Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-12-19

| $500 ~ oANAS ~ OWcOS DAA0H .a
80 be it,"
And your"
Forget that | exist"
DO you go back to town with Har-
ry?"
No matter. You have your chance;
take 1t. 1t is all that concerns YOU"
And they, parted.
Doyedale was small and primitive
village, boasting of no vehicle except
a wheelbarrow and a donkey cart. Con-
sequently Dan Courtney, on taking
leave CT his rival, set forth ON foot in
the direction of Sweet Briar Farm.
Courtney encountered few folk on his
pleasant road to the farm. A couple
of farmers-a rosy-cheeked child and
an old woman were chiefly those who
crossed his path. The old men babe
him good evening; the little girl smiiSd
at him, and the old woman as she
passed let fail with a clatter the
bundle Of sticks she had been gather
ing in the wood. She was very bent,
very gray, and very wrinkled; her face
encircled in big rusty black poke
bonnet. She was muttering and moan
ing strange things to herself as Dan
Courtney passed her by.
But as her mutterings grew more We
hement, he halted, threw her coin
and 81 passed on again.
Had he glanced round at the old
withered poke-bonneted woman, he
would have seen that tear had glis-
tened in her eye.
Il am very tired" she mumbled,
"and the bundle is so heavy"
Permit me to carry 1t tor yOu," said
voice, some minutes later in her ear.
Walden, for 1t was he, stopped and,
Notwithstanding her protestations,
raised the bundle to his shoulder.
Where do you live?" asked Walden,
keeping pace with her feeble steps.
Near the wood" came the high
pitched, sing-song reply. Near the
wood"
you are too old to work"
Bread must be baked and fires must
be made"
do you live alone?"
Granddaughter Mary lives with me
now"
Granddaughter Mary ought to as
sist you to gather the fuel for your
fire."
"Masy's young and goes a-sweet-
heartin'"
When you we're young did you go a.
sweetheartin'T'
She nodded assent and hoBbled more
briskly forward.
"Show me where your home Isl he
said. Il should like to inform your
granddaughter Mary that 1T would be
more profitable to her IL she cared less
for her sweetheart and more for her
grandmother"
"'Twould be little use;" quoth the
grandmother. she's young and it's but
nat'ral."
Natural to be thoughtless?" queTied
the prince. Have you ever been out
Of Dovedale?"
She shook her head.
uCA OOVVudAO ID yOuA WO44u" 11O
drew long, long breatAl as though
the idea was sitting.
-Four walls and bread! tO eat. hus-
band, and children to rear cried she.
What more. do a woman wantT"
And you have been, happy?''
Never SO happy as now!" exclaimed
q clear, ringing voice, and before Wal
don could recover from his astonfsh-
ment the old dame; with a truly mar
vclous agility, had vantsEed- whittier
he could not say:
"Phrygia!" called Wdhom.. Ringing
the sticks into a hedge and following |
the narrow side path Rhrygia must |
have taken At the. end of tine path |
was a small wicker gate9 and passing |
through 1T Waldon came unexpected |
ly upon low; thatclted,. roseAoovered |
cottage.
After waiting several minutes the
door opened and some one came swift
ly towards him No @ther indeed. than |
Phrygia-no longer wrinkled, old and |
bent; but In her most captivating Of |
summer attire; this simplest Of hats |
upon Ter bronze-gOld HAHN, and the |
daintiest Of blue ribbons around her
slender waist.
MISS Dean" exclaimed Walden,
bowling low, when win you cease to
be everything that is heWildertng and |
enchantfng?"
Mr.. Valdez" answered Phrygia, !
with responding Obetsance. when
will you learn to be snything but chiv--l
alrous and manly? What have You
done with my kindling wood?"
Il threw II away to follow you"
ITO follow me2"
ITO the end Of the world" he added.
earnestly.
She coquetted a moment with her
ribbons and laces.
"Mr. Courtney must have arrived at
the farm by now she said. II hopa
Lavlnia will entertain him nicely,
Shall we not go to Sweet BrtaF, tOor''
Walden hesitated.
ION one condition" he said.
which is-%
''That Dan Courtney returns to town
this evening with Harry Bond. =
"Is that what Harry intends to do?"