The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-09-07
VICTIM
OF MUD
PUDDLES


A T LAST Judith was to meet
"A Norman Parker after having
correspondent with him for
three years. 1t had begun
when her chum, Alma, had married a
naval officer, Bob Whitman, and had
gone to Honolulu to live. Letters had
been exchanged regularly between the
two girls and Alma had made frequent
reference to Norman Parker, a brother
officer of her husbands Then there
was TESTING message sent to Judith
from Parker, and she had sent one
back. Finally letter had come across
the Pacific and regular correspondence
had followed her reply. 1t had been
planned that Judith was to spend a
summer vacation with the Whitmans.
but just when she was planning her
wardrobe Bob had decided to leave
the navy and go into business. so be
and Alma had returned home.
In more recent letters Lieutenant
Parker had spoken of an impending
leave and just this morning Alma had
called Judith, saying "Norm" was in
town! He had tried to reach Judith
on the phone, but had been unsuccess-
full. He was coming out for dinner
and Judith was to come. too! Judith
did not remember saying "good-by" to
Alma. She hung up the receiver al
most mechanically and all the after
noon the big familiar offices of Denton
Il HornblOw, attorneys, took on a
gloritied, strange appearance, and she
made three mistakes in one letter!
There was a large framed photo
graph of Parker on her dresser, with
a scrubbed ITO my friend Judy" down
in one corner, and it was to this
photograph that she addressed her
conversation while she dressed with
meticulous care.
81 know you are as nice as know
you are" she said as she carefully
drew on a sheer chiffon hose which
from its Christmas tissue. 'And
hope you will think am as nice as l
want you to think me-" she added,
slipping her foot into trim silver
brocaded slipper. Il just knew when
l bought those slippers they would do
for-sOme-very-special - occasion
And this is the occasion. Just think,
j am going to see you face to face!
feel all wabbly-honestly, l have just
wondered all these three years how
would feel when you finally came, and
now you are here!"
She took her frock from its hanger
and held it at arms length.
"And oh, my lovely, lovely green
dress! l have wanted to wear it so
many. many times, but l just felt !
should save it-for some special oc-
casion, and this is it, They tell me |
should always wear green-this beau
tiful water green, the color of the
waves you have watched so many
times-the color of the water between
me and-Honolulup
There was light kasha wrap she
had bought when she was planning
the trip to Honolulu and she drew Il
about her shoulders, viewing her re-
Election in the mirror.
"Alma and Bob say am good look
ing and-l actually think | am-to-
night / wonder if he likes sleek
bobbed heads or curly heads like mine
Oh. / do hope he doesn't object to un-
ruly hair. just can't help it because
i have curly hair and it won't lie fiat
to my head like Alma's. l wonder
if"
Y The Whitmans lived only a short
distance from Judith's apartment, but
there had been sharp rain late in
slippers Judith went to the telephone
to summon a cab. The line was out
of order.
"I'Il just run down to the drug store
and have the cab pick me up on the
corner" she said to herself as she
turned for one last glance in the
mirror at her green and silver lowell
ness.
She telephoned from the drug store
and then took up her post on the
curb, thrilled with anticipation of tn,
evening before her; the evening SHIT
had wondered about for three year:
since the first letter had come from
Norman Parker; the evening she hat
longed for since he had started to cal
her Judy.
And then it all happened so quick
ly. car sped by-bright in its nicke
trimmings and shining maroon finish
There was sharp swish of water al
it struck mud puddle near the curb
and Judith looked down with a cry o
despair The front of her beautiful
green dress was one big dark shadow
of muddy oily water and it was drip
ping on her silver slippers. Her chif
fon hose were darkly stained ant
chung damply to her flesh.
The maroon roadster was caught II
traffic less than half a block ahea,
and through tear dimmed eyes judith
saw in large letters ON the drum typ,
tire carrier, the words Senator g..
The license number stood out glar
ingly and seemed to defy her as sh
stood wet, bedraggled. furious on tn,