The Washington times., 1924-04-03

wanted to grip with both hand on
this new strength she had mo-
ment glimpsed. She wanted to
bind herself; keep Jake and the
heartening things he said close in
her thoughts. She wrote:
Dear Jake: / have the daisies
ready and am now securing the
byways for some nice, decrepit
old man; startle him back to life
with the most radiant smile.
When you come again there shall
await you the costliest family Of
venerable old ladies this city of
Angels can furnish. Shall you
hike that, Mr.. Jake, and more pro-
posals to refuse
''Oh, really Jake. you don't
know all the difference and how
l thank you. / am wearing vary
scarlet lips. But that's not all.
You have the kindest heart in all
the world. / can never say 1t all.
You will see. / mean to do those
things. / really do"
To herself, she wrote over and
over one line:
Dear Helena: There are many
doors in this world. You are to
open them-open them. You are
to forget the past-put 1t COM
pletely from your thoughts. Well
YOU areI You shall r.
Daisy Brack said to herr one
noon time: well, you're coming
out of it, aren't you ?"
Chiclkie started: What. Daisy ?"
THE thing that gets us all,
hgHk ~ haS
: it did me. Homesick-I thought
/ never could stick 1t out
Chickie laughed: "Well-was that
my trouble, Daisy ? l didn't know
just what had got me-"
Yet when Saturday afternoon
came and she considered her
plan,, she was all at once in a
panic. She had never visited a
. hospitals
She said to herself, weakening:
Maybe they don't permit 1t. 1t
may seem ridiculous
But She looked up the ad-
dress. She went to florist and
brought dollars worth of cosmos
in every delicate shade of pink
and lavender and blue.
She was coming out of the
shop, her arms filled, when some
one touched her with an eager:
Are you decorating the graves of
all the hearts you've broken,
Helena 2"
1t was Lee whitman, his deep,
large eyes ALT. It was the first
time she had seen him since her
return except for a hurried en-
counter in the office.
She blushed, unwilling to state
her mission. But he walked at
her side: Let me drive you z"
Ell can't You see I'm visiting
friend at the hospital"
MY car will drive to a hos
pital. Which one %
She laughed: 1.-THE city and
country-so you see l can't
trouble YOU"
He repeated softly: ooh"
then swiftly: Wont you please
let me take you? That's only a
friendly offer. isn't it,. Please"
and he began taking the flowers
from her arms: You have bought
enough, / hope
I'm be there quite a wilhelm
fact, all afternoon"
mo, you won't-they don't al.
low visitors to spend the after.
noon" And he brushed aside her
opposition. helping her to the
machine. 1t made her quiet with
an odd sense Of defeat.
She scarcely spoke as he
drove her. She said, leaving the
machine. Real nice in you, Mr..
Whitman"
Cant I come in with you,
Helena =? Can't carry the
flowers ?"
She shook her head with a ges-
ture of dismissal. i've imposed
enough" ----
Inside, she didn't know what to
do. She hesitated so that the
girl at the telephone switch
asked. Which ward do you
want?"
Chickie stammered. wells
it permitted-1ve brought these
flowers"
"Oh. you just want to leave
them. Take that turn to the left.
The nurse will be glad to get
them"
And the nurse took them from
sher in a very abrupt manner,
as though she was not at all
pleased.r~
Chickie said, I'D like to visit
the old mems ward"
The girl laughed. "It's all
right with me. Help yourself"
like a smart slap.
She went down the corridor.
turned this way and that. A door
opened. She looked in: man
who was not old pulled the covers
hastily to his chin and frownod.
Chickie hurried. She stood at
a window and looked into a gar.
den. A nurse in white sat in a
chair, her feet stretched out. She
was sleeping.
Chickie walked back--waited.
Whitman was still there, smoking
laZily, as though he were pre.
pared to spend the rest of the
afternoon. Tears blinked at
Chtckie's eyes. Ho-what did
Jake know of hospitals? Why
she'd like to bet he'd never been
in one.
She went out. Whitman sprang
from the car. How is your
friend? Better now3"
Chiclie smiled. He looked at
her with rapt, fervent eyes $50
this Is the way you spend your
Saturdays, Helena? Well"
She said: "Oh, no--only TODAY "