Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-19
DAILY NOVELETTE,
WELCOME HOME DAY
Ry \ izzfe NJ paahndy
by Lizzie NJ. Peabody

Si"'iVus- SunS"'"c '"e uaS WI
coined home its returned sons from tho
various branches of war service, bells
ro,o hands nlovod orI banpors waved
o,oryvbere
Iftor tba norcdo oamo tho bano,tet
aud sno,cbos onJ tbon dancing in thc
to,,r bolI Corto;nl,i oo,b roturned
man and bov sbopId have fclt his heart
warm with annrociot;on of tbe hearty
,coIcome o;von him and Stenben GLENN.
honorably discharged that very day, and
,.bo had arrival In town only n short
ti,,o hoforo ,bo norode storted had hon
cstIr onnrociatnd ovarv effort made in
bis bobaif os . roturnod soldier. and vet
tboro w,s , dissatisfied look in his dark
ovos nc tbev roved around tbc hall. even
ne he danced with the prcttiest girl and
hest dancer tbore
lie was looking for little Betty Plum
NOR and ebe had not vet onncsred
seven lsboriouslv written letters
which should hnve passed the censor he
had sent TO her. and after each had
been dispatchcd he had waited hopefully
for mn answer. but ms was the case
in tbo old sonyr ''tbe letter that he
Ilonpcd for never came
Evcn while keening stcn TO the pov
music bc sorrowfullv admitted to him
snlf that os far as he wns concerned
he might as we'll have tied a stone to
cach letter and had dropped il into the
deem sen for he had not heard from
her. Members of his compapy had re-
coivcd letters from the home town moro
mr. Ioss regulorlv but thc sensitivoncss
which made him hide deem his hurt
feelings counscled silence. and he had
asked no questions of them.
Although he was fond of dancing he
suddenly decided early in the evening to
go home; and as result soon found
himself walking RAPIDLY in the direction
of the old Plummer homestead, where
Betty lived with her grandmother, and
which was in the opposite direction from
his boarding place.
Supposing that Betty had stayed
away from the dance in order to avoid
him. he argued to himself, supposng
even that she preferred spending the
evening at home with some one who had
taken his place in her heart. There
really WASH any reason why ne
shouldn't stroll down by the old fash =
ioned gambrel-rooted white cottage
where she lived, and he was soon stand
ing close to the old turrowed stone
which. after many years OF service as
part of the busy Old grlst mill, had been
chosen by Betty grandfather as SUIT
able stepping stone to ms front door.
In the sitting room there was CHEEKY
light and outside the old fashioned
flowers which grew about the sides OF
the old stone seemed to sleeplly nod TO
him welcome as they swayed toward
him in the pale moonlight. Then the
unexpected happened. From force OF
habit, and almost unconscious of the
act, he raised the old brass knocker and
knocked upon the door.
1t was Betty who came. opened the
door quickly. and then stood gazing at
him.
Without being wholly successful she
Nricd to veil the look of happiuess which
sprang into her blue eyes as she recog
nizcd him. and checking an cxclama
tion with hands hanging Imply BY
her sides. she silently waited for him ia
: sneok
Don t stand there looking like that
Retty :" he burst out. You must have
known that | couldn't keep away: that
would have to learn FROM YOUR own
Inns your reason for not answering nv
i letters to Won? Maybc they weren't
f Interesting maybe they weren't wei
d written. but. oh. Betty, couldn't Won
o have written inst onceF" Her exprcs-
Y sion changed and she tried to spcaI
: calmly. but her voice trembled anC
. broke
+ lyon told me YOU would send YOU,
= addrass md 7 waited for Won TO write.
: "At first 7 was very natiept. and thc,
S I-but oh didn't get any letters
e Stevie---'' and for a moment she GOV
i orcd ber ovos with both hands
r feeling Of perfect comprehensio,
It orent ovor him Couldn't he nnderston,
e ,roiI enough how hard II had been f.
st hoon tbo .troin of woitirg9 E.gerIy h
oovabt ot hor hands and drorr thcr
swiftIr aw,v from bor face
" seven letters. bettE' he cried
seven letters wrote ana sent an