The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-26
WHAT OF THE WAY.
BY SARA LINDSAY COLEMAN.

Copyright, 1904. by Daily Story Pub
Coz.
Margaret flung herself into the
heart of the berry bed and drew In
deep delicious breaths of the straw
berried air. 1t was homel Home after
months and months of the city.
If things could have continued to
run on comfortably she might not
have cared to leave the city, but
things couldn't.
II wasn't Margaret who wanted one
of the affairs to exclude the other,
she drove bshIrd LivinRston's thor
oughbreds or plunged her nose into
Graham's roses with equal content It
was the suitors.
Margaret ruined her brow and for
the hundredth time that day, asked
herself which one of the equally
charming. amusing fellows 1t must
be.
AS though in derision a bird some
where above her head cried, which,
which,"
"oh. I don't know" she said out
loud.
And as she spoke, a tiny, gnarled
old woman thrust her calico-bonneted
head over the fence and peered at the
girl with shrewd, kindly eyes, Don't
We now7' she asked anxiously.
It was only the little old woman who
lived at the foot of the hill in q
house as small and gray and weather
beaten as herself Margaret did not an
swer her questioner; instead she look
ed at the sun.
"Gittin' on towards the shank o the
evenin' now. amt hit?'
yes" said Margaret, with much Dig
nifty. She had learned from past ex-
periences that responsiveness wouldn't
do in addressing a mountaineer, that
is II you yearned for solitude. Mar
garet wanted to be let alone. She could
decide It in five minutes II alone. OF
course she was glad to see them, the
dear, simple, kindly creatures, but all
day>l long, to use their own expression,
she had been ''howdy-doing" them.
And back in the city were two impa-
tient young fellows who had each been
promised a telegram that was definite
would be sent them before the sun
dropped to bed behind the big hills.
Margaret had told herself that she
could answer definitely, that she would
know the instant she got among her
friendly mountains and away from
the hurry of life.
"Ef we amt shore. faint the right
'un," came from the depth of the sun
bonnet. when the right 'un comes hit
pears IKE NWO blE ElI Oh yer
shoulders an shove We to him."
who said 1t had man in it7" un-
graciously.
The kilograms had to go. and time
counted for something--with every
body. that is, but an old mountaineer,
who moved with a hitch in her gait.
who said hitT" chuckling. when
the paintin' teacher over thar" with
a sweep of her lean arm that took In
the universe and the village school
gifts restless like and paints furious,
thar's a man at the bottom o. her in
dustry; when the gal tet scrubs her
floor gifts restless an scrubs furious,
thar's a man at the bottom of her in
dustry. Honey, ben a gal myself.
Maybe now" persuasively, IT could
help We In this difficulty"
The girl did not mean to, but she
did tell, even to the names of the city
men. and laughed little In the tell
ing, such curious, kindly folks, the
mountaineers.
Il mistrust them city chaps" said
the voice, almost lost in the sunbonnet.
How'd a big. strong fellar out o.
these mountains suit We? Well, jes' not
eggzactly out o. 'em, but adopted like.
The settlement lowd afore we left"
Yes. yes" impatiently. The girls
glance swept hills and valleys to rest
on the church spire that lifted its
symbolism against tho sky's blue And
suddenly the winter back in the city
had been a little teacup existence,
made up of little men, forever content
to dawdIe through drawing rooms and
drink tea; Of little women who smiled
as they stabbed at each other; Of
smartness and gaiety and emptiness.
THE settlement amt no Bible"
with a shrewd glance at the averted
face. "Hit's liable ter be suddint.
Reckon We heerd o. the preachers
work the night the French Broad run
in on the folks at the bend, hongry
fer 'em as a wolf?"
With a sudden flame in them, the
girls eyes turned towards the sun
bonnet.
Reckon we heerd O. las Sunday?
The settlement war holdin' onto hits
breath. low we can't keep him allus.
Thet amt the fust call he's got ter
furrin parts. He jes' looked gran
honey, an his eyes blazed. ole Mis-
Kuydendalfs shoutin' couldn't drown
him. But 1 must git on. Reckin We
know'd Floridy Higgins war home