The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1920-03-13
FORGETTING
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never TO be mended. Sne nau quar-
relied with Tom, broken her engage
ment, and come up to visit her aunt
In this little village ameng the hills
in order to forget him
"If you weren't quite so selfish, and
could forget yourself for five minutes
at time, you would be a little bit
happier. Betty" her aunt said one day.
her voice softening her words.
Betty didn't even turn from the win
dow. where she was gloomily looking
down the road. Everything looked
even more dismal than usual in the
grayness of drizzling rain.
A little later her aunt called her out
into the kitchen. where she was pack
Ing some jelly In basket.
Betty. 1 wish you would take this
Jelly down to Mrs. Emery-she lives
in that white house near the cross
roads, you know. l was going myself,
but my rheumatism is troubling me
and I'm afraid 1t would make 1t worse
to go outl-in this rain. The Jelly's
especially for her son--he nearly died
with pneumonia this fall, and is just
beginning to sit up now. thought
perhaps you could cheer him up a lit
tie. You don't mind, do your
II don't mind taking the jelly
down." Betty replied, but I'm not go
ing In, because | don't want to see
him. don't feel like trying to. cheer
up anyone, anyway, especially when
they're men,"
Betty trudged down the road mood
fly. AT the Emery place Mrs. Emery
herself opened the door, and greeted
her In such warm, friendly way,
that she was ashamed of her cross
ness.
II made some pumpkin pies this
morning, and / want to send one up
to your aunt. Come in and walt in
the sitting room, while | wrap 1t up
Mrs. Emery said, drawing Betty In,
in spite of herself, and pushing her
into the coy, old-fashioned living
room. Here's someone to talk to,
Don-Jessica's little niece, Miss
Southall. You must entertain her I'M
til l get that pie wrapped up"
my, but it seems good to see some
one from outside" he said. You're
all wet; sit down near the fireplace"
Betty obeyed He didn't look any
thing like Tom-she was glad of that
He was sitting in an armchair, all
bundled up in a red and white crazy
quilt His face was very thin and
drawn--until he smiled, and then he
looked surprisingly bright He asked
her about her trip up and about her.
self--not bit like Tom, whose con-
versation was always mostly about
himself--and by the time Mrs. Emery
came back, Betty had promised to
come down the following afternoon
and play cribbage with him.
In the weeks that followed, while
he was Commissioning, slfe went down
often. Sometimes she read to him,
sometimes they played cribbage, or
roasted chestnuts or popped corn IN
the fireplace, sometimes they just
talked. When he grew stronger. and
there was no longer any excuse for
her to visit him. he began to call
often at Aunt Jessica's house. Later,
when he was quite well again, they
snowshoed and skated together, and
he took her slelghing behind his new
and favorite horse, whose name he
changed from Dolly to Betty, because
1t sounded so much better. Betty
soon forgot that she wasn't happy,
but she was too busy to notice the
way her aunt's eyes twlnkled at times.
when she looked at her.
1t was some time later that Betty
answered the doorbell one afternoon
to find Tom Rolinsford standing on
the doorstep.
"What a forsaken hole Of a place
TO hide away in were his first words.
II couldn't get anyone to bring me up
from the station and had to walk all
the way" His voice was somewhat
irritable, for he was very cold.
"What a shame y Betty sympa.
thized. as she led him into the living
room, wondering to herself what she
had ever seen In him.
When she had closed the door he
seized both hands-just as of old
and said: +
swell, well, Betty. you're pretuer
than ever You were unreasonable,
asst summer-about Louise, IJnesn \
but III admit IT was partly my fault.
so ] thought had better come up and
p2ologize and take you back home be-
fore some farmer up here married
YOU"
"If that's why you came up" Betty
said I'm afraid you've come too
late" She pulled the curtain aside
and pointed down the road "See.tiia
white house down there-the one with
the big barn3 Well. next month am
going to marry the man who lives
there. Yes, he Is farmer, but he
isn't cad"
Betty, you're jokingl''
"Oh, no, I'm net See my ring. He
is coming to supper tonight. Won't
you wait and meet him?'
The look Of unbelief on his face
changed to one of injured pride Look.
Ing at his watch. he said stifily:
''No. thank you. I've got to catch
that $50 train back--an impor
tant engagement, you know--so I'D
tear along"
With little smile in her eyes, Betty
watched him IaboriousIy make his way
down the drIfted road, then her gaze
became fixed upon the little white
house, and with the smile still playing
around her mouth, she returned to her
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