The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-12-02

way to the hills, dwelt upon two mem
ories, the queer "choky" breakfast and
the strange feeling OF dismay that
seized her when she saw the station
and the dear home group slipping away
behind her. She turned her thought
resolutely from these to the future, to
the six hours ON the train flying
through an unknown world, to the
top O. nowhere" to Aunt Mary and
Uncle William and possible neighbors.
Toward afternoon the train began to
climb the hills. In one OF the yet un-
charted places of Mary Louise's soul
was deep and reverent love of ma
ture, and the beauty Of the violet
Ehadowed masses that crowded the
horizon held her fast. She watched
them with growing eagerness.
"Oh, didn't know that the hills
were-like that!" she cried to herself,
struggling for words to express her
exultation.
But when she stood at last the soli-
tary passenger on the tiny country
platform, her high mood suddenly de-
serted her. There was no house In
sight, and the hills wrapped In even
ing shadows looked cold and desolate;
not even her uncle's hearty greeting
could make the world seem other than
a very empty place. 1t was little
better when they reached the house
with its CHEEKY lights and Aunt Mary's
welcome. Aunt Mary's arms felt like
mothers and mother-Mary Louise
looked out the window and winked
hard two or three times.
Aunt Mary did not seem to notice;
she was talking comfortably while she
set the supper on the table. She was
sorry that Margaret wasn't down, she
said but one of her rare headaches
had got the better of her, and she was
trying to sleep it off. She'd be all
right in the morning; it was SO nice
that Mary Louise had happened TO
come at the same time.
Mary Louise didn't care about any
other girl then; she was thinking how
long a month was. She ate her sup
per and Ahswered all Aunt Mary's
questions about the family, but when
at last she was up in her room, safe
ly sheltered in darkness, her courage
broke down. She was homesick.
81 didn't suppose going away was
like this" she sobbed. She buried her
face in her pillow and cried bitterly
for little while; then she made one
more remark: 81 said | was going to
stay a month and / will"
Mary Louise opened her eyes early
the next morning to countless gentle
invitations-the warm touch OF the
sunshine across her face, the song OF
the indigo-bird in the juniper beside
her window, the light breeze burdened
with dewy fragrance, the glory of the
hills lifting morning faces to the sky.
She ran to the window and looked out
eagerly. 1t seemed as IL the whole
world lay before her, shining and beau
tiful and infinitely joyous.
'It's something to see this!" she
thought, with thrill of exultation. 1t
was good to know that hers had been
no barren longing.
She dressed quickly and hurried
down stairs, as no one was in the
kitchen, she. stepped out into the gar
den. Then she stopped In sudden dis
may. She had expected to find another
girl. and here-she got no farther in
her thought, for a pair of firm hands
were holding hers and cordial voice
was saying:
80 this is the little niece Mrs. Bak-
er has been looking for SO eagerly!
I'm not going to wait for an introduc-
tion-a morning like this Is an intro
duction fit for king, don't you think
so?"
Mary Louise looked up shyly; then
she forgot her shyness. 1t was such
a bright, eager face, with such re-
serves of joy behind It!
'I'm going to like her!" Mary Louise
thought, with a curious little thump Of
her heart. She did not know that that
was the way hundreds of homesick
girls had felt when this woman smiled
into their faces.
"Only," Mary Louise reminded her,
81 don't know your name-not any far
ther than Margaret"
Her new friend laughed. THAT was
brilliant of me, wasn't it?" she replied.
However, there isn't much more of 1t
only Gates"
Mary Louise stared, doubtful Of her
own ears; she fairly stammered in the
confusion of the revelation. "You are
not-you can't be-not the one that
was going to Aunt Felicias!" she
cried.
Miss Gates smiled down into the ex-
cited face. 81 think l must be-" she
answered. Mrs. fremont invited me,
but so did Mrs. Baker; they are both
old friends of my mothers, you know.
And l thought Mrs. Baker is lonely
sometimes, that perhaps she needed
me a little bit, and SO l came here.
We didn't know then that Mary Louise
was coming"
Mary Louise looked at Miss Gates
solemnly. 81 didn't deserve It," she