The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-24
FINDING OF
L" HER
By LOUISE J. STRONG
...C Copyright, 1903, by T. c. Mcclure.

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The stagecoach slowly emptied itself
| as the travellers reached their various
destinations, until only three We're left
to be stranded by breakdown at a
cluster of houses called town. Two
Of them we're residents Of the country,
neighbors returning from a business
trip necessitated by the bogus sales of
bogus land agent, which had involv-
ed their property.
The third traveller was a woman
from a far New England town, whose
whole life, up to her comely middle
age, had been spent In the rush and
turmoil of a monster factory. To her
the wide, illimitable plain was a reve-
lation Of the vastness Of Gods domain,
and she brooded over it in silent,
dreamy contemplation She smiled and
answered pleasantly when spoken to,
but had volunteered no information
concerning herself, and Lee and Balm
bridge felt some curiosity as to her
destination
They knew nobody in the sparseiy
settled region beyond who was ex-
pecttng company, and such an event
would be news for fifty miles around.
She had accepted the OBTAINING acci-
dent without worry or 1mpatence and
after supper sat on the porch OF the
small hotel, her eyes fixed In wonder
ing awe upon the distant mountains,
beyond whose peaks streamed the
glory Of the setting sun
''She looks like home," Bainbridge
said, indicating her with nod.
''She's that Kind" Lee returned with
the assurance Of knowledge gained by
experience. He was a married man.
They lounged out and took a bench
near her.
'-Going ON with the coach, ma'amT
Lee ventured after awhile.
why, yes" she replied pleasantly,
rousng. I'm going out near Wal
lace"
why, that's our postof3ce! Just
shack, you know-store and postoftice
together. AK. you locating in that
neighborhoodr
"YeA quite near. And you are some
Of our netghborsf That's good! !
seem to almost know you. I'm Amira
Burton" She laughed like q pleased
child and put out her hand as she In
troduced herself.
The men exchanged startled giances
at the name, but they shook hands
cordially.
II am Bob Lee; have a wife best In
the world and four towheads. This
b Wilsie Bainbridge, the old bachelor
who ltved by himself,'" Lee went on
loquactousty.
I'm glad there are children near. I
am going to miss ours at home 30
dreadfully," she said
Maybe they won't be what you'd
can near,~ he laughed. ~AnythtnSs
near ont here inside Of twenty miles
'Our quarter section is two miles
south OF Wallace, and the agent said
thered be railroad soon. I hope
you're not far away
'@You bought, I reckon" Bainbrtdge
said. "Land's all been taken up round
here ever 80 long"
"Yea. that's what the agent said;
though It doesn't seem possible. Why,
it's tust one great ocean Of land out
here. didn't realise there was 80
much-and all taken. But some folks
own miles, don't theyr' a
Bainbridge nodded, and she went on
with a deprecatory smile at her former
ignorance. ~Our place seemed 50 big
"A hundred and sixty acres and that
Is big when you've never had even
garden spot-tust rooms and a tiny
mite Of dooryaxd!
ut does" Lee assented. II came
from that kind Of q home mySeaf-
hardware clerk and wife teacher
back in Ohio. Tell you, we stretched
out herer
BE did not say that their -stretch"
covered several miles, as be might
Were going to raise cattle az soon
as we get started" She seemed sud-
denly 20 feed herself among friends and
ne1ghbors, who had right to know
the prospects and intentions Of the
newcomers. we think it Will be
easier for Tom, and we've heard It was
more profitable than ordinary farm
Ing"
TON IS, maybe, your husbaud2' Lee
instnuated.
Land, nor she laughed, her plump
face rosy. "He's my brother-an the
folks Ive got. I raised him, and, like
me, he's been q factory worker all his
life. He's married and has two little
tots, 80 smart"
Thomas n. and A. Burton-that the
names you bought underT Bainbrdge
queried, with a warning glance at Lee.
why, yes; how did you know? Oh,
I expect you saw it in the agents list
Of sales"
Yes, ma'am, and I noticed particu-
larly because that quarter is right next
to me; in fact just into mine. OF
course I felt an interest in such near