The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1921-02-25
The
Wrong Envelope
By JESSIE DOUGLAS

that there was such a thing as dish
washing.
IF l only had the-courage," she
said aloud.
She looked out through the low
kitchen window to the hollyhocks that
stirred family in the morning breeze.
past them 70 the blue line of hills and
fur Off to a puff Of cloud, feather
white on old Sugar Loaf.
"r1l do I'll" she dared herself.
Then she came back to the dish
washing and went on swiftly with
quick, sure strokes until the white
kitchen was shining with scrubbed
table and swept floor and plates all
in a row.
She whlsked through the work this
morning until at last with a sigh of
relief she took up her bottle of Ink.
her stub pen and her very best writ
ing paper. On the stone step at the
kitchen door she sat down, safe from
interruption.
For a long time she bit her pen and
sought for her first sentence until,
forgetful Of her purpose, she sat there
looking into a pleasant past and a flu
>ture that might be roseate.
She remembered the first time she
had met Dickey. She was carrying
the butter home from the Spring farm
and he had come swiftly up behind
her and asked II he might take it for
her. She could still see the frank
smile in his blue eyes and the way
he tossed back his head to keep that
n lock Of hair out of his eyes.
Somehow they had found something
to laugh at that very first minute and
she had been delighted in his hearty
chuckle. They had stopped over the
spring after they had gone a mile
and Dickey had scooped the clear, icy
water mp in his curved palms for her
to drink.
Could she ever forget the way his
laughing blue eyes had looked down
into her dark ones; or how he had
taken her hand In his big calloused
one and led her across the slippery
stones of the brook, for the shortcut
homer
They had been friends ever since
that morRing-friends in varying
stages Of friendship. They had quar-
relied and made 1t up and always with
that same frank c%omradeship that
limited no sentimental relation.
When she had first fallen in love
with him Marjorie could not tell. but
Of a sudden she knew she was
wretched when she was with him.
The candid friendship Of his eyes
hurt, for she wanted something more.
his hearty handclasp wal like the grip
Of a brother.
"Why," Marjorie Dean asked her
self, hadn't Dickey Stevens fallen
in love with herr Was It because
he had seer her washing the dishes
with a pink and white checked apron
tied around her waist7 Was It be-
cause they were too good friends ana
he knew her in oil the simple honest
ways-too well?
And nOw-now the time had come
for him to decide. For he was going
away, going to work out his own sal
walton on a bit Of government land
in the West. Dickey would be gone
for a year, and a year Is a very long
time In any ones life.
She could feel already his steady
hand.clasp, and the way his blue eyes
would look into hers and he would
ask her to write! No. she couldn't
endure It.. Girls were told they must
SIT quietly at home and wait-it was
the mans place.
But | could help him sol" Mar
Jorie told the little black kitten that
had stolen around to sit on her skirts ;
hell be so lonely of there-we can
laugh through the hardships, and |
should love It all, cooking for him
and mendlng and making a house
pretty. Oh. he'll need met"
Then she dipped her pen Of a sud
den Into the ink and began to write.
Dear Mr.. Wilmer (she began).
Thank you for sending that wonder
full package of books. I've dipped
into the novel already and | know |
shall like the verse-but you mustn't
do this sort Of thing so often; I shall
be glad to see you in August, when
you come on your vacation. and as
you say, this is the prettIest country
In the world
Wen talk over what you said In
your letter when you come out-per.
haps 1t car wait until then1
Your friend,
MARJORIE DEAN"
Marjorie read wei the letter, draw.
ing her yelvety brows together and
feeling her cheeks redden at what
she was going to do. Deliberately
she addressed two envelopes. Into
the one bearing the name "Mr. Rich.
ard Stevens" she put the wrong letter
1.-The letter she had just written.
She sealed 1t up very quickly. and
then before she could weaken she
called Tommy, aged ten, and gave Il
to hum to mall.
Here's 10 cents for the trouble.
Tommy" she offered.
Her brother, clasplng II In his club.
by paw, went whlstling down the road
Marjorie waited with a duftrrino