Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-11-08
"a Glimpse Into
Paradise"
By HELEN R. BARTON

ooooooooo0Oo0oo oooooOo0ooo
(Copyright.l
EMMELINE'S fingers and toes had
IL reached the stage where she
wouldn't have noticed the prince Of
Wales had he suddenly appeared be-
fore her. But, as matter of fact,
the young man who timidly pushed
open the door to the doctors study
that Icy, wind-swept January day, was
about as remotely different from the
celebrated perfection of manhood as
Ethel Barrymore is from Zulu
princess.
There were few Goals in the open
crate, and Emmeline had flung her
snowshoes into the hall and had
crouched over the fire, striving to ease
the painful numbness that had driven
her from her snowshoeing. Event
ually she had become aware that her
feet were paining her. So, with
little success, she had tried to force
her numbed fingers to the task of un.
fastening the iced rawhlde laclngs Of
her high boots.
II say, let me help you, won't
you? You seem to be having whale
of time with those knots" And the
young man stopped and unfastened
the boot laclngs, removed the boots,
and then, with business-like efficiency,
advised her to get some warm water
and try soaking her hands and rub
bling them with a rough towel. Crate
fully, Emmellne went to dc his bid
ding. Ten minutes later, her father,
being absent, she went back to his
Office to chat with the strange young
man until the doctor should return
from his calls. To her utter amaze
ment, she discovered the young man
there in a dead faint.
Emmy's knees shook as she went
about the swift business of restor-
ing the young man. The scars on
his cheek and forehead told of
either a war injury or some other
accident or injury, perhaps caus-
ing the faint powderlng Of gray
hairs at the temple, while the rest
of his hair was raven black.
He stirred at last and smiled
wanly up at her. Emmeline
flashed him a warmly friendly smile
and said softly: "You mustn't try
to get up; you don't want me to have
all that TO go through again, do you?
You scared me nearly out of my
wits"
Soberly the young man turned his
gaze toward the fire as he said softly:
$50 many of my pals have felt out
of the way, since the war finished
things for some of us that Pm just
another square peg I supposed And
you simply couldn't understand how
It hurts to feel that one is a burden !"
"Who% demanded Emmy fiercely,
"ever made you feel so? Just tell me
the name, please, and I'll give him
just one chance to tell me what kind
OF strychnlne he prefers, that's ALL
And Emmy's soft blue eyes flashed
such wrath and fire that Link Scho
field smiled back at her in most dis
arming. little-boy sort of way. They
were In the midst Of Links war ex-
periences when Doctor Kingsbury re-
turned and Emmy departed hastily
at her fathers unmistakable "high
sign"
She thought often Of Link In the
days that followed, but he did not
come again, and Emmellne finally de-
cided that he hadn't cared about what
she had said, or how she had looked
to drop into her life so casually. and
so easily drop out again. So she
thought that she had hardened her
heart against him. and she occupied
herself with her flowers, her gar
den. her music and whatever came
her way ms the long days drlfted by.
Then. one day. Emmy happened
TO look up from her gardening (she
was transplantlng pansies), and there
he was staring at her over the gar
den wall. And MS quickly as she had
looked up. he was gone down the
street. For blank moment she gazed
after him. and then. casting discretion
to the far winds. she sprinted after
him very much like a schoolgirl. Catch.
ing up with him, she said: "Do you
mean to say you'd 90 right by my
house without even speaking to mel
You ought to be ashamedw Propelled
BY her eager hands he was soon back
inside the garden, sitting on shabby
old bench, watching her working In
the warm, moist earth.
OF sudden a thought struck En-.
incline. Turning swiftly, she looked
straight into Links troubled eyes and
said: "Have you been here beforeT
Startled. he flushed painfully and
said: "Yes-sometimes,"
"Then-you came by on the hope
of seeing me-LInk?" she persisted
gently.
"Yes," he confessed, at was like
glimpse into Paradise" He looked
Off beyond the distant horizon as
though to find surcease for the pain In
his eyes.
"But, Link" she protested.
"Can't you see,' he grated harshly,
"that nothing like that Is for me? That
might have lived TO ninety. but might
not finish out five years moreT
"But those five years" she persisted
unhapplly. wouldn't they be worth
itf
at wouldn't be fair TO you" he said
grufIly. "even II you could care for
such wreck"
"Ah, Link" she cried, "Only those
who dare to push The door open ever
get Into Paradise; The rest stand out.
side. peerlng In! Don't make me open
the door for you"
with muttered exclamation, he
gathered her tenderly into his hungry
arms scarcely d1rlng to believe his
huupipagq