The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-28
THE LANE THAT HAD 4
 TURNING.
BY LULA J. POWERS. copyright, 1905, by Daily Story Pub

| fishing Company.)
 | Possibly if she had lived in an up-to- l date town and been up- date her | self she would have been Miss Marie | she was simply an old maid. Pretty | she had once been, and perhaps she was not far from it now, but who ever | stops to think whether an old maid is | pretty or not?
 She lived simply, quietly and patient | ly in the little house where she had l been born, with her flowers, her garden and her cat. She was dainty with her | needle, so she did little sewing, pieced | quilts and did fancy work to provide
 herself with the few necessaaies saa rosn sne | sIon of white carnations, her favorite | flowers and the passion vine over the | door was as much part or MISS Mary | as the soft hair so carefully brushed | away from the broad forehead and the | gray dress and white aprons that she | always wore. | house for Mary loved reading. To her | they were companions beloved friends "one must have something to love m | as if her life was not made up of love | and kindly consideration for others. | People said there had been romance in her life, but 1t had not soured her,
 1t had only awakened her pure soul | to the needs of humanity.
 It was bright morning. The put side ,world-God's world-was iull ,os oa Mary's world-was peaceful. Today | was her birthday-forty years oi spring and sunshine Al, or . cio1a fao, ana aid l She looked out at the beauti1uI brlgnt- | ness. past the holding white flowers
 in the, garden, past the dusty ", road. ar | dering through the green woods noat- | ing upon the bosom of the lake whSse waters were just visible from her window. She had not been alone then. and every tender word he had spoken was dear to her even now. The now. CTS they had gathered together had withered. but their fragrance was stlll
 Presently the gate clicked and with a sigh. for only her God knew now | lonely her life was at times, she reused from her day-drcam and hur- | ried out to meet a tall, graceful girl that was coming slowly down the gar why, Helen! When did you get | back?" she exclaimed joyfully, taking the girls hands in both. of hers. How good to see yon again: ain ot her She loved love Helen "only this morning" she sad kissing the soft cheek eE Sdn or yne upon 1lG the rustic bench upon the vine-eoVered porch. , said as she losened the strings of her hat and let it fall beside her upon the
 'i'll be glad to hear it. Helen" said Miss Mary, caressing her fondly. You know that ] am interested in anything '"a' A smile smile dimpieI the girls face; Well. we had an accident" she said Si1St 1"SAtcScident-what kind of an acci- dent?" asked the little woman. ,,. "A broken rail dumped us down an embankment into a sand bed"
 oh! Was anybody hurt?p
 Some had scratches and bruises, but we came out free. although our coach was turned upside down and I was shut in for two hours.
 Whom do you think was shut up in the compartment with me, Miss Marry
 Jack"
 5ssk oh cheek U the not s9at 9aeh oP5Gf S2f
 1t was Miss Marry's time ne,d to change change glossy coat, and for a little she did not speak. "Twas like this she said at last. Papa had gone to the smoker and I was alone when the crash came. Our coach was tammed between some others, and I was Frightened. tall partment, came up and spoke to me, assuring me that everything would be all right in short time, and pacify-
 9He introduced himself. and tried hard to be agreeable. and as I had nothing else to do l talked to him l could see it was very distaste1ui to rose in his disposition, but as the cir cumstance was he could do no less than he did Well, after few attempts at conversation, he just kept silent and ! talked to him and he listened. I told him about this town, and told nm lots about you, Miss Mary-how good ana duli that I was more than glad to hear papas voice once more. But vou know him. don't you?"
 T did once." said Miss Mary. her eyes wistfnl and fa shining aga Hsen bIe .na' was
 Helen chatted on a little, then she
 Isis MT yaugnadd ,; dSad ySn %'.s s9y MarT Re summoning all her courage to ask the
 Married" aHs! Hslens nrs1Piix dark sysSrS%s Nd %o T1a man in her senses would marry him: He is cynical, skeptical and lots or unnecessary things, Miss Mary. Per haps though wits Min. MarT tenderhess ferh pern Tn haps had he married the woman ot his choice-the one he loved and had a home and little children-perhaps he dis9nnointed in his youth, and it soured him for all time I heard some one say,
 Helen was looking at the passion flowers then and did not see the pi6i- When at last she spoke she had appa- rentIy forgotten Max Vaugn, for she said, Helen, do you ever quarrel with Jack?" .... ho ,,,ar rels with me" said the girl promptly.
 Miss Mary picked Tab up Tn her arms. How do you make upTtnat that IS IS she asked rubbing Tabs coat vigor- ously