Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-03-12
The
Wrong Envelope
By JESSIE DOUGLAS

irideScent soap bubbles. Mechan-
ically she put the silver into the wire
drainer next to them and then forgot
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 hollybockS that
stirred family in the morning breeze
past them 10 the blue line Of hills and
far Off to n puff of cloud. feather
white on old Sugar Loaf
I'm do IT." 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 whisked 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 Mt the
kitchen door She sat down, safe from
interruption.
For long time she bit her pen and
sought fer her first sentence untU,
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 il he might take it for
her. She could still see the frank
smile in his blue eyes aud 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
spring after they had gone mile
and Dickey had scooped the clear, icy
water mp in his curved palms for her
10 drink
Could she ever forget the way his
laughing blue eyes he'd looked down
into her dark ones; or how he had
taken her hand in his big calloused
one and lea her across the slippery
stones Of the brook for The shortcut
home?
They had hcen 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 handcasp was like the grip
Of brother
why, Marjorie Dean asked her
self, hadn't Dickey Stevens fallen
in love with her? Was It 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
he knew her in all the simple honest
ways-too wellf'
And now-Bow the time had come
for him 10 decide For he was going
away, going to work out his own sal
walton on BIZ Of government land
IN the West Dickey would be gone
for wear, and 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 aud he would
ask her to write No. she couldn't
endure IT, Girls were told they must
sit quietly at home and waft-it was
the mans place
but ! could help him so" Mar
i0rie told the little black kitten that
had stolen around to SIT on her skirts
he'll be SO lonely or thpre-we can
laugh through the hardshIps, and !
should love it all, cooking for him
and mendIng and making "a house
pretty on. hen need me I"
Theu she dipped her pen Of sud
den into the ink aud began 20 write.
Dear Mr. Wilmer Cshe oegan).
Thank you for sending that wonder
ful package Of books I've dinped
into The novel already and ! know !
shall like the verse bat you mustn't
DO this sort of thing SO often shall