Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-09-25
: Married EYES. HOW
SWEET THEY BE. +"

''Now's your chance. Deronda!" CRIED
the agents hearty voice.
When he had carried the mail bags
up from the depot. he had waited until
their contents were distributed. Thai
was not long time. 1t never was
in Excelsior. And tonight the sacks
had not been of sufficient weight Il
tax his strong shoulders. But out OF
their lankness had come Il surprise
for him and an opportunity for De
ronda.
II can guess. It's letter from Tn
Gle Donald A check?"
Once i'll awhile, ut Christmas nlways
n letter inclosing check arrived from
Donald Bertram of New York. And
his brother. who found his petty salary
as station master of the insignificant
Nebraska town quite incommensurate
with the needs of a large and increas-
ing family, hailed the advent of each
inclosure with gratitude and elation.
''N-o. It's n 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 wei.
come check had ever summoned
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 Dcrontla and her ia.
ther noisy and voracious young brood
interviewed. eight or ten of them. De
ronda was kept busy attending to their
needs. She aud her mother did fol
the rest. They ate as their portion
whatever was left aud never dreamed
of complaining. Labor and service
We're their ethics of domestictty But
now Deronda paused in her task OF
pouring out the numerous cups of milk
Father! It's good news. Keep still
Flora, What is it,"
The tldlngs came out in a rush. al
you will go to New York for visit
the check will follow your letter of nc
ceptance. There!"
Deronda was the healthiest girl in
town, but for the moment she felt posi-,
lively weak. She set down the pitcher
The children clamored unheeded.
oh" she gasped. Il must tell
motherP'
Then she was gone, and the over.
worked man with the kindly face wait.
ed on the children himself.
Those that followed were exciting
days. The little. struggling. low rooms
over the depot We're the scene of many
Fol 1l1f{
glorious hopes. Innumerable pleasant
prophecies. 'Ronda, as the children
called her, was going away-away into
some vast and mystic faIryland. which
their vivid imaginations merged In the
triple ecstasy of Yuletide. heaven and
the Fourth of July But one day order
was born of confusion. sobriety of hys.
terical anticipation. That was the day
Deronda's trunk stood labeled and
corded on the platform. the day Derou-
da's self freshly and becomingly garb.
ed. stood beside 1t. the day that Agent
Bertram and Mrs. Bertram and all
the numerous young Bertrams listened
for the whistle of the train Mt the
depot eight miles west. hung around
her with growing excitement as the
black column of smoke came down
like the guide OF those fleeing from
Pharaoh and clung around her in an
adoring farewell. which was detrImen-
tai to her finery il fiattering to her sen
sibility.
Then the iron beast was upon them.
a few passengers alighted Some cx-
press packages Were handed Off These
the agent mechanically received. Then
Deronda's foot was On the first step
of the Pullman. The engineer was
looking back to see that tie agents
pretty daughter got on safely before
he pulled the throttle. The brakeman
stood irresolute. The conductor loiter-
ed along. deferring the signal to start.
because the departure of Deronda for
the east was public property all along
the line. and tile men who had known
her since she wore short dresses and
waved them welcome when their
train went by We're interested in this
young bird flight of hers from the
over1owins family nest
A tentative whistle quivered on the
air.
"Goodby. Dcronda. Have good
liA4AS- 4SNA Siihtt" y ltlspE gave 0pT .
hard squeeze Of the hand. There was
the peck of a kiss between these two
who loved each other so dearly.
And the train was speeding east.
ward.
All. that was marvellous world
into which Deronda went. world
where one wore dainty clothes from
dawn until dawn. a world where the
chief function of the women was tc
charm. that of the men to ser-e with
most exquisite courtesy. And the NEED
of admiration she received when hel
western dresses had been discarded
for beautiful gowns was new to her
Very sweet it was too To be sure
she had known what It was to have
young men besiege her for dances and
hang upon her words But in one case
those who had given her tribute were
clumsy and rough handed c.oTnfrv