Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-11
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
A Lucky Turn of Fate
BY SHIRLEY SyMONDS

u
have done since slapped Joe Mills in
the face the day before he went away
twenty. years ago, and told. him ! never |
wanted to see him again, i1nsid Molly |
Smith to herself as she finis writing
her name and address on 81 th brown |
eggs. Placing it in packing case with |
dozens of other choice specimens she
carefully lowered the lid and tackled on
the label.
Those eggs ready yet. Moll?" yelled
Martin, her brother, from the farm
truck outside.
Yes she called back. "and you'll
express"
Life held but few thrills for Molly
| nowadays. Several years before upon
the death of her parents. they--shc and
Martin-had moved to this little town
in Maine, and to say that she was
lonely most of the time was putting II
mildly. Though she would be forty her
next birthday there was stil a lingering
shred of romance in her nature, and
1t was that, maybe, which led her TO
repeat nm old experiment of girlhood
| days when she and her sisters would
lnughingly inScribc their names upon
eggs being made ready for ma arkct with
hopes of receiving responses from some
of the youthful city bcaux.
"a letter would break the monotony.
anyhow" sighed Molly, as she watched
her brother Swervc out of the dooryard.
Three weeks later Molly was sitting
on the back porch pccling apples for
pies when Martin, with guilty look on
| his good naturcd face. approached her
with something in his hand.
Say, Moll. I'm sorry. but I've car
rcd this letter of yours in my pocket
for over a wcck-drat the luck" pick
ing up his voice. there's every blamed
COW in the corn field" and tossing
the letter into her lap he hurried away.
much to Mollys relief. as it left her
hoping-foolish though it was--to re-
ceive.
Laying aside the pairing knife she
examined first the postmark. and then
the writing on the envelope. She liked
it-such strong. bold masculine strokes:
and then as though the pretty little
porch with its clinging vines and filter
ing sunlight was no place for such an
important event. she hastily sought the
scclusion of her bright little chamber in
which to open the precious missivc.
Molly stared at the name ut the bot
tom of the closely written sheet.
Woman like she had sought the sigma
ture first. There it was as plain as
day--Joscph Draper Mills. 1t couldn't
bc-but back to tho beginning
MY dear little Molly" she read
"For of course you are littlc--a miss
OF fourteen or fifteen. say can
scarcely fathom your disappointment
when you learn that the beautiful egg
with your address was unlucky enough
to fall into my hands old codgcr Of
forty two. Now when an old fellow
like mo receives something obviously in =
tended for some Young and handsome
hero the least he can do is to write
and express his sorrow over tn" affair.
) But when you learn the circumstances
which led me to that egg perhaps your
gentle heart will be able to forgive me.
? after all
lyon see. | lost my dear mother some
months agO-hCr name was Molly. too
fright here Molly gnspcd. Every last
l doubt was now diSpClcd regarding tn,
: identity of the writcr). and ever since
then | have had to keep house by my
$ self. ! found it very hard at first. bu
, | can now sweep the floor without rails
: ing dust to the ceiling; also manage {
few other things without disaster. Bu
{ as for cOoking-thc only think | ca,
cook is eggs. If ! could cook othe
things ! might not have asked III!
grocer for a dozen of his best this morn
/ ing. But did and of course he littl
hHP" Dl Illp llUo'fiI uDI'S Ip WI
h blasting when he placed among then
p the one marked with your nice littl
: name. Truly. Molly. | am sorry.
{ "Particulariy so. because ! knew
/ little Molly once. and can we'll imagn
o her disgust had such n thing ever hap
t pcncd to her. We were good friend
Il till one day-but. of course. you ar
not interested in my little Molly of lon
ago. often wonder whore she i.
though. She used to be n famous littl
cook. Such steaks Such pies. Sue
tlaky white biscuits Molly. I'm starv
y ing. It's long past dinner time. II
r cooking eggs. They've been boiling a
II the while I've been writing this letter.
h like them done. wish you would writ
Q line just to say that YOU forgive IN
n for interfering with your fun-if 70
n can. Yours.
3 JOSEPH DRAPER MILLS"
y Six months have passed since Molly
q prank with the egg. She is now Mrs
n Joseph Draper Mills. and busily en-
Il gagged in dishing up n Savory Smcllin
d dinner.
= "All ready in halr minute, Joe.
e she chcerily calls. and a. Joe folds u
his newspaper and joins his buXOm wifi
d nt the table he fondly kisses her an
n remarks
t well. this is what call II luck
:. turn Of fatc-ch. MOlly?'
: Next complete novclctte-"Whe
Ouija Predicts