Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-09-23
Cornelia. and the
New Light
,~~N~~~~~~~~~
By CORONA REMINGTON
(Copyrlght.)

OORNELlA ALLEN looked mourn
~ fully down the quiet moonlit
street us she and Jack Wallingford
sat close beside each other on the
porch steps. Never had the neat,
drab little houses looked palmer or
less Interesting. The street In front
of them was as silent as death. Sud
denly everything in Cornelia's pro-
testing nature welled up In a big
choking sob and she dropped her head
on her knees and wept.
"Oh, COMFY, dearest, what is the
matter?" asked Wallingford, drawing
her closer to him. "Tve known all
along that something was wrong and
It's breaking my heart your not tell
ing me what 1t is"
In the half light Of the moon his
dark face looked almost tragic as he
leaned over his little sweetheart and
tried valnly to soothe her.
"You're going to tell me now" he
almost commanded. ~ won't leave
until you do II it's two o'clock tomor-
row afternoon"
ITS only that I'm $3.50 miseraDly
unhappy. I've lived in this dreary
hole all of my life and I'm sick Of 1t.
I want to get away. The very sight
of these dingy old houses makes me
sick. Look at my chum, Nell
Winton. What did she do but pack
her trunk and go off to New York and
you Just ought to read the letters she
writes got another today. She has
a Job in some wholesale office and
oh, New York must be heaven. She
wrote me twenty-fOur pages last week
all about Coney island and the rich
people she's seen driving along River
side. She's met girl there who
takes her around Saturday afternoons
and Sundays and shows her things.
And the museums and the ZOO
and the mansions. She says they're
palaces really. 1t must be sort Of
falryland. / do so want to go up
there. 1t seems as IL this little hole
would rise up and smother me. But,
Of course, can't go. I'm tied by the
leg. couldn't leave mother by her
self. But life doesn't seem
worth living any more. I'll never be
satisfied in this pokey little place
again. Never"
COrnelia burst into another fit OF
weeping and Jack in his big clumsy
way tried awkwardly to soothe her.
But In that short moment he had
become suddenly self-deprecating. He
felt that he was part Of the whole
setting and that she was revolving
against him as we'll as the town. Ger
tainly he could not measure up to any
New York standards of wealth and
glamor, he who was just an ambi-
tlous, ploddlng young lawyer whose
highest longing was to own a pretty
streets with Cornelia presiding as mis-
tress over It. Somehow he felt his
dreams crumbllng in ashes over It,
There was something so intangible
about the situation. He could not
graphic with It; 1t was like being
struck in the dark. His sweetheart
was there in his arms, yet she was
not really there, for her heart and
mind had wandered away from him
into the misty future.
"Then I guess our little plans about
getting married are all up" he said at
last sadly.
ooh, Jack, you don't understand.
I lust couldn't settle down. must be
part of that great rushing throng of
people that Nell talks about so much
and perhaps some day shall be able
to 20. Maybe l can earn enough to
pay companion to stay here and
care for mother"
Jack said little in answer to her
arguments; after a while he took him
self YEARLY off down the deserted
street, a lonely, solitary figure in the
dark.
Summer rushed Into autumn, winter
came at last and with 1t Cornella had
lost every vestige of her old gayety.
II was on a cold morning when she
saw a familiar figure hurrying down
the street toward her. She dropped
her broom and rushed to meet her.
"Nell 7" she gasped. "When did you
get here and why did Sou come"
Together they walked into the glow
ing kitchen their tears falling I'M
ashamed as they chung to each other
"Its been terrible" sighed Nell at
last. 81 lost my Job, then ! got sick
and all In all never was so lonely
and hOmeslck In all my whole life
Sometimes I thought would die from
sheer longing"
"But you didn't write like that"
protested Cornella angrlly.
"No. / was ashamed to since I'd
fused and fumed at home until they
let me go, but | guess got enough.
Me for the little home town after this
with its friendly faces and people
who've loved you all your llfe."
For n moment CorneIIa stood as one
stunned then excused herself and
rushed upstairs leaving her amazed
guest staring after her. few min
utes later she had slipped on her best
dress and was hurrylng toward the
dingy law offices of Jack Walllngford
up over the drug store, her blue eyes
like stars; as she walked the street
seemed to come to life; there was q
homelike atmosphere Of cozlness about
the smoke pouring out Of the chlmneys
and back OF the white curtains she
knew that happy families moved
about, living their simple happy lives
"Strange, isn't 1t, how envy can kill
the very soul Of you" she muttered to
herself as she saw things In new
light. "If only Jackll take me back
I'll spend my life making II up to him."
And just because he loved her 80
he dd