Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-10-12
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+ A PRAIRIE QUEEN !
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: IN cried the agents hearty voice.
When he had carried the mail bags
up from the depot he had waited until
their contents were distributed. That
was not long time. 1t never was in
Excelsior. And tonight the sacks had
not been of sufficient weight to tax
his strong shoulders. But out of their
lankness had come surprise for him,
and an opportunity for Deronda.
II can guess. It's letter from
Uncle Donald. Acheck?"
Once in awhile, at Christmas al
ways, letter inclosing check ar
rived from Donald Bertram, of New
York. And his brother, who found his
petty salary as station master of the
insignificant Nebraska town quite in
commensurate with the needs of q
large and increasing family, hailed the
advent of each Enclosure with graft
tude and citation.
"N-o. It's letter from Donald
but there's no check" He looked
across at his best loved and eldest
child with a smile brighter than even
the welcome check had ever sum.
moned. "Guess again!'
She looked at him from her opposite
end of the table where she presided
her mother in true western fashion
still being busted at the kitchen stove
until the remainder of her family had
eaten. Between Deronda and her
father noisy and voracious young
brood intervened-eight or ten OF
them. Deronda was kept busy attend
ing to their needs. She and her moth.
er "did' for the rest. They ate as
their portion whatever was left And
neither dreamed of complaining
Labor and service were their ethics
of domesticity. But now Deronda
paused in her task of pouring out the
numerous cups Of milk.
"Father! It's good news! KeeI
still, Flora! What is it?"
The tidings came out in rush. I'll
you will go to New York for visit
the check will follow your letter of &C
ceptance. Therel"
Deronda was the healthiest girl In
town, but for the moment she felt
positively weak. She set down the
pitcher. The children clamored un
needed.
"O!" she gasped, II must tell moth
er!"
Then she was gone, and the over
worked man with the kindly face
waited on the children himself.
Those that followed were exciting
days. The little, struggling, low
rooms over the depot were the scene
of many combinations, much schem
ing, many glorious hopes, innumerabl'
pleasant prophecies. 'Ronda, as thu
children called her, was going away
away into some vast and mystic fairy
land. which their vivid imagination
merged in the triple ecstasy of Yule
tide. Heaven and the Fourth OF July
But one day order was born OF con
fusion-sobriety of hysterical antici
patton. That was the day Deronda'i
trunk stood labeled and corded on thu
platform-the day Deronda's self
freshly and becomingly CARRIED, stood
beside it. The day that Agent Bert
ram. and Mrs. Bertram, and all thu
numerous young Bertrans listened
for the whistle of the train at thu
depot eight miles west; hung arount
her with growing excitement as Thu
hIack column of smoke came dow
like the guide Of those fleeing from
pharaoh, and chung around her in al
,dor;np farewell, which was detri
mental to her finery If fattering t.
her sensibility.
Then the iron beast was upon them
few passengers alighted. Some ex
nress packages were handed off. Thes
no agent mechanically received. Thel
naronda's foot was on the first step o
49, pullman. The engineer was look
;nu hack to see that the agents prett,
daughter got on safely before he pulle'
~ throttle. The brakeman stood II
rasolute. The conductor loitered along
dsferring the signal to start, becaus
no departure Of Deronda for the cas-
,ras nublic property all along the line
and the men who had known her sine
az az wore short dresses and waved then
.slcome when their train went b.
80 interested in this young bird
Ant Of hers from the overfiowin
family nest. ,,, ,,,rorsd n ~
az. .cood-by, Derondai Have a goo
.,msl" Derond's father gave her a har
squeeze of theSand. There was'he pee