Show OLLY OSBORNE stood before the window of Gortons Gorton's millinery store consumed by an unutterable a able le longing for one of th the colored gay hats with which It was adorned It was really an unutterable longing tonging because It se seemed med is though the possession of one of those ose hats was necessary to help her acquire the possession of something ilse lse something else she could not live without If Matthew v could see her one of those looking fresh Und lInd bright and ch charming instead of dingy as she did In her old b black ack felt perhaps She turned away from froni- the display with a little sign sigh Under th the brim of tl the old black bla k hat her young fa lace e looked tired and discouraged It seem seemed ed to cast shadows about h her r blue blueeyes eyes not eyes not becoming shadows but J ful rul ones which were far too old for her She was thinking about l I Mat Mat- f. f thew Only an hour or so so before she for I pad had seen him passing her ln l w with Mary Curtis the bankers banker's daughter daught r. r Mary Curtis was as as' fresh and harm charm charming ing as Polly felt h herself to be dingy She had worn vorn a spring hat of rose rose- eol red straw and n a. a smart new v suit Matthew had harl looked as as th though ugh he admired admired ad ad- mired Mary very much Oh dear ear 1 1 sighed PoJ Polly y as as she climbed d her own own front step I want tl that it hat the hat the blue one one but there are areso so many many other things to d do with them the m money ey I It doesn't seem right when I Je buying wool to knit with and nd Thrift ft stamps a and d Red scrip an and that food conservation uniform I I suppose r- r rca Ican ca do ov over r my my ears ear's san sailor r. r The last years year's sailor however proved d to be discouraging PoI Polly y d d her best by ft but even ven after that It bore ah an undeniable ble year last r However However- v O ver she sno should lc have to to weir wear I It She with several of her friends from the domestic s science lence school had Just been asked t belp a fp food d cons conger conger- rf display in one ope of th the depart ment stores That meant that she sheI sh should uld have to buy the uniform of I blue dress white cap and 1 apron there apron therE by spending the price of th the blue hat r for r which she yearned she told herself heroically that It tt was IS not nothing ing t to wear wehr an old sailor hat for h her I country when other people were dOing so I 1 Matthew did not not com come to to see her that evening as Polly had hoped ha might Indeed she thought she saw his tall khaki clad figure figur pas passing the tM house In hi e direction n of f Mary Iary i Cur Of course he had hada a right to go gowher where he eh chose s sD D During the busy week weel that followed Polly had little time to think about Only at at- night or mornIng morning morn morn- ing wore wre the old o sailor sallo to and from the store did she remember her longing for a becoming bonnet Her Her days were too full of anything g. g but thoughts of corn pr products ducts the uses uses' of flit fat and various substitutes for wheat All AU day omen crowded about her counter listening ning to the demonstrations she gave all aU day she handed out recipes and explained the meanIngs meanIngs mean Ings of her various exhibits At night she was so tired that she only wanted t to go to bed wh when n she reached ho home e. e If Matthew had come she would lave I With Unutterable Longing Deen too sleepy and stupid to entertain entertain enter enter- tain him But Matthew did not come The undercurrent of Pollys Polly's thoughts as aR she he talked all day was dimly concerned concerned con con- with wonder as ns to whether he had had to go away uway to camp and why he went without letting her know and wh whether th r she should ever hear from him and whether Mary Curtis knew where he was She told herself that really It did not matter he should not care If care enough ou h about her to even en let her know And then one day as she talked to toa ton a n group of Interested housewives Polly Pol ly looked up to see Matthew standing nt the edge of the crowd cro his brown face lighted with a n smile half Interested Interested Inter Inter- ested ested- halt half quizzical Polly felt her face flush but she kept on talking even though she became suddenly A are of the fact that Mary Curtis f ii stood b sl him smiling amusedly I under the tho brim of her second new spring hat Worst of all It was the very blue hat for which Polly POUy herself I had yearned Bitterly conscious of ot other her blush Polly nodded to them accepting ac I Marys Mary's scarcely perceptible bow In return She saw Mary press press press' Matthews Matthew's arm and heard her words Come on Matthew well we'll be late Jata for tor the first act If we dont don't hurry Polly Polly shed shed furtive c tears tears' under the shade of the last years year's sailor that night as ns she she- hurried home It was all allover allover over of course It didn't matter now whether she ever had bad a new hat or not Even If she had the money to buy buy-a n new v hat she sho shouldn't do It now Who on earth cared what she wore Pollys Polly's eyes swollen with tears when she fell feU asleep opened wide In spite of of themselves at sight of the warm sunshine the fresh green of the trees rees the next morning And when she went down to breaKfast they open opened ed cd wider still A huge box Irom the florists florist's lay across her plate at the thet t table ble That just came smiled her moth moth- er I cant can't Imagine who sent It It Neither could Polly until she opened open ed It to find a l great sheaf of roses with a note from Matthew lying across it Her lips quivered qui na os she rend read It He lIe wanted to take her driving that I What had happened Why should he be want vant to take her However vever Polly sang about the house that mornIng morn morn- Ing and even eYen the old sailor seemed sailor tc take on some glorified d Easter air just from sheer joy of the day Polly did wish she had had a another other hat to weal when she went out with Matthew bu but then It It did not really matter matter- Wl When en Matthew came came that that after after- I I tiel Her L. L ps l s Quivered no noon n In his big car r. c he-f he found he-found und a a radiant nt Polly waiting lit ng for JOI him She was so radiant that there seemed to be some new added quality In her ch charm rm There was new and and-a little strange about l Ia Matthew hew t too o. o After After they had ruck Into a quiet road where other cars were few he slowed down gown suddenly and began to speak slowly as as' as though he though h h had been th thinking thi oyer gover for a al long ng time tilDe Polly he said I 1 wonder wonder wonder-If if think I I was Hie the s 's soft rt of feli fellow v a gi girl f fc c could ld m marry A fin fine girl with lots lots' lotSof of character and nd tl the very sw sweetest nt na-j na ture tUle in In the worM world I dont don't amount to much h 1 i v but yi you u see Ive I've fallen In love love love- Polly POliy almost the saw bright day lade fade before her eyes He lIe w was thinkIng thinking think think- ing ing- of Mary Curtis of cours course But I she swallowed s bravely and tried tot to I Ismile smile before she answered I Of Ot course sha said You Yo why why j youre you're the very ery finest 1 met Any girl might t to be be glad glad- Try as slie would Polly could n not t i fini finish h th the sentence nut But then she shedid shedid did not have to for Matthews arm arm ha had stolen n about p her r. r Could you marry me Polly Ive I've loved you always but when I 1 see how sweet rind and good you are are and how how how- different from other when girls I saw you In In that store wearing n a uniform Polly and working for your our country Instead of acting as though It didn't matter matter could I could hardly walt wait for a n chance to ask asle you to marry me even though Ill I'll have to go to France Ill marry you I Polly murmured through a mist of happy tears I 1 Im I'm glad you yori liked rne In that little white cap because because because-because because that Is Is- the the only Easter hat Ive I've got I r 1919 1010 Western by-Western Y Western Newspaper Union |