The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-07-25
The Country
or AnytObere


randa. broad, cool, immaculate. Before
1t was b regulation plot Of freshly
clipped lawn. bisected by a path the
edges of which were geometrcally pre-
else. A few rods up the street, far
enough away to be unobtrusive, yet
neal enough to furnish Just the right
amount Of light. was the regulation
street lamp. Even the regulation sub
urban mosquitoes hummed noisily
about and were duly cursed and slaugh-
tered.
Hardwick, stretched comfortably in
a team chair, blew moke rings
thoughtfully in the still air. Vanetia,
seated ear by In a low rocker, idly
traced the shadow of the vine with the
toe of a little shoe
In the house across the street the
long windows on the lower door were
wide open. Through the stiffness of
the night came floating the tinkle Of a
piano and a masculine voice singing
matches of Tosti and Nevins.
Hardwick moved u~neasily in his
chair.
Hang it," he burst out suddenly.
81 wish it had rained tonight"
The girl eyed him ~curiously.
1T would have been easier for you.
I suppose" she observed.
"%Infniteiy," said he. This sort of
thing gets hold of a man-this quiet
and peace and eminent responsibility.
He leaves under a disadvantage. He's
homesick before he starts"
And yet you are going back there
tomorrow" she said.
yes" he returned bitterly, "Ill go
back tomorrow to my railroad and my
niggers-and my inconsistencies"
And forget all about us up here aft.
er a week or So" she said lightly, "for-
get us SO completely you won't ever
write us a line"
"I wish I might forget" he said fer
vently.
"Why?' she asked.
well" said he, ''for one thing II
| Simplifes matters. Down there, when
| you think about people you know, 1t
| makes you very unhappy. You get to
| imagining all sorts of things"
"For instance" h prompted as be
paused.
Lets make it personal" he suggest
ed. "When I think of you. l imagine
| you married to some nice. respectable
suburbanite who comes out every night
on the 5:13 and finds you waiting for
him and a fire burning in the hall Are
| place and dinner ready in the coy din
4 ing room and
The girl interrupted hin with a
hooking laugh.
1.-The nice. respectable su~burban1ts
hasn't doomed on the horizon as yet"
she said.
Nevertheless he will" Hardwick re-
$3.50 WA %l1% H~2
forsaken country" he ended Irrelevant
ly.
whats the worst of It?" she in
quired.
THAT it prohibits one from being a
suburbanite of the aforementioned va
riety. VAN" he said, rising suddenly
and standing by her chair. Il never in
tended to tell you. but perhaps We'll
both feel better II 1 do. 1 went down
there intending to make my pile and
come back here to marry you. The pile
is still to be made, and 1t looks as If /
were doomed to stay there forever, but
| don't think 1t was because / didn't love
you enough or because / haven't done
my best"
The girl looked up at his earnest face.
and something in 1t filed her with pity.
She had Intended to reply lightly. In
stead her eyes fell, and she was silent.
you understand. don't your" he said
after a pause.
"No, I don't understand" she said
sharply.
She was aware be stepped back as If
he had been struck.
81 don't understand how-how you
could misjudge me so.' she said.
"MfStudpN yOu" he cried
Yes" she said. That Is just what
| you have done. Do you think all my
hopes are bounded by a house in a con
| ventional suburb with a conventional
lawn and all the rest of itT'
He looked at her i~nquiringly. but said
nothing.
She turned her head and looked across
the well kept lawn. When she spoke
her voice had softened-
Teddy" she said. "haye you ever
heard of the country called Any
where?"
'I'm afraid I don't follow you." he
said stifiy.
Listen" she said. land I'll tell you
about it. It is a very delightful coup
try. Teddy, no matter what its environ
ment-hot CT cold. peopled or desert.
fruitful or barren 1t is always charm
ing to the girl who really cares. be
cause it is his country and he is there.
| It Is lovable because Of him"
She stopped, half frightened by her
own words he stood quite still for a
moment, then suddenly bent over her
and took both her hands in his own.
Dear little girl" he said. dear,
brave little girl, You tempt me into
the selfish cowardice OF taking you
there"
She felt his big hands tremble: then