Smyrna times., 1904-02-17

Janey Gates was the beauty of Cane
Creek neighbOrhood. Even Sister Meak-
FMS admitted as much in spite of robust
preiudice. Janey would have been like.
wise the belle if it had not been accent
ed as a fact ever since she put up her
hair and let down her frocks that she |
was, in neighbOrhood phrase, mort |
gagged property" Phil Mayhem had |
laid claim to her when she came hardly |
TO his elbow. He had, further, let no. |
body dispute the claim even after she |
came back from boarding school, fear |
fully and wonderfully accomplished. |
He was 4 big fellow, square jawed and |
square headed, who cared nothing for
books unless they dealt with figures.
At figures he was maFyelOuSly quick
and clever-sO clever it was nothing for
him to stump successive schOolmasters
even though they were college bred.
while he knew nothing higher than the
neighborhOod academy.
Possibly it was a triumph Of this sort
which had first melted the present
schoolmaster, Leonard Trabue, ESQ.
to try conclusions with him in the field
of Miss Janey's favor. Janey loved
books in the freshest, most whole heart
ed fashion. Trabue could talk books
by the hour, and talk very well. Nat
urally he found himself welcome at the
Gates homestead. Quite as naturally
Phil Mayhem resented his presence
there and showed it outright, after the
manner of a masterful man crafty in
love. Thus by fate and free will and
the obligation of hospitality Janey was
in a manner forced to take Trabue's
part. The result was very pretty
quarrel and the transfer of PhiPs at
tentiOns to Miss Dora Meakins.
There had been no set engagement to
break. That made Pills attitude all
the more aggravating. Janey was for
months bitterly unhappy over the rup-
ture, although she let nobody see It, not
even her mother. Outwardly she was
gayer than ever, nd so charming Mr..
Leonard Trabue quite lost his head.
He had meant at first only to punish
that pestilent fellow, Mayben-inciden-
tally, of course, to divert himself and
pass time otherwise heavy on his hands.
Teaching was merely a stop gap Lit
erature was his chosen vocation. He
meant to enter upon it through the gate
of newspaper work as soon as he could
sCrape together a few hundred dollars.
The Gateses were not rich folk, but
still comfortably off, and Janey an only
child. 1t is but just to say the fact had
little to do with Trabue's falling in
love. That came upon him unawares.
But once he had realized his frame Of
affections he took full cOgniZance of
it. Might it not be easier to make him
self immortal even here In the deep
country, with a charming wife and as
sured comfort, than out in the hustle
and hurry burly of a city? To settle it
out of hand he proposed plumply to
Janey. He was dazed to get a refusal,
distressed, almost fearful.
Next week the county paper printed,
with flattering comments, love rhyme
signed "Leofric." Cane Greek read it
because reading the paper thoroughly
was certainly the part of thrift, if not
of Christian duty. Still, it felt no curl
Osity as to the authorship until the
rural press quite generally copied and
praised the rhyme. A second bit of
verse got reprinted in three city pa
pers. so, upon the appearance of the
third, LeOfric's identity became burn
ing question, one that the editor him
self could not answer. All he knew
was that the copy came to him by the
hand of Mr.. Murdoch, a leading law
yer.
All winter long Leofric wrote inter
mittently, becoming more and more a
riddle and a parsonage. All winter
long, too, Phil Mayhem ate Sunday din
ners at the Meakins' table, and Leon
ard Trabue talked books and the world
to Janey Gates: He was playing Q
waiting game, resolved to win her IL
spite of herself and Phil Mayhem.
Janey's heart was singularly stead
fast. Still, there were times when she
thought Trabue would Succeed. PhiP'
going had left her desolate indeed
He could never have cared as he pre-
tended or he would not be able to stay
away. OF course she could not maxi
the first move to reconciliation, espe
clally since ne was 50 tdheh up VIZ
the Meaklns generation. Since he wa
forever lost to her, it was far from un
pleasant to sun herself in Trabuel
devotion.
Spring came with such rush ina
year the picnic season opened in mld
May. Sister Meakins and Sister Hodg
in, self elected social autocrats, got u
the first one and set the place for Il
Clear Spring, just little way OIL III
Gates pasture. The spring was l
fact, Gates property, so Sister Meakl
let the owner know she thought
would be no more than neighborly Q
him to put up tables, seats and stake
for the gypsy kettles, to say nothing
the swings. There Phil Maybqn lntel
fered. "You don't play lone hand
this game with me around, squire" d