Would you be glad?

Well, darling, this settles everything and makes our future just
about as smooth for us as anybody could ask. I can hardly
realize after all this waiting life's troubles are over for you
and me and we have nothing to do but to enjoy the happiness
granted us by this wonderful, beautiful thing we call life. I
know I am not any poet and the one I tried to write about you the
day of the picnic was fearful but the way I THINK about you is a
poem.

Write me what you think of the news. I know but write me anyhow.

I'll get it before we start home and I can be reading it over all
the time on the tram.


Your always loving

VIRGIL.



The sound of her mother's diligent scrubbing in the hall came
back slowly to Alice's hearing, as she restored the letter to the
packet, wrapped the packet in its muslin covering, and returned
it to the drawer. She had remained upon her knees while she read
the letter; now she sank backward, sitting upon the floor with
her hands behind her, an unconscious relaxing for better ease to
think. Upon her face there had fallen a look of wonder.