
socks pinned her name on the inside
and they were sent out. After a time
| letters began to arrive from the BOYS at
the front, telling of war experiences and
Of army life. The girls read them aloud
with many comments n much interest;
Some were from French soldiers and
were written in broken English, hard to
make out. Some were entirely in French, :
then the girls summoned all their knowl-
edge of the language and tried to puzzle
them out, even bringing out the big
French dictionary n porting over II.
Some letters were from u own Ameri-
can boys over there" One girl had a
letter from her own brother, for her
| socks had fallen to him. .
Glad to find you're such a good KNIT
ter he wrote. Your socks are the best
Nita. in a spirit Of fun, had pretended
in her letter that she was someoody :
strain. She had hardly expected her
soldier to write more than once. but he
did. Her letters were. filled with good
| advice and suggestions for his health and
comfort. and he seemed to like them.
She even sent recipes for some. OLD,
fashioned remedies in case he should
need them. Not once in her letters did
she forget herself and tell of the run she
was having with the girls. of her studies
and outdoor sports. Once she told nm
that the girls were trying to knit and
sew, but she didn't uppose they would
accomplish much girls were so tlighty'
Now the war was over and the boys
were coming home. Nita's soldier had
written that he should be among the
first to return. He was longing to see
her. to tell her how much good her let
ters. her advice and her wise counsel
had lone him.. He knew she had a kind.
motherly heart and sympathetic eyes
were they blue?-a dear mouth that
smiled and helpful. hands. He had so
much enjoyed the socks and sweaters
she had sent. They We're just what his
mother would have sent him had she
see her. WAS her hair done in white
think of 1t so. He lived in Norton. not
very many miles from her own home.
and he should come to see her often.
He hoped she would still, be glad to
mother him" and 10 admonish him If
he needed It.
Nita was frightened when she read
that letter. She could not escape meet
ing him. for he had Ter address. What
only run away and hide And yet she
to like her soldier hoy. She had pic
tured him in her mind. and she wanted
oh. how much she wanted-to see
him. II only she could herself be invisi-
BILE. She almost wished now hat she
had not played her foolish joke. He
would despise her for her deceit and
think her Very silly.
With q beating heart Nita watched
the returning regiment march through
the streets. Which one was her soldier
oy? He was with them. she knew.
They were so straight. with strong,
brave faces, and the happy light of vic
them all and cheered with the rest.
When the doorbell rams Nita stepped
lightly to answer it, quite unsuspecting.
She had not thought h he would
others to greet him Yet there he stood.
She knew him at the first glance and
wanted to hide. What could she say?
How explain? She stared and said
nothing.
He put. out his hand with a boyish
smile and a twinkle in his eye. rs
this Miss Miss SPENCE" he asked,
timid answer. Perhaps he would think
the one who wrote the letters was her
aunt: II he would only go away.
MY maiden aunt. my mentor" he
laughed merrily. You look Just as
imagined you would"
She gasped. "But-why-how could
you--"
Dom. you suppose I saw through
your little game?" His smile was bright
and assuming: ID you think any maid
en- aunt could write such letters as you
have been. writing to me? I've had YOU
Image before me all the time, and I've
learned to worship II. / knew your eyes
were fuil OF laughter, that your hair was
SOFT ana huffy, that your lips smiled wifi
the tlniest dimples. / could Just see the
mischief lurking in the corner of YOU
y as you wrote those letters. oh, how
you've helped to cheer those long, toll.
some months. How the thought OF yol
has given me help and courage, for
part at home"
They were sitting very close together
In the coy sitting room. Nita's hear
throDbed. yet she tried to draw he
hand away from him.
Oh" she faltered, what must 70,
"I think you are the dearest girl II
all the world" he told her. drawing he
hands from her burning face. II nee,
, mothering and advice. and all that sor
OF thing now, more than ever before
l I've come to ask you to take the 10
He was gazing at her with earnes
z eyes, fun of love.
She looked up at him. trembling, "
: with mischief in her eyes as she an
swered. Yes, IL you think you can stan
a maiden aunts scolding." And ne wa
quite satisfied.
TI- 49, ,n 80,