OCR Text |
Show Believed in Influence of Good Spirits The Weekly Short Story By DOROTHY DOUGLAS IT WAS Marjory's first trip up to the Maine coast and naturally she had never before seen the Wishing Wish-ing Tower. Tradition had It that, since the old light-house had been abandoned for something more modern, the good fairies which bad always guarded those at sea, still lingered there. And so an enterprising townsman conceived the splendid Idea of turning the licht-house Into a Wishing Tower and for five cents one could enter, write his or her most cherished wish on the wall and, because of the Influence of the good spirits, expect It to come true. Marjory firmly believed In the Influence of good spirits and went straight Into the tower to write down a wish. Once Inside she found that she must return on three succeeding days and put a tiny cross beside her wish. This repetition. It seemed, showed a keen Interest In one's wish and Incidentally In-cidentally put twenty rather than five cents Into the pockets of the enterprising townsman. Having the usunl amount of romance ro-mance still waiting within her unspoiled un-spoiled heart. Marjory drew a picture pic-ture that somewhat resembled that Important organ of one's anatomy and wrote carefully, "I want to be loved by a nice, block-haired man. with brown eyes." She hurried away lest any of the wrote, "I want to be loved by a black-haired, misty-eyed girl." The next day when Marjory went In to attach her cross to the wish, there were several other people peo-ple there, and one young man bad apparently taken up a position for life right In front of her wish. She lingered about casting shy glances at this human screen and wondering when he would move away. Marjory Mar-jory wouldn't for the world let this big man with the twinkle In bis very blue eyes know that she had put down so sentimental a wish. Her hair, closely cropped, was of red-gold, with a strong accent on the red. She felt a vague tug at memory's cord and was flung back suddenly to her seventh year when she and a lanky red-haired boy bad been Inseparable In-separable com. iilon 8. But coming again as swiftly to the present she realized that the way was now clear to putting a I cross beside her wish. She did It quickly and turned awny. Tony McVane, out of the corner of his blue eyes watched and smiled. When Marjory had left the wishing tower, he went back to the two hearts and wrote something beside his own wish. After that he went away and was pleasantly thoughtful. When Marjory returned next day for ier second cross she was highly amused to see that an addition had hnnn m a A a tn tha hmi., na.Aa.tnn I at Marjory's brain when the red hair come Into full view. She cast a startled glance at the man, saw a tiny scar that lay up against the left eyebrow, then smiled brilliantly. bril-liantly. "CarrotsI.lt Is Carrots!" she called softly. The big man bounded over to Marjory's table and gripped both her bands and gazed Into her hazel eyes as If there had never been another an-other pair of such beautiful eyea "It Isn't rea'ly possible I" said Tony McVane, "you used to be spindly and straw-colored and " "I wasn't hnlf as spindly as you were lanky and red beaded," flashed Marjory. i "But you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. When I saw you in the Wishing Tower something some-thing took me back to childhood but I never dreamt of anything like tbls I How did you recognize meT" "By the carroty hair and the wee scar which you got the day you fell out of the hay loft when we were playing circus." "Well. Marjory, since. we have about fifteen years' conversation to make up and I have to change your mind about color schemes In men. we had better get started. My heart is already Joined to your own In the Wishing Tower, you know." Marjory blushed and didn't mind a bit (A. 1131. lleOnre Newnpaper Syndicate. I ( W NO Service. several people strolling about read-Irg read-Irg the wishes should laugh at her. In her haste she almost collided head on with a fine big man whose cnrloslty had carried him also to the Wishing Tower. He rather liked the all too swift glance be got of Marjory and fell to wondering wonder-ing whether or not she had made a wish or whether she was Just Idling shout like himself seeking amusement. Tony McVane arrived at Marjory's Mar-jory's wish, but of course, he had no Idea that the hasty young lady with whom he had humped elbows was the writer. The badly drawn heart amused him. Suddenly In a spirit of fun he drew another heart. Just over the line of Marjory's, and ping her own. Rending It the clear color tanned her cheeks. "Have changed my color scheme and wish for tawny hair and clear hazel eyea" she read. ' She slipped out quickly and went along to the nearest soda fountain, as the day was thirst begetting. Tony McVane, : who . had been watching her from a nearby bench, arose and leisurely went 'Into the same shop. Marjory was about to stp the first spoonful of. her. luscious drink when the color mounted high In her cheeks. - - The man sat down quite near to her and removed his tweed cap. Memory gave another sharp tug |