Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-06-24
ASCRAP OF PAPER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY EsTELLE "A. TlDD


The first time the telephone rang
that morning young Mrs. E" picked
up the receiver and heard the follow
ing:
THAT you, Nell? Say, did you no
tice little folded piece of paper on
the hall floor after I left? Didn't?
Well. will you look. please; and say,
Nell. if you find it, don't look at it,
please, do you hear? It's little bit
private. I'll hold the line. Hurry
back"
The paper was quickly found and
Nell rushed back to inform her hus-
band Of her success.
"Goodi l don't want to lose that"
was the reply. Put it In the little
drawer in my desk, and you won't
look at it, will you, Nell? Promise"
"Awfully private, it seems to me, but
you needn't worry, / won't look at
your precious paper. Good-by."
She sat for moment, regarding the
bit of paper with hostile eyes.
pretty fussy to call 1t folded
piece of paper" she unused indignant
ly. Looks to me like note-a regu-
lar note"
; Presently there rushed in upon her
Julia D., her best and frankest
friend.
Have you heard the latestTf she
demanded. Sue B is here-came
Tuesday; she's going to stay month.
She's looking magnificent. Funny she
hasn't visited in town since your en-
gagement to Harley was announced
over two years ago. She used to be
crazy about him. They made the most
stunning pair-everybody turned to
look. / wonder" she paused abrupt
ly, then ratified on: Say, Nell, /
wouldn't dare to marry a handsome
man-you never can tell-Goodness,
Nell, don't ever wear that shade OF
blue again. You look five years older
In it,"
Julia had just whirled out when the
telephone rang again. Harley'S sister
Lou wanted Nells new recipe for egg.
less cake, and after hearing it she con-
tributed her share to the mornings
budget
"Whose car were you out in last
night at Pinetree Heights? After you
had whizzed by, breaking every speed
law ever made, l realized that one of
the men was Harley. 1t was so near
dark l couldn't recognize anyone else,
but / suppose you were along. You
certainly had reckless person at the
Wheel"
"T-Tll tell you all about it later,
Lou. II think there's something
burning on the stoves Good-by."
She hung up the receiver. Out at
Pinetree Heights last night, and he
had told her it was a business en-
gagement that had kept him until 80.
He had been unusually high-spirited
during the evening, and then alternate
ly absorbed in thought.
What could it mean? Miserably she
went about her work. She thought in
cesSantly of that -charmer. Sue
B, and the mysterious note, and
though she felt wholesome diStaste
in doing so, still she kept wondering
whether Sue B and the note did OF
did not belong together.
mo, l won't look at it," she assured
herself. II said ! wouldn't, and
won't-I won't"
But before she had finished speak
ing her hand reached straight to the
drawer, opened 1t and drew out the
paper.
"All the rest of the day." she
choked, 1--WE got to live with this aw-
full note"
Springing up, she crumpled it in her
hand.
81 know what I'll do. I'll burn up
the horrid thing. Harley shan't have
it-nobody shall have it, and If it's
burned up can't read it."
Lighting a match, she knelt before
the CRATE. She had just thrown down
the flaming scrap when the front door
banged and her husband entered the
room, going straight to the desk in the
corner.
Building fire, Nell? Say, where's
that paper 'phoned about?" His voice
was edged with excitement. THAT'S
important"
Eyes, of course-very impOrtant-to
you. Oh, know all about it."
"What'd you look at it for? By
George, you said you wouldn't. l like
that"
81 didn't look at it" she famed. IT
had some degree of honor, but I've
burned the horrible thing, and didn't
have to read it to find out few things
joy riding way out to Pinetree
Heights last night, for instance-and"
what" broke in Harley. "You
burned that paper-you silly-and lit
tie you know what was out to Pine
tree Heights for. That peachy little
bungalow out there, you know, Nell,
that we are both crazy about. I've
rented it, with a chance to buy 1t
later, perhaps. We can have garden
and chickens and help out on our bit.
l was out there again this afternoon,
looking the place over, and have come
back now to take you there. And, lis
ten here. I've just bought another Lib
erty bond, my biggest yet, for you this
time, and the horrible thing you just
saw fit to burn up was the receipt for
the first payment. / was going to give
you a pleasant little bunch Of sur
prises, and that was why / told you
not to look at it."
"Oh. Harley, how awful" she
walled. "You can't ever forgive me-"
There was such distress in her face
that Harley's annoyance vanished.