The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-03


Liberty Press-)
"Oh. it's sweet little room," said
Miss Stiles ironically.
Her gaze roamed pensively o'-e-
the little hall room she dwelt y.
from the plump divan cushions to
the book shelf above her cretonne-
concealed washstand, A trunk bump
ed on the landing outside her door
and then proceeded with series OF
smaller bumps up the stairs and land
ed with a final crash overhead.
Some one new" Faint hope flick
cred up, to die instantly. but of
course no one worth while would
come here to live." she mumbled
scornfully. Bitter distaste of her sur
roundings. of her daily grind, of her
colorless days arose within her and
logged her momentarily out of the
rut of logged cheerfulness and ac-
Ceptance of environment that she had
forced herself into.
II hate EN-" humping her head
into the pillows yiciously. Il hate
everybody Rising, she faced her.
mirror, Il hate myself. too. I'm
even beginning to crook my little
fingers like them-they'll be calling
me genteel next. Ugh. I'd rather be
bad--downright horrid--than gem
teel. with a. cotton wool brain and
SaWQuSt heAft.
A soft wind stirred the ruffied cur
tain and whisked her hair. aud, turn
ing. she thrust her head out into the
sunshine.
"Bsoh, Sally girl. but you've got
the blues she informed herself,
smiling the crisp air eagerly
with the stirring of spring sap
comes an eagerness in the blood may
hap, but it's the fall for the reckless
of adj
insistent warning whisper OF depart
ing days. its urge to make haste, that
opens ones eyes to fieeting youth,
its tanning breath charged with inc
last faint scents of summer sweet
nett And 1t moved unwontedly IN
Sarah Stiles's heart as she snined
the keen air and softened the re-
preston of her lips.
+ .Gird up your loins and put on your
tan pumps, Sarah, and fare thee
forth" she murmured. and perhaps
adventure viii hit you on the shout
ders, YOU poor. lonesome thing ana
Introduce you to an aiiinitx- ANY
way, the fall air Is glorious.
From the woods came The ungnns
acent OF autumn leaves and sun
warmed MOSES and cool-snadee,
depths. A woodpecker accumulated
the silence in sharply tapped meas
ures and a squirrel darted across
the sun-fiecked road.
Miss Stiles kicked her heels against
the fence she was perched on ana "a
uncomfortable abandon threw pach
her head, pursed her lips and poured
forth a lifting, whtstltng refrain %
har long ago school days.
Family, floating from the distances
,nother whistle cffimed in, ana she
uaused, the edges of her soas,sa.eH
drawing together iHsunctively, out
smile fingered on her lips. rlainexe s :.
~ rising and falling. the notes came
raarar. Softly the girl crept 10 tns
fr,nye Of bushes overhanging tho roao
ard watched the whistler swingtns
atnnr- his head tilted back. his nahos
hurried 1t, his pockets
"T wonder" she whispered ner-
,,o,,@,v. IF / dare--um, lie looks
--intelligent---and nice. i beieNe
will x.,..
Her sweet, shriI1 whistle Joined MS
brehthlessly she peered on. WAY.
suddenly the earth crumoiea ps,iea.'
her feat and laughing. hair oiowh
n,,,tch,np the willowy saplinss In be.
nath. she descended into the very
.ar,,,s IF the approaching whistler.
while she put straight her nat ane
tucked in stray hairpins he picked UT
tho scattered crimson leaf clusters
and presented them to her.
Did you learn The Farmers BOY
i'm a little red school house. TOO
he wondered, and at the honest wist'
fulness In his voice the last fetnhaa
of Sally's caution melted
Foolish, reckless, horrid. Inc
worlds thousand voices crooned II
warningIy in her ear. but she smiled
back into the boytsh eyes,
sIt was a gray stone school house
with a boys yard. and girls yard
and a pump in front where we oil
waited our turn for the tin dipper.'
But there was boy who cleaned
your slate and left pink. stick hearts
or your desk"
ENGRAVED I love you.'" she as
scented. And was there girl yot
made cart wheels In front of all the
way home-all whirIing hands and
legs ?"
Gee, I wished you'd gone to my
school,' His eyes were shining de.
lightedly. and Miss Stiles sobered sud.
| denly.
"But we're grown-ups now" she
sighed. .Only sometimes we forget
wouldn't 1t be great to slide bach
to those kid days. when everything
| was what 1t seemed, when We cried
when we were hurt and laughed wher
| we were glad, and believed in every
"