Evening star., 1947-04-06
THE THRESHOLD
.~ Continued from page sir

Dedutllul one could feel the color ruShlng 10
her cheeks, and she had to swallow twice before
she could say anything
"A chocolate cone, please" she stammered.
He gave her friendly wink, caught up a
cone in one hand, the scoop in the other, and
IN one graceful motion, heaped up an over
sized COB of brown sweetness. Their fingers
touched when he handed the cone to her, and
she almost dropped it as delightful faintness
swept over her.
The girls were still giggling. but now she
didn't mind. The wink and the friendly smile
had made everything else unimportant.
she backed away from the counter and hur-
ried outside. Overhead the sky was blue like
the boys eyes, and the robins sang in the
warm spring sunshine. She walked almost a
block before she tasted the ice cream. 1t was
delicious. And there was ever so much of it.
Much more than a nickel's worth, and all
because the boy had liked her. His smile had
told her that. And he'd called her Beautiful,
and he'd said it as if he'd meant it.
When she got home, she hurried to the full
length mirror in her mothers room and studied
her reflection. She looked just the same on the
oueoioS hCShiSd iiht-SiICotSd ShHity. but
on the inside - she had changed On the in
side, she had become beautiful. She could feel
it. And taste it. And hear it in the quick.
hard thump Of her heart. In her mind, she had
no doubt that this inward beauty would
gradually work its way to the surface where
others could see it.
That night, she had had the dream - she
and the boy, wandering together along the
misty lane toward most wonderful world
which she could almost, but not quite, see.
You'd better get started for school,
Louise" her mother called.
She finished tying her old shoes and then
went over to the dresser and opened the
drawer in which she kept her allowance
money. Carefully from the little horde of coins
which she had been saving ever so long for
new pair Of roller skates. she selected two
bright, new dimes. On the way home from
school, she d climb up on counter stool Just
as the high-schoo girls did She'd have
chocolate soda Cones were for kids.
LOUISE" - her mot hers voice carried note
of impatience, what are you doing? Aren't
you ready for school yet?"
I'm ready" she answered.
She caught up her faded red sweater and
hurried to the front door Even if gray clouds
were lifting up out of the south, the sun shone
brightly and mingled with the maple leaves,
making dancing patterns on the white con-
crete walk, She stopped at the bottom OF the
porch steps and tried to pull her short skirt
over her bruised knee 1t wouldn't quite reach
Then Eddie Haslam came by on his bicycle.
He pretended not to see her, but she knew
he did, because he took his hands off the
handlebars and began to show off He crced
at the corner and came back, this time put
ting his feet on the handlebars. Hi'ya Lou"
he yelled Hop on: III take you to school" "
Yesterday she would have accepted the invi-
tatlon eagerly. but today it held no appeal for
her. She shook her head. I'll walk
"Okay," he said cheerfuy Just thought
that if you rode, we could get to school in
time to start ball game
She shook her head again She felt that she
would never play ball again with Eddie and
the others in her class. They we're all so
young, and she was suddenly so very, very old
Besides, if she should fall on her knee today,