The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-02-20
The Country
" AnYt0bere

copyright. 1904. by Richard B. Ghefeon.
1t was he regulation suburban We
randa. broad, cool, immaculate. Befors
it was the regulation plot of freshly
clipped lawn, bisected by a path thu
edges Of which were geometrically pre-
else. A few rods up the street, ia
enough away to be un~obtrusive, yei
near enough to furnish just the right
mou of light, was the regulation
street lamp. Ever the regulation sub
urban mosquitoes hummed noisily
about and were duly cursed and slaugh.
tered.
Hardwick, stretched comfortably In
a steamer chair, blew smoke rings
thoughtfully In the still air. Vanetia,
seated near by In a low rocker, idly
toe of a little shoe.
In the house across the street the
long windows on the lower floor were
wide open. Through the stiffness of
the night came floating The tinkle of q
piano n a masculine voice singing
snatches of Tosti and Nevins.
Hardwick moved uneasily in his
chair.
"Hang it!' he burst out suddenly.
'I wish it had rained tonight"
The girl eyed him curiously.
at would have beer easier for you.
l suppose" she observed.
Infinitely" said he. This sort of
thing gets hold of a man-this quiet
and peace and eminent responsibility.
He leaves under a disadvantage. Hes
homesick before he starts"
"And yet you are going back there
tomorrow" she said.
"Yes," he returned bitterly, "I'n 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 even
write us a line"
st wish I might forget" he said fer
vently.
"Why?" she asked.
"WelI," said he, "for one thing It
simpIifes 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" she prompted as be
paused.
Lets make it PERSONAL" he suggest
ed. when I think of you. I 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 fire.
place and dinner ready in the coy din
ing room and
The girl interrupted him with a
hooking laugh.
1.-The nice, respectable suburban1te
hasn't doomed on the horizon as yet"
she said.
Nevertheless he WILL" Hardwick re
turned. THAT'S the worst Of that God
forsaken country" he ended Irrelevant
~.
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. 81 lever In
tended to tell you but perhaps we'll
boil feel better If 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 I
were doomed to stay there oreve but
don't think it was because 1 didn't Low
You enough or because ! haven't done
my best"
The girl looked up at his earnest face
and something in it filed her with pity.
She had intended to reply lightly. In
stead her eyes fell, and she was silent.
"You understand. don't you?" he said
after a pause.
sharply.
CI,o -o rye hn Cfonnn6 hooH o0 ~
he had been struck.
ct don't understand how-how you
could misjudge me so" she said.
"Misjudge your" he cried.
"Yes," she said. THAT Is just what
you nave done. Do you think all my
hopes are bounded by a house in a cen
vent1onal suburb with a conventional
lawn and all the rest of iii"
He looked at he inquiringly. but said
nothing.
She turned her head and looked across
the well kept lawn. When she spoke
her voice had softened.
Teddy" she said, "have you "
heard of the country called Any
whereT'
"Tm afraid don't follow you" he
said stif1y.
Listen" she said, "and I'll tell you
about it. 1t Is a very delightful coun
try, Teddy. no matter what its environ
ment-hot or cold, peopled or desert,
fruitful or barren. 1t is always charm
Ing to the girl who really cares, be-
cause 1t Is bis country and he is there.
1t is lovable because of him."
b stopped, half frightened by her
own words. He stood quite still for a
moment, hen suddenly bent over her
and took both her hands in his own.
Dear little girl" he said, dear,