The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-30
WHEN JENNY RETURNED.
BY FRANK H. SWEET. vrighf 1Q0l hv Daf1y Stor1

Copyright, 1904. by Daily Story Pub fishing Co) The train was rounding the curve between the tunnel and Basic. As 1t
 passed the dirt hole which sloped Nn eighth of mile up the mountain side. several passengers rose leisurely and began to remove their baggage from the racks. One woman was already at the forward door of the car. where she
 had hurried as soon as the train emerg- ed from the tunnel She appeared frightened. as though not accustomed to travelling. As the train swung round toward the station the door opened suddenly, and a man came in from the smoker. His baggage lay on the end seat, and he had picked up and thrown an overcoat
 across his arm before he noticed the woman whom the open door had forced back. He swung the door shut with a quick thrust of his foot. T beg your pardon" he said, T did not notice you were there." "Oh, t want nothin," the woman an- swered. .I saw you comin an just stepped back. The train stops at Basic City. doesn't it.'
 "At Basic, yes. The city has not been used much since the boom broke"
 He gathered up his umbrella and va- lise. and placed his suit case near the door where 1t would be convenient the moment the train stopped. You have not been here lately?"
 Not in more'n seven years. It was a busy place then, buildin's goin' up everywhere. an streets full of carriages an folks that were buyin' an sellin land. I lived just in the edge of the mountains before it started-when there wasn't but two houses an a de- pot. My folks are still here. s'pose." There was a slight break in the voice and for the first time he looked at her. and with surprise. The weak, tired voice had quavered like that of an old | woman, and the face had been half hidden by a sunbonnet Now. as it was
 raised for a moment toward him, he saw that she was scarcely more than a girl.
 but oh. so pitiful and wan and wistful in spite of the joy of home coming.
 which was shining in her eyes. The cheeks were sunken and colorless and the eyes were enclosed by the rings of
 toll and inadequate nourishment, but behind the dark circles and colorless cheeks he could see the ghost of what had been unusual beauty a few years before.
 y, as she saw the more kindly look come to his face.
 Yes"
 Then maybe you know some of my folks?" eagerly, Nose an Sarah Hin
 dry, in the edge of the mountains, just
 up the railroad. Ma ain't more than
 forty-five, an pas about the same.
 They cant be dead"
 Nose HindryT repeated the man
 musingly; seems to me I have. Oh, yes. they moved from here five or six years ago. I believe. Felt bad about
 their daughter who ran away and mar
 ried an utterly worthless fellow, I heard Then. curiously. Are you the
 girl? Why did you not write"
 The sunbonnet sank a little.
 They couldn't have read if I did"
 the quavering voice said, brokenly, ''an'
 never learned how to write. either.
 Our folks never set much by books. But
 I-T allowed to find 'em just the same,
 livin' in the same house. An'-an'
 Mary Creecy. is she here? She used to
 be my girl friend!'
 Yes, she married the foreman of my
 factory and her brother. Calvin. drives
 for me. expect he will be at the sta tion waiting. Here we are now" As he spoke the train came to a stop, and he placed restraining hand upon the woman's arm to keep her from
 lurching forward. Then he helped her
 to the platform.
 Calvin was at the foot of the steps. Give me your. bag. MT. Healy," he said. The carriage is just at the oth-
 CT end of the platform. We'll"
 Then he caught sight of the face in- side the sunbonnet "Jenny-Jenny Blackburn" he calculated, "whered you come from?"
 lover the mountains-to sec my