Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-29
DAILY NOVELETTE,
SILL SAY SOp
BY Ruth Wolf
BY Ruth Wolf
A LTHoUGH school had closed for


"A brief vacation for some unaccount-
able reason Martha Kenney fingered in
her room after the pupils had all been
dismissed.
The echo of voices came in through
the open window. Some of her pupils
still loitered about' the schoolhouse, and
for moment Martha stopped to listen.
"You said something that time,"
came one boyish voice.
"Ill say so - responded another.
Dear mel" exclaimed Martha half
aloud, "such slang as those children
use.'
'Tll say So" came voice so near
that for moment Martha was startled,
for it seemed as though it must be in
answer to her half-spoken thoughts.
How l hate that expression" she
exclaimed pettishly. "Such a silly thing
as it is to say IN say So to every
thing that's asked. l hope that l shall
have sense enough never to use it."
''Heigho," she said, and she sighed !;
cts the mountains and Aunt Selma S
for me-" and she quickly turned away
as she caught sight of her tired face
in the little mirror that hung upon the
closet door But somehow the prospect
of the mountains and Aunt Selma did
not seem to call forth quite as much
enthusiasm as one would expect in q
tired school teacher looking forward to
her vacation.
Two days later saw her in Aunt Sc
linas spotless kitchen. talking things
over We'll child" said the old
lady, 'you do look kind O. peaked,
must say, but we'll soon fix all that.
You showed such an improvement last
year after you'd been here a few weeks
that l guess this year won't be any
different
Last year. said the girl pensively,
'last year. her lips quivered bit,
and glancing up to catch an under
standing look in her aunt's face she got
no further.
Last ycar-Oh. Aunt Selina''-and
the old lady gathered the sobbing girl
into her motherly arms and comfortCd
her.
There, there, honey, don't you cry
Just you wait and see-it'll all come
out right l know"
Il know I'm awfully foolish" fall
tered the girl. but | cant help feel
ing that he'll never come back. He
, did tell me that he was going out on
government engineering job that would
; probably keep him away for long
time-but-he' never-even-even-
sent me n line. ~
!, "Oh, we'll" said Martha, calling all
her pride to the rescue, Il dare say
I shan't die of a broken heart. No
doubt he thought it was just another
one of those summer tlirtations, and ?
was foolish enough to take it seri-
ously."
t well, never mind, honey, never
, mind" comforted Aunt Selma, but
' there was suspicious twinkle in her
eye. "You just go down to the old
summer house with your book while
get the supper ready. I'm a-telling
| you that you'll find everything on the
mountain nicer than ever
So Martha bathed her face and went
e off to the dear little summer house
where she and Paul Grigsby had spent
/? many happy hour the year before
Nothing had been said about the fu-
ture. but Martha had thought
"Heigho!" she said again, half
r aloud, ass now slipping, now sliding,
she made her way down the little path
t that led to the summer house.
! Thoughts like these are idle things, ="
and she stopped to pick four leaf
o clover. perhaps this will bring me
n luck" she murmured, and raised her
q head to look straight into the eager
/ brown eyes of a tall and very much
p tanned young man who stepped from
v behind a tree.
Martha :" he said. Martha - and
he held out his arms. And the girl,
. forgetting for the moment everything
but the fact that he was there and
that he wanted her. walked straight
+ into them and buried her head on his
n shoulder.
MY darling, I have lived for
II months on the thought of this one
hour,' said Paul Grigsby later, when
7 they were able to talk. The first
couple of months / would not write
because l was miserable at the thought
a of how little had to offer you, and
= after that it was work, work, work
every hour of the twenty four that we
did not snatch for bit of sleep; fol
if the contract was completed within
!, the specified time each man was to gel
Il bonus, and to me that meant not
only money but you"
Together once more they wendet
their way over the little path that lee
II, to Aunt Selna's, Pau's strong arm
y being more than once found necessary
- to assist in their very slow progress
). u The old lady stood in the doorway wait
y ing for them, all kind 80 smile!
; round the lips and teary round thu
y lashes."
well" said Martha, you wer'
right, Auntie, dear; everything on thu
g mountain this year was certainly NICE
than ever "
u "And Paul" queried the old lady
sis Paul included in that statement
Yes replied Martha, smiling hap
s. pity, for once in my life IN say so J
The next complete nOvelette-Th
Fibber.