The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-25

T
and the newspaper has a %circula-
ton of-around three thousand, I
think it was"
This Alan Holmes-he's the
editor?"
Sherry nodded. His letter
sounded nice. l think he got a kick
out of the angle of the city girl
who wanted to go to a small town.
He said reversals of the usual pro-
cedure always intrigued him and
that maybe this idea of mine was
a part of a new trend toward de-
Capitalization. He said my letter
sounded literate and that be
could give me all the actual news
paper training I'd need in Oak
ridge"
AS she talked on, smiling and
animated, Lex let his eyes rest on
the warm softness of her hair,
curling against her straight young
shoulders, on the fresh loneliness
of her skin, the sparkle of her
curious golden eyes. 1t seemed to
him he had never been aware be-
fore Of just how beautiful she was,
how gay and sweet. Had he put a
high enough value on her friend
ship, Lex wondered with an odd
humbleness. The comradeship be-
tween them, the frequent week
ends she spent at the farm, the
afternoons skating and toboggan-
ing, the evenings at the movies,
or square dancing, Or just eating
hamburgers and putting nickels
in the juke box at Pete's ~ all
those things added up into some
thing rather special. Funny how
you could take a person pretty
much for granted, liking her a lot,
Of course, having fun when you
we're together-but not really ap-
preciating all she had given you
until it was on the verge Of being
taken away.
After a while Sherry became
aware of something strange in his
glance. why do you look at me
so oddly, Lex?"
He grinned. WAS I? Maybe it's
because l just realized how much
I'm going to miss YOU" Somehow
the thing become even more real
for being put into words.
"In miss you, Leland Steve
and Aunt Pen, all of this" Her
arms made a wide, embracing
gesture. G~eneralities were always
safer-much safer when you felt
about anyone as she felt about
Lex, when you were such an utter
fool that you might give yourself
away if you got very personal.
Sherry hurried on, past the dan
ger of that too revealing moment,
I've always loved it here-I al
ways will. l hope Oakridge will
be a little bit like Brundage. I'm
counting On it."
Lex nodded. "I hope it will be,
too, Sherry. And 1 hope you find
everything you want there, all
you've missed in your life up to
now, the qualities of reality and
simplicity, the friendly people,
work you like. l hope you get 1t
all tied up in a bright red ribbon,
like the biggest Christmas gift
ever, and that it all adds up to
happiness"
Tears pressed against Sherry's
eyelids, tears she cared not let
fall. THANK you, Lex. l hope you
find the same things here. all the
happiness-you and Kay
Her glance fell away from his.
Sometimes Lex saw too deeply
and she wouldn't want him to read
her thoughts.
In three weeks he and Kay
would be married. The twentieth
of June. 1t seemed to Sherry that
if she could get through that date,
she could get through the rest of
her life. She tried to shut her
mind against the picture of Kay,
lovely and ardent in bridal white
satin, of Lex, tall and straight at
her side, repeating the solemn
VOWS that we're so deeply moving.
She mustn't cry-she mustn't!
But the hot tears pressed too
hard, spilled over. Sherry buried
her face against her knees and
hid it in her clasped arms.
Here" Lex said, surprised and
appalled,, what on earth"
He would have put his arm
around her, but Sherry shook her
head and moved away from him.
don't touch me- she said thick
ly. Leave me alone. . oh, Lex,
| don't know why I'm crying. :"
81 do" But he made no further
move to comfort her, just sat
there, his arms clasped around his
knees, frowning down at the wa
ter. you're crying because
a little scared. It isn't easy
to turn your back on familiar
and start off by yourself
on a whole new way Of living"
s"That's it." Sherry admitted.
That's all it is. And it's so fool
ish of me. because I'll, be doing
the thing / want to do, that l de-
cided upon myself"
even so, you feel pulled two
Hays-confused, uncertain
ooh, Lex, you do know how it
IS" She found her handkerchief
her pocket and scrubbed at her
eyes. you've been through the
same thing"
He grinned briefly. still staring
down at the little stream. eyes,
I've been through it."
Sherry ventured a glance at
lim and he turned his head swift
Iy and their eyes met. She