The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1921-07-22
wave Of color swept acr0as EdIth's

Late that evening she walked home
rather YEARLY. Two or the younger
girl boarders we're already through
dinner and were sitting on the front
steps waiting for their friends TO
come TO take them out for the eve
ming, The fresh young faces under
the carefully waved hair and the pref
~ slim feet In their hlgh-heeled
pumps made Edith feel rather elderly
for she saved part Of her salary each
week toward little home in the fu-
ture.
81 am raising the board dollar
week." announced her landlady as she
gave Edith her pudding. "The cost OF
food Is soaring and so greatly that ]
may have TO raise again before long
too" she added as the girls eyes gazed
back at her In dlsmay.
Edith had just removed her flow
ers, intending TO put them in her tooth
brush mug to keep fresh for the next
day. when there was a tap on her
door.
"A man 10 see you, Miss Jones.
Lands sake, you never had man call
on you before, but then suppose he's
an insurance agent" Mrs. Miller's
sharp eyes dwet upon the tired face
before her as she specialized He
wouldn't give his name"
"Thank you, Mrs. Miller" Edith's
tone was colorless, but once again
the thrill Of spring seized her.
From the house next door came n
languorOus love song, the rather dingy
lace curtains stirred in Il breeze
straight from the lake laden with a
spicy sweetness that even the flight
across the city had not lessened From
the tiny flowers in the common china
mug nodded a call OF the woods--Of
glossy green leaves against the linger-
ing patches of snow In cool hOllows.
She rearranged her hair slowly,
dallying with the pleasure Of anticipa-
ton. 1t might be most any one wait
ing in that stiff, garishly furnished
front parlOr with its heavy 0dOrS of
long-eaten mealS-with the grim at
mospbere of loveless lives that had
tarried for brief stay and then fit
ted to, perhaps, worse environment.
1t probably was an insurance agent.
as Mrs. Miller had unkindly surmised,
but if so he could wait.
Edith smiled back at her shadOwy
reflection in the pale mirror. She
would pretend that she was dressing
for an escort-one who would bring
a beribboned box of candy and who
would masterfully assist her down the
steps as she had seen the trim-beted
young fellows do when they went
laughingly down with the girls who
now waited on the steps.
Tucking the flowers back in their
silllen nest, she turned slowly away
and went sedately downstairs. No one
must guess at the joyous riot of spring
that had suddenly pervaded her drab
evening. She was a young woman go
ing down TO her company in the front
parlor and the gay smile still fingered
on her face, lending a new expression
to the rosy mouth as she effteerd the
door and looked at her caller.
Hello, Edith! Thought maybe you'd
go to the movies with me tonight"
There was tiny gasp as the incred-
ible words fell upon the ears under the
soft loops Of black hair. Ed was smil-
ing back at her under the crude light
of the yellow gas whose globe had
long since been broken.
Il wanted to tell you my good
news" he began as they went out into
the shadowy street and joined the pro-
cession Of young people who loitered
dreamily in the sweet dusk of the
spring night. "The township high
school is finished now and I'm to be
the principal at an Che paused and
looked down meaningly into her face)
adequate salary"
"Adequatef" murmured the girl, for
his salary as principal of the grammar
school had seemed almost opulent to
her.
Eyes, at last adequate" he said,
with Tilt of joy breaking through the
grave notes of his deep voice. II shall
have enough to keep up a really good
little home, and want to know If You
will Gomez"
The fragrance of the first spring
flowers drifted up and Edith knew at
last why she had resented the calm
appropriation of Emma. She had not
known she cared for Ed in that way.
But the gold and pink of other spring
days that had begun so happily and
ended in the fatigue of hard day
among the garish colorS Of railway
literature were as nothing to the pres
ent.
She lifted her head and listened for
he had gone on talking eXcitedly, his
reticence Of the past forgotten.
Il couldn't speak sooner, for the
life was too hard, but now, Edith,
thought of the new, soft, green bunga-
low on the street south of the high
school. We are going to have a IL
brary in it, and think of the pleasure
of choosing the books"
"And we'll always have bowl of
arbums in the spring." murmured the