Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-07-11
& Voice Of
Gladness.
BY Troy Allison.
Copyright, 1907. by E. c. PARCELS.

I Iopyrlgnt. l9Uf, by Il. Z. PARCELS I
C>~>~--~~~
The country road was strange to both
of them. They were almost strange to
tach other, their acquaintance being a
week old, the result Of boarding in the
same farmhouse.
THAT looks like nice wood to stroll
through" He pointed to the thick
grove of hickories and gum trees, their
leaves tinted by the first frost. I'VE
will get over that stile.''
'sWill WEI" There was amusement
in her voice and an intense enjoyment
Of living in her expression She
breathed the mountain air, the vivid
autumn coloring reflected in the glow of
her face. THE dominant idea of ones
impression of you is that you seem to
know what you want to do and take
the shortest line to it, Your manners
do fairly well for westerner, but our
southern men would have said, Miss
Ledleigh, would you like to stroll
through the grover
He flushed slightly and knocked a
stone from the path with dogwood
stick he had cut at the foot of the hill
Il told you didn't know how to talk
to women or how to be nice or
courteous. l haven't bit of polish, ;"
ruefully, but you shouldn't expect
much of a man who has spent most of
his time on ranch. / have bean cast
only three months. | warned you at
FIRST
She looked at the six feet OF nasca-
Unity speculatively.
Don't apologize, for heavens sake. :
she said quickly. .'In this day and
generation it's refreshing to meet Il
man who knows his mind. | am going
to enjoy this grove just as much as
you are. The fact that | didn't have
to think it up is the incest part about
it."
1--WE been planning details for my
self and others ever since Joined the
crowd Of breadwinners. I've had to
plan, scheme and doyetail until it
makes me tired TO have a waiter hand
me a bill of fare and ask me what I'll
have. l could enjoy anything that
was set before me unexpectedly
wouldn't even balk at chop suey,"
with a little laugh that had the first
touch of bitterness he had noticed in
her.
He helped her over the stile in the
manner of a big man who knows little
Of women and who reyerences them to
the extent of being afraid of offending
them by too great familiarity. she
knew in her heart that she could have
climbed the stile more easily by her
self than with the uncertain aid he
gave her, but her mind grasped the
cause of his uncertainty. and his clean
wholesomeness was as pleasant as the
breeze from the mountain.
The yellow leaves from the hickory
trees rustled beneath their feet as they
went into the woods. They dragged
their feet clumsily, furrowing the
leaves into heaps.
beats town all hollow, doesn't it?"
He stopped to thrust bunch of Grim
son berries in the band Of her white
felt hat. "How long have you been 'in
office as the government clerk puts
it?"
ages, centuries, world without end;
to put it in numbers, seven years.
I'm afraid I'll not be able to keep my
position much longer" dolefully.
There was a CLEAN of interest in his
eyes. whats the matter?" he asked
briefly.
Il don't know exactly" with a pre-
tense of Indifference. Either the mo-
notony of it will drive me crazy or the
continual copy will get on my nerves
until I'll throw an ink bottle at the
chief some day and be discharged for
disorderly conduct
He laughed at her petulance. ''I
would never dream that you were af-
ficted with nerves. You make joke
of life and enjoy everything like an
overgrown child. You are the essence
of youthfulness, yet you must be thir-
ty, aren't you?" He gave her frank
ly critical look.
She selected a comfortable looking
log and sat down on it in lazy aban-
don.
80 man, man, do they teach you out
In the wild and woolly west that t.
ask woman's age is an objectionable
sin9'
He was filling her lap with masses
of purple flowers that grew waist deep
around them
"No, the west is not artificial. Ma
ture Is the teacher. We learn to ad-
mire, but perhaps express even our ad-
miration clumsily."
Her eyes sparlzled with appreciation,
'That was a well turned compliment
I'm convinced that you are diamond
in the rough. If you were not going
away tomorrow, might polish you up
considerably"
I'm sure you could do great deal
in that line" He sat down beside her
and took a cigar from his pocket. You
have already done great deal Hon
estly, you've done more for me than ]
,1,.x,t,+ could 10 ,5n..< Ux<x,t.-<z ~,