Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-07-09

here"
Ringbrand laughed. you positive
" refuse to he diverted, don't you? Per-
hnps couldn't find anything, but from
the little I've seen of place and people
7 should say there was a perfect mine
of storytelling material if one would
take the trouble to develop it,"
Il can't see where you would find it. b"
That's because you live here; you're
unable to get the perspective of I'M
familiarity on the quaintness of the
people or the beauty of the scenery.
The things that are curious and inter
csting To newcomer are commonplace
to you, because you see them every day
I'm sure it's very nice of you to put
il in that way; one likes to be told that
one comes short of genius only in-un-
familiarity. But you haven't told me
yet why YOU came to Tregarthen."
Mrs. Ludlow, you're positively in
corrigible. | assure you | left New
York week ago with only one clearly
defined idea; that was that was over
worked and weary and needed vaca-
ton. Everybody goes to Europe and
to the resorts in summer, and | wanted
to get away from the crowd; if you
please, you may call that n reason for
my coming south. My ticket ran out
ut Nashville. but the quiet of your
beautiful capital city didn't compensate
for the unspcakable heat, so | took to
the road again, with Asheville for des-
tination."
That's all beautifully clear and
reasonable up to a certain point, Mr..
i, Ringbrand. Now, if you will only tell
me what possessed you to leave your
comfortable parlor car to come away
up here on coal train, I'll be satisfied"
The shadow ON the veranda prevent
ed the lady from seeing the look of EN-
barrassment that fitted across the face
of her visitor. and his hesitation in re-
plying was fortunately covered by the
entrance of his host. ''Sit down here,
Ludlow" he said; "Mrs. Ludlow has
had me in the confessional for the last
half hour. and I was just upon the
point of connecting a pure fabrication
to account for my being in Tregarthen.
Can't you explain to her that man
may sometimes do unaccountable
things?"
Zone would think an explanation
wouldn't be necessary" replied Ludlow.
cynically, tossing his hat into the hall
and drawing up a chair. Lets see,
how long have been married, Helen?''
Long enough to make me very GU
rious and inquisitive, as Mr.. Ringbrand
is Just finding out. He confesses that
he didn't know we were here, and he
can't give any plausible reason for Civ
ing up his trip TO Asheville."
I'm not surprised; if the Tregar-
then Coal & Iron company could get
along without a superintendent for n
month or such matter, | believe I'd go
off and do something unaccountable
myself; it's n part of my creed that a
man should be totally irresponsible on
a vacation. But see here, Ringbrand,
if you're going to stay in Tregarthen
you've got to come to us; I'm not going
TO have you put up at that misera ole
excuse for n hotel down in the village.
You'll die of dyspepsia in a week"
You are Good Samaritans," replied
Ringbrand, laughing; I've got it al
acknowledgements, l mean. Why, Mrs.
Ludlow, you've no conception of what
they've been making me eat down therei
For breakfast had salt bacon, biscuits
and potatoes; for dinner there were
potatoes, biscuits and salt bacon; and
for supper they varied the bill of fare
by leaving out the potatoes. And the
biscuits-upon my soul, you never saw
anything like them in your life!"
"Oh, yes, | have" responded the lady,
cheerfully; "let me describe them:
they were about half an inch thick, and
when you took one between your
thumb and finger, so, you could press
the grease out of the edge. But didn't
they give you any coffee?"
IL think not; / certainly had some
thing to drink, but I'm quite positive
il wasn't coffee. Indeed, now that you
mention it, remember having made a
note of it with the intention of asking
the landlord to define it for me-"
II don't know what we've been
thinking of, to let you stay there at
ALL" interposed Ludlow. IF you'll ex-
suse us for a few minutes, my dear,
well just step down and get Ring
brands luggage tonight suppose
YOU travel in grip, don't you, Hugh?"
"Yes, or at least in two of them;
they're not heavy, though"
Two days earlier, while his train was
stopping at Chilwanee Junction to
transfer passengers to the Harmony
Valley branch. Hugh Ringbrand had
seen a girl descend from the through
train and cross the platform to the ac-
commodation. She was strikingly
beautiful, after type quite unfamiliar
to the student; and the passing glimpse
he had of her face made him wish that
he might study il at leisure. 1t sud-
denly occurred to him that there was
nothing in his purposeless plans to pre-
vent it; and he hastily transferred him
self and his belongings to scat in the
other train, whence he could continue
his observations. The study once be-
gun, the beauty of her face grew upon
him, pushing him swiftly to the conclu-
sion that nothing short of acquaint-