Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-06-24
THE
HOPELESS
CHEST
10 by d, J. walsh.)

L Il tune, old-fashioned perhaps,
but enchantingly coupled with
the words which ran through her
mind endlessly although she did not
quite dare utter them. Aunt Janavice
scowled upon love, scowled upon Jean,
who was at that moment loves very
expression, scowled upon the little
chest into which Jean had dropped a
bit Of carefully accomplished needle
work. Hope chest, indeed Hope
less chest I call It," sneered Aunt
Janavice.
Therefore, Jean had not dared tell
the old woman that Hugh Hartley had
said to her that morning over the tele-
phone:
"Oh, Jeanl By the way, Jesnl Are
you going to be home this evening?
If you are I'd like to run over I've
something to tell you"
Something to tell her OF course,
she knew what that was. He was
going to ask her to marry him. AS
If she had not had YES" all ready
and waiting for him this long time
She laughed at the idea. Dear Hugh
Dear, wonderful Hugh
No wonder she was happy. No
wonder her heart danced and her lips
sang, no wonder her eyes were full of
tender dreams. A long, long day 1t
had been, though so JOYFUL but now
at least 1t was done and he would be
here in twenty minutes.
She had dressed In her prettiest
frock of gold-colored cotton, which
made her hair look like black satin
and her eyes like pools into which
June stars dipped AS she stood be-
fore her mirror she thought with In
tense gratitude and humble hope Of
the future. To love and be loved, she
who had known no love In all her life,
for Aunt Janavice had only taken her
out Of duty when her parents left her
alone and unprovided for, and had no
feeling for her other than that duty
engendered. It was true she had
tried to return every kindness Aunt
Janavice had given her, and for sew
eral years now her earnings had been
shared with the old woman, It was
at the office she had met Hugh and
she had begun to love him at once.
But 1t had taken whole year for him
to love her, though that did not mat
ter now. To have her own home
and Hugh. Suddenly she swung away
from the mirror and dropping on her
knees before the hope chest lifted the
lid. All the little fine things she had
accumulated In that year lay there
breathing forth a scent Of violet as of
promise. She caught up a knit dish
cloth and pressed 1t to her lips. Then
she closed the lid, arose and ran
downstairs and out upon the veranda.
There was moonlight and the ram
bier rose was mass of scarlet bloom.
Roses and moonlight-and Lowell Per-
lection! She sighed and sat down
upon the step to wait for her lover
The street was very still and very
bright. She began to hum again that
old love tune and then she saw him
coming. Her heart burned and she
put her hand to her breast.
He was coming quickly with that
brisk, sure step Of his. She could
see him, tall, in the moonlight. When
he reached the lilac bush he cut
across the tiny grass plot and came
to her
"Oh! Here you are" he said
Eyes Here am" she replied.
He sat down beside her and, taking
of his hat, smoothed back his blond
hair.
Peach of night" he murmured.
Then he looked al her. isn't It, Jean,
huh?"
Wonderful" she murmured.
Hugh drew q long breath and they
sat In silence while the roses breathed
perfume and the moonlight and the
stiffness wove their charm.
"What do you suppose I've come to
tell your" Hugh asked
why" Then she said the most
ridiculous thing she could think Of,
laughing little as she spoke you
are going away"
That's It,"
The Icy blast seemed to strike Jean.
She shivered, tried to speak and
failed.
I'm going away tomorrow" Hugh
went on. "Pm not kicked out, I'm
just leaving. That's what came over
TO tell you tonight I thought you'd
take as much interest as anybody"
She was congealing into a motion
less numb thing.
"Fm going to New York." Hugh
said. II know a fellow there. You
see, Jean, they don't pay a man In this
office and there is no chance to rise.
Seniority rights, you know. Why ia
have to walt until / was the age Of
old Culberson before IL" Hugh |
paused, knottlng his hands and star
ing into the moonlit street.
Jean stirred with a great effort.
81 don't blame you. ! wouldn't stay |
II were you" she said feebly.
Later, hours later. she lay awake,
her tears exhausted, In daze OF
misery, while the moonlight lay in a |
broad bar OF silver on the worn car |
pet and the roses sent their sweetness
in over the sill of her open window.
Tomorrow he was going away. To |
morrow she must go on with her work |
Just as if--as II there we're no such
things as broken hearts and hopeless
chests
The poor little hopeless chest II |
its contents had not been so imbued |
with memory, SO sacredly inviolablc. |