The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-11-08


over and over, adding word, omit.
ting word, substituting word. until
the final version seemed impossible OF
improvement.
The question TO whom the letter
should be sent was subjected to deep
thought. Indeed, it was more than
thought. so deep 1t was. Men. she
knew, were more susceptible than
women to personal appeal-particu-
larly when the personal appeals came
from not unattractive girls. But won.
en- were more superstitious and would
be more reluctant to bring upon Them
selves the implied curse that would
result from breaking of the chain.
Women, then.
AS for location. she was not par
ticuIar, except that 1t would be best
to start at some distance from Red
Thrush. Methodist interests are close
ly allied in neighboring towns, and
she realized the importance of pro-
tecting the family name. Now Ginger
herself was deeply enamored Of the
chain letter idea, TO her it smacked
absolutely of the hand of Providence.
But one could never know just how
fathers and older sisters would react
to things, hence she realized 1t would
be the part of discretion to avoid
questions whose answers could not be
evaded. Ginger's unfailing resource
in an emergency was the daily press.
She got the last issue of the Burling.
ron Hawkeye, and studied its col
umns. Now. theoretically, chain
should start from single link, but
she was not willing to trust the
foundation OF her fortunes to one
small dime which might not be forth
coming.
She decided upon three as a fair
start "Three links are better than
one" she said thoughlfully. Sand II
1t starts three chains, so much the
better"
When ever she came to the name of
woman mentioned prominently. she
put her finger on the place, closed her
eyes, and tried to get vibration
.aa1NMA,uit Finally the three letters
Yin envelopes,
ds1slse ~ u. 80 Y .leonk them al
once 70 the corner mail box. and put
tllemfin.
"Ah," she breathed ecstatically, as
she turned back toward the parsonage
Her heart was as light as the wings
of butterfly. 1t seemed to carry her
home. Already the old house looked
new place TO her, rosy place. bright
with flowers. fresh paint, new furni.
ture. Thousands upon thousands.
Helen herself had said it. Thousands
upon thousands
"Oh, wish had asked .,or quar-.
ters," she thought. "Such very good
cause. nobody could begrudge it."
Had it not been for the pleasurable
excitement attendant upon Helen's
wedding, Ginger felt she could not
possibly have endured the strain .of
the days that followed. Her conf.
dence in the outcome of her chain let.
ter home-for-the-blind was absolute.
Winters might come. with their con-
seQuent coal and coat bills, daugh.
tiers might go, with their petty love
affairs, but Ginger Ella and the chain
letter would go on for ever.
Plans for the wedding took prece-
dence over everything else, for Helen
yielding to the argument that for her
in this case the way Of genuine sacri.
fee lay in gracious acquiescence to
plans already made, preceded calmly
with her arrangements. She knew in
her heart that she would have pre.
ferred more apparent display of
her unselfishness. She would have
enjoyed real marryrdom. She would
have been proud to stand glOriously
forth, to her father, her sisters, and
Red Thrush, giving up her marriage
for a year, for ten years, for ever, II
need be. But she was honest enough
to realize that the course of true
denial followed another channel.
Mental rest, the doctors had pre-
scribed. and that could never be had
In the sacrifice of his daughters plans.
The wedding was to be held In the
church, with the girls of Helen's Sun.
day school class. the Rutheans, serv.
ing a buffet luncheon In the Sunday