Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1921-01-21
The
Wrong Envelope
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS

1eSS>S~NNNNNNNNNNNNN
O. 1850. by Mcclure Newspaper syndlcate.)
Marjorie laid the wet glasses in q
row, where they shone like 80 many
iridescent soap bubbles. Mechan-
icaily she put the silver into the wire
drainer next to them and then forgot
that there was such a thing as dish
washing.
III 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,
pnst them to the blue line Of hills and
Tar on to a puff Of cloud, feather
white on old Sugar Loaf.
I'LL do itw 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 q row.
She whisked through the work this
morning until ut 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 long time she bit her pen and
sought for her first sentence until,
forgetful Of her purpose, she sat there
looking into pleasant past and fu-
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 If he might take 1t for
her. She could still see the frank
smile In his blue eyes and the way
he tossed back his head to keep that
one 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
string after they had gone mile
and Dickey had scooped the clear, Icy
water up 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 morning-friends In varying
stages Of friendship. They had quar-.
relied and made It up and always with
that same frank comradeship that
limited no sentimental relation.
When she had first fallen In love
with him Marjorie could not tell. but
OF 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 was like the grip
Of Q brother.
"Why," Marjorie Dean asked her
self. hadn't Dickey Stevens fallen
In love with her? Was II because
he had seen her washing the dishes
with pink and white checked apron
tied around her waist? Was It be-
cause they were too good friends and
ne knew her In all the simple honest
ways-too well?"
And now-now the time had come
Tor him to decide. For he was going
away, going to work ont his own sal.
'vntion on a bit Of government land
In the West. Dickey would be gone
Tor year, and year is Q 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 writel No, she couldn't
endure 1t. Girls were told they must
sit quietly at home and wait---it was
the MINIS place.
But could help him sol" Mar.
5orie told the little black kitten that
had stolen around to sit on her skirts;
she'll be so lonely of there--we can
laugh through the hardships. and ]
should love It all, cooking for him
and mending and making house
pretty. Oh, he'll need metz
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
tol package Of books. I've dipped
Into the novel already and know
snail like the verse-but you mustn't
90 this sort OF thing 30 often; shall
DC glad to see you In August, when
you como on yOnr vacation and Al