Nogales international., 1929-05-14
Fourth Installment
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE
The Sheridan Dramatic Club, of which
Tom Bilbeck, the narrator, Maryella, the
erl he cares for, and Jim Cooper, his
1iyal, are members, are to give Pygmalon
and Galatea at the Old Soldiers Home
Mr.. Hemmingway husband ct one ne OF the the
lis wife The escape of prisoners from
ehe local penitentiary keeps Bilbeck busy
Al his newspaper work, SO that he G is
away from the dramatic group. But
ehe story Of "Dollyanna" who believes
fhat everything that happens turns out to
h for the best.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
"She is a sweet child" said ad-
niringly. :,
"But she doesn't die, so it is all
right" Maryella fastened to reassure
me. "There is a great lesson IN
the book though, and if every one
would take it to heart this world would
be better place to live in. Don't you
think so?" =,
/ looked at Maryella's eyes sharply.
I never can tell from the rest of her
face whether she is in earnest or not.
She was perfectly serious.
eyes" | admitted cautiously.
"All we can do" she went on, is
to make beginning but maybe others
when they see how beautifully it
works will follow our example"
"Us?" l questioned in alarm.
"Whom do you mean by 'us'?"
''Why, the Sheridan Dramatic Club
of courset All the members whom
we have asked so far have agreed to
do it. Jim Cooper started it. He
Just finished reading the book to me
last night. / think it is an adorable
scheme and also very practical. l
wanted you to be one of the first to
come in. Mrs. Hemingway and Jim
and ! are the only ores SO far, but if
you'll try it we'll bring it up before
the club and maybe change the
name of the organization to the
Optimists or something like that"
"OuchE' exclaimed Mrs. Hem
mingway, who had been sewing
away industriously while Maryella
and ! were talking.
+ Whats the matter, dear?" Mary
ella inquired.
II just stuck the needle in my
finger about an inch, darn it." MUIR
INJURED Mrs. Hemingway feelingly.
"You mustn't say darn it," re-
proved Maryella "The fact that
you pricked yourself is all for the
best. You ought to be glad"
"Why?" :,
Mrs. Hemingway was a trife
petulant Il
"Because"-Maryella paused and
thought moment-"because if the
needle wasn't sharp enough to prick
YOU. you couldn't sew with it. SO
you see it is all for the best.
She turned to me triumphantly..
"You see how it works out, don't
you, Tom? Isn't it lovely"
1T would be even a better ex-
ample if it had been your finger"
Mrs. Hemingway pouted, kissing
her own injured digit in the absence
of her husband.
Maryella disregarded the COM
ment and continued to me:
Even our Affections will make US
happy if we look far enough back or
far enough ahead. There is always
some blessing disguised in every i'll:
All we have to do is hunt for it and
if we look hard enough we'll forget
all about the misfortune itself and
see only the benefit"
Maryella in moment OF enthusl-
asm is a glowing magnet. could
no more have resisted her then as
she stood before me like a little
saint fairly alive with the spirit OF
optimism than an emotional sinner
can stand against an old-fashioned
revivalist. knew there would come
moments of doubt later when |
would kick myself for a sentimental
fool, but now | was carried away
by her belief in her propaganda.
SO l promised to join the cheer-up
movement and to seek for the kernel
of good in every husk of hardship.
II knew you'd do it," Maryella
congratulated. you'll find it makes
everything look so differentl
"Some problems are harder than
Others, of course. One of the very
first things that struck me this
morning was remembering about
your being bowlegged. l couldn't
figure out any way that it could be
all for the best, but finally I got it.
Jim Cooper helped me"
ooh. he did," l said truculently.'
'What cheerful outlook could you
two get on the dark fact that l am
laid out in curves like a park, in
stead Of straight like a city street?"
"We decided that it was all for
the best, because if it wasn't for the
curve you would probably be so
tall that your head would bump
the ceiling. After we got that one
everything else was easy"
What was the use of being angry
with her? She evidently regarded
my curves impersonally, as if they
were some freak of nature impos-
sible to explain, like the Grand
Canon or Niagara Falls. 1t was
more fun being with Maryella than
against her in a discussion, so /
! willingly let the subject drop.
! Adopting Our new code, I decided
that it was all for the best.
How long before you'll be
through with that?" Maryella asked
Mrs. Hemingway, who was
pinning rufles on a curious-looking
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