South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-25
Dear
By Josephine Gish

II seemed for a while Is IL the
storm We're going 10 clear but the
still threatening clouds soon justified
their appearance. The long, straight
road lay glistening far ahead with
the perpetual spray Of the rain and
as the steady torrents fell in de-
termined sort Of way that bespoke
a long duration, the gloom increased.
To the girl crouchej beneath IN
overhanging bank, the outlook was
hopeless. She was feeling more
crushed and forlorn with each sec
ond and finally she had gone so far
that she no longer made the sligat-
est attempt to hold in her bedraggled
hair or keep her clothes from the
worst mud. When suddenly the wa
ter that was streaming down the
bank gathered forces into a little rill
that ran obligingly down her back.
she had no annoyance at the feel
ing-merely because of the necessity
for moving.
But that action awakened her and
once more she arose and plOdded
along the road her feet squashins
in her soggy shoes and her clothes
hanging about her. But in spite Of
all the bedragglement, she still weht
on in the same direction she had
been taking before the storm, al
though she knew that if she retraccd
her steps. she would find a swift coy
car and a pair of delighted gray eyes
eTrs "a 10
wasn't a sport and I won't go back.
He didn't understand or believe me
when I said that l had never done
it before"
Suddenly she laughed and tossed
her head.
"Oh" she went on, 1T was such
a stunning little Stutz and right out
side our door Who could have help
ed jumping in and imagining it was
their own and then who wouldn't
have hidden when they heard some
one coming especially with such a
wonderful rug behind. just made for
it? And then, when I found IT was
going and 1 had to explain, he WIS
such a brick about it.
She paused and looked back.
why" she apostrophized the air,
why did you say l would have 20
pay the penalty by taking a ride?
Why did you say it in such a nice
way If you were only going TO hu-
initiate me by calling me dear p
She stamped her small, soggy foot
and walked resolutely on with her
hands clenched very tightly and her
eyes burning.
IT hate him." she stormed. How
ever nice he seemed, L hate him. T."
Suddenly she stopped and once
more she stood quite still while the
rain swirled around her.
81 don't mean that she thought,
slowly, NO, try TO and l ought
TO but can't hate him. I keep think
ing OF him and before he said it and
how he would speed just for me and
when I asked him if he didn't enjoy
il. he said that he did through me.
Imagine being so fed up on speeding
that YOU have TO have someone
sduealing at your side TO enjoy it!
And I can't help thinking how his
ewes twinkled and wrinkled. They
would seem so deep and peaceful
and beautiful and then suddenly he
would smile and they glow all over.
Here I am thinking of those things
when I should have been thinking OF
getting home and above all-hating
/ him."
This time her hand clenched hard
er still and as she plodded forward
again she was aware Of the relief
she felt when she turned her anger
from him to herself.
NO. I've got 10 stop this. I'm do
/ ing quite the right thing as long as
! I keep on and get home. It's only
/ he that is wrong and horrible. Why,
even when he called me dear his
4 eyes were so seemingly respectful.
OH the hypocrite! / wish had ask
! ed him his name and address so as
/ TO write and say what 1 think of
\ him. I had TO tell him my name and
address TO have him take me home
to the right place and-he called me
| Nancy right away. Well. thank the
Lord 1 thought OF losing my hat and
running away while he got it, but
/ why did I take such a valuable thing
as a hat-oh dear,"
Suddenly a brilliant inspiration
\ came 20 her.
II know how I'll make myself for
+ get it all. I'll go TO visit Aunt Ber-
I tina right away instead Of waiting for
+ three weeks. She wrote that she
wanted me 10 come. but 1 thought II
might look as if I wanted to meet
! her son, who had just come home
\ 1 don't care though. Aunt Bertha s
such a peach that she'll understand
After this resolution had beer
made. she went on without any fur
/ Their hesitation until the very length
of il all has wearied her and the
! darkness appalled, her.
Its frightfully lark she whis
pered. Il wonder if I've taken the
right road and how many miles I've
gone? Oh, ] just can't stand il any
more. Just then as If in answer
/ she saw the searchlights Of a ma
chine which was itself hidden be-
hind a convenient curve. Forgetting
Y her past experience. Nancy cried ou'
/ in desperation.
i've a better chance that way thar
I h,s,r- Lost have q N NIGHT 80 she yva ,