The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-01-22
The World of 'Thrine
(Copyright. by Short STORES Co, Id
By FLORA FIELD

HigginsVille's main street was hid
eous. weltry struggle of raw earth,
margined by irregular, desolate de-
formities of buildings, but beneath
this icy lid of early darkness, it took
on, for the nonSe rather a homely
and cosy aspect. The post office was
the axle of the towns social life; it
represented the political platform. the
farmers stock exchange, the women's
general intelligence Office, the unac-
knoWledged, subtle trysting place.
This night the Office was packed and
steaming from vapors of diminutive
multitude and red-hot furnace.
Above the shuttle of feet and spasmod-
&c weave of voices, sounded the
quick, rhythmic beat of stamping let
tiers.
Clip-clap. Clip-clap. Clip-clap-a
sense-satisfying lightning precision.
At once this noise ceased. There
was an instant move forward. The
small boys squirmed wildly under ell
bows to squint an eye against a crack
or lockbox glass. Then the slide of
the general delivery window was
pushed up, suddenly revealing in a
niche Of light the head and shoulders
OF young woman. 1t was startling
frame for any face; that of the girl
dealing out letters might have posed
as an Illuminated saint of the modern
art This girl looked a dreamer, an
1dealist, soul in it's last chrysalis
and not for moment the post
mistress of a Missouri village, almost
within sight of the smoke of Kansas
City. Yet she was born and bred
there, and her little journey into the
world had been no further than to
st. Louis. Her father, Attorney
Culver, had been a gentleman, a
scholar, and a procrastinating lawyer
with mania for taking the measure
ment of his clients heads and deduc
ing their ancestral race. When her
mother, who had been a patient in
valid, died, the father followed, er
radically, as was his wont, his last
thought belief that his doctors head
showed distinct tracery of the tribes
of northern Asia.
No provision was left. The judge
secured for her the modest govern
ment office. Her name was Cath
arine. Above all other traits was hel
comprehensive and sensitive intuition
that is the flower of simple living and
the sometime gift of grief.
The first rush to the window ex
pended itself precipitately, the bulk Of
the mail was soon distributed, and the
crowd thinned gradually away. Their
the door opend again and a mar
entered. He stalked up to the win
dow. He was big, he was blocked out
in angular lines, as the muscular
Britisher is; he was red and bronzed
somewhat Dubious eyed: his clothes
were mystery of rough tweed. Wher
! he spoke, his voice was a pleasant
scenic railway of English infections
"Er-have you anything for Capt
Graceland-er-I should say, Capt
Vivian Graceland?"
Graceland-er-G, you know" the
man said patiently. She was studying
the BIS.
She smiled frankly. A sense of hu
NOR brings its own self-possession.
1T might have been H, the way
the English spell Names" she replied
impulsively.
How did you know I was Eng
lish?" The question was humorous.
She glanced through the letter:
quickly.
There is nothing for you," she an
wered, decisively
He felt a rebuke Thanks" b,
said. raising his hat slightly. ant
| stalked out.
Have you got anything for me-?
1t was the Higginsville voice. Sh,
| fhnnoht hn ~
finite difference between this and tn,
| other.
mot tonight, jim"
You haven't looked" The Hig
ginsville voice bent itself to near
woman's gentleness.
/ ! Catharine took the mail once more
She found letter for Jim Wilson.
He fingered a moment, then left
swinging away with the inevitabl
grace of great strength and a glori
GUS youth
| When Catharine closed the offic
and started home. she met him goin
in the same direction, and he guards
| her to her gate. He had waited a.
hour in the cold for this. He genel
ally did the sort of thing one read
about
| The English officer called repeated
~ for mail There were registere
epistles and miscarried letters whic
acted as bridge over formality O
which Catharine and he met.
II He told her who his people were i
England. and asked if he might cal
on his own credentials
II Why not?" she asked, looking pas
him at the drug store across the way
where a boy was hanging a fres
placard in the window labeled, 9TH
Farmers Famous Chill Cure" "Ye:
you may come; you must meet Aun