The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1910-05-12
On the Lonesome
Road
By BELLE MANDATES


window. her face full Of pride and.
love. her heart full Of tenderness and
perfect understanding Of what had
brought the tinge Of sadness to his
brown eyes.
Tue horses. jubilant and frisky. a.
farm horses are apt to be when not
hauling load, required all Sydney's
skill. He stood up in the old bob
!sleigh. the whirling snowfakes beat
ling his face, his strong, sturdy young
shoulders squared for action. His
mother threw shawl over her head
and came out on the stoop.
Sydney"
He refined UP the horses. ANY
thing more you want in town. moth
er?"
Eyes. Sydney. want our little
Rhody. Fetch her back with you. for
the day feel sure that she will
come II you go after her"
Mother. she isn't our little Rhody
ANY longer. She is weaned away
naturally-and l would no more drive
up to Whit Ormsby's gilt-edged door
In this old bob-sleigh than Id cut my
hand of"
The impatient horses would wait for
no further remarks. but sped on.
When Sydney had quieted them down
and they were skimming smoothly
along the country road he found him
iself wishing that his mother had not
awakened old memories-memories he
Twas trying so hard to efface The men,
tories we're all of Little Rhody," to
whom he had been a big brother and
a faithful attendant in the old days
when Ormsby's farm had Joined
theirs. When Rhody was 16 years old
her fortunes had suddenly changed.
Whit ormsby had patented a manu-
featuring implement that had been
big success. He had bought an enor.
NOUS house and moved into town.
Rhody was sent to the city to . fash.
ionable school for two years and that
had been followed by q year of for
eign travel.
She had recently returned home and
It was reported that she was engaged
to Ellis Mordaunt. man about town,
whom Sydney felt justified in de-
nouncing as snob.
Sydney performed the innumerable
little errands of his mother and sew.
eral of the neighbors and then started
homeward. Out at the forks he halt
ed. Then-he never knew why-he
took the lonesome road. although 1t
was out Of his way and he was in
haste to get home. Rhody in the old
days had liked this road and had Civ.
en- it the fitting appellation. 1t was
bleak, long stretch, with no protect.
ing rises Of land, and the cutting win.
ter blast made him urge his horses
to still greater speed.
Within half mile Of the turn to
his home he saw stationary black
object in the road. Closer inspection
proved 1t to be a runabout. As he
slowed up his shying horses he saw
that the single occupant was q girl.
Near range revealed the girl as Rh0dy.
"Oh. Sgd" she said, family. "the
machine won't move and am 20
cold!"
In trice he wrapped her in warm
robes and slowed her away in the
bottom of the sleigh. The horses were
of at canter, requiring all Sydney's
attention for some little time. Az
tsoon as he could he turned to her
with reassuring words. but he received
mo response.
"She was colder than knew" he
Thought, as he shook her arm.
She murmured drowsily and relapsed
into semislumber. Sydney stopped
the team and lifted her out into the
road. A neighbor came along on foot.
Here, Jed, Rhody's almost frozen,
and ! will have to walk her to the
house Drive my team home and tell
mother to have things ready"
Then he shook the girl roughly
Come" he urged, we must rum"
He FASTENED her tagging steps,
down the lane and up to the door at
which his mother stood waiting.
Two hours later he came into the
eitting-room, where Rhody, rested and
revived. was contentedly ensconced in
q big easy chair.
Twill you tell me-" he demanded,
what you we're doing in midwinter on
the lonesome road in an automobile"
II don't know whether l will or
not" she answered, with the old de.
fiant Tilt in her eyes. will you tell
me why you drove past our house to-
day and never gave a glance toward
the window and you never came to
see us?"
YES" he replied, quietly. looking
into the depths of her eyes. Every.
thing ] do is for one reason. 1t is
because love you.'
Then, to his amazement, with q lit
tie low cry. she came rapturously into
his arms.
Sydney, Sydney" she said, softly.
after q little while. THAT 10 why !
was on the lonesome road-because
! love you! ! didn't know quite how
loved you until this morning when
you drove past. I stood at the library