Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1902-12-05

Golfers for the next semester" This
fellow relished the dilating power Of
the black eyes beside him, and Mollie
having studied Short Primer of Chem
istry, felt herself on an intellectual
level with this college senior.
AS they neared the camp she wa
conscious of a double row of curious
eyes peering at her from under ten
flaps, but tucking her chin up int
the air, she walked along as obliviou
of them, apparently, as if she and THU
new friend were alone in a wilderness
Before picking-time the next morn
ing 1t was thoroughly understood BY
all the tenters on Mollie's side of tn,
field that Nolan's race was run, ant
that Mollie had a new STEADY" from
below" as the southern counties are
termed by the inhabitants of the north
ern.
Nolan, his wrath cooled by nights
repOse, became aware of this fact wher
he waited at the usual trysting place
by the first row of poles, and saw the
tan sombrero looming up in the wake
of the blue sun-bonnet. The rest of the
day he was pursued by the cheerful
jibes of his friends about being thrown
down for city guy" Poor Mike
even his dauntless good humor went
down under their clumsy efforts at
consolation.
But Mike Nolan was not the only one
suddenly effaced from the girls tickle
memory. There were Pinny, and Spike
and Big Terry, into whose young and
susceptible hearts her black eyes had
burned big holes, now not even seen
when they passed her ON the row
The eyes under the sombrero lost
nothing of the situation. This little
girl was undoubtedly pretty after q
sort of wild-rose type, she certainly
was the only one i'll the field who could
help to make the long hot days en-
durable to him. Her>eyes had way OF
widening when he talked to her, which
was highly agreeable to him. and he
spared no opportunity to produce that
effect. Her cheeks, too, had a frank
little way Of going pink-sometimes
lCu-W uCA lIlC dlluSIOIl WAS ulTGcl
enough-and altogether her open ad
miration put fine gilt edge on his
self-estsem
lis Impossible you have never been
to San Francisco" he asked her, one
day.
"No, I've never been there" she ad.
mitted, alphabetically. "but," she
fastened to add, in order to dispel any
idea of rusticity that admission might
have given, ''I've been twice to Red
Bluff, and we live only nine miles from
Coon Creek
Have you ever thought you might
like to live there?" he pursued, reach.
ing up to pull down cut vine from the
pole. His glance was very direct this
time, and his tones full of meaning
1t was pretty to see her eyes and
cheeks glow with deeper hue, so in.
tent was he on noting the effect he
could produce with the slightest, touch
He did not wait for an answer. but
went on. wouldn't you like
But just then the Sacramento train
thundered by on the trestle, drowning
his words, but not the look in his eyes
And on the the heels Of that, the noon
bell rang, at which everybody quit
work, and they walked up to the set
Element together in silence-little Mol
lies feet touching the ground only IL
high places, her foolish little head
way up in the clouds, the mans
thoughts miles away from the scene
about him, and the hope of his hear
centred ON getting on the varsity foot
ball team.
BY the end of the season Miss Mol
lies social circle had narrowed dow1
to few more than her own family. ant
one tall man. She had discovered he
tastes to be of the climbing variety
and had reached the fatal conclusion
that not one of her old friends at Cool
Creek possessed a particle of cultur,
or style. And when, before dispersin.
for another year, the pickers prepared
to give a grand ball in honor of tn,
wind-up of the hop-season, Mollie de
termined to show them the size of tn,
gulf that now yawned between her
self and them.
These hop-pickers' dances are oper
to every one. so there are not many
lines of social distinction drawn. TIL,
men exchange their bandana necl
'kerchiefs for stiff celluloid collars, ant
the girls wash out sprigged law
frock. and are radiant and ready fol
the frolic. But Mollie, with a reck
less slash into her summers earnings
burst upon the scene. on the eventfu
evening, an animated billow of frills
and f1ounces, and furbelows.
AS the frolic progressed, the tai
fellow with his sombrero under hi
arm, watched the scene from the door
way with an amused wondering smile
The big dining room that seated so,
hungry pickers three times a day haS
been transformed in less than an hou
into a dancing hail. The tables hat
been hoisted to the ceiling by stou
bale ropes, where they were secured t,
| the rafterS. while the shelf that raj