Smyrna times., 1910-09-07
The Finding
~ Of Her
BY LOUISE j. STRONG.
BY LOUISE

various destinations until only three
were left to be stranded by break
down at a cluster of houses called a
town. Two of them were residents
of the country, neighbors returning
from a business trip necessitated by
the bogus sales of bogus land agent,
which had involved their property.
The third traveller was a woman
from a far New England town,
whose whole life up to her comely |
middle age, had been spent in the |
rush and turmoil of a monster fac |
tory. To her the wide, ilimitable
plain was a revelation of the vast
ness of Gods domain, and she brood
ed over it in silent dreamy contem-
plation. She smiled and answered
pleasantly when spoken to, but had
volunteered no information concern
ing herself, and Lee and Bainbridge
felt some curiousity as to her desti-
nation.
They knew nobody in the sparsely
settled region beyond who was ex-
pecting company, and such an event
would be news for fifty miles around
She had accepted the OBTAINING
accident without worry or impatience
and after supper sat on the porch of
the small hotel, her eyes fixed in
wondering awe upon the distant
mountains beyond whose peaks
streamed the glory of the setting
sun.
"She looks like home, "Bainbridge
said, indicating her with a nod.
"She's that kind Lee returned,
with the assurance of knowledge
gained by experience. ne was a
married man.
They lounged out and took bench
near her.
"Going on with the coach,
ma a'm?" Lee ventured after awhile.
"Why yes, she replied pleas
antly, rousing. "I'm going out
near Wallace -
"Why, that's our postoffice Just
shack, you known-stor and post
Office together. Are you locating in
that neighborhood ?"
Eyes, quite near! And you are
some of our neighbors? That S
good | seem almost to know you.
I'm Almira Burton - She laughed
like pleased child and put out her
hand as she introduced herself.
The men exchanged startled
glances at the name, but they shool
hands cordially.
81 am Bob Lee; have wife (bes
| in the world) and four towheads
| This is Wilsie Baibridge, the oil
bachelor who lived by himself, 4"
: Lee went on loquaciously.
| ''I'm glad there are children near
| am going to miss ours at home S
dreadfully," she said.
| "Maybe they won't be wha
| you'd call near he laughed
| "Anything's near out here insid
| of twenty miles,
| "Our quarter section is two mile
south of Wallace. and the agent sal
| there'd be railroad soon. hop
| you're not far away
II "You bought, l reckon" Bair
: bridge said. Lands all been take
up rouna here ever so long"
"Yes, that's what the agent sal
though it doesn't seem possible. WI
it's just one great ocean of land OF
here. didn't realize there was
much. And all taken? But son
. folks own miles, don't they?"
cambridge nodded, and she we
- on with a deprecatory smile at h
former ignorance. "Our pla
seemed so big-a hundred and six
acres-and that is big when you,
never had even garden spot ju
rooms and a tiny mite of a doc
yard!'',
sit does," Lee assented. 6
came from that kind of a home m
self-hardware clerk and wife
. teacher back in Ohio. Tell you, A,
stretched out herel''
| He did not say that the
"stretch'' covered several miles,
he might.
"We're going to raise cattle as so
as we get started.' She seem
np suddenly to feel herself among frien
.uV and neighbors, who had right
know the prospects and intentions
the newcomers. "We think it W
be easier for Tom, and we've hes
ne it was more profitable than ordins
I farming
"Tom is, maybe, your husband
Lee insinuated.
ins "Land MOP she laughed,
" plump face rosy. "He's my brotl
All the folks I've got. l raj.
him, and, like me, he's been a f
q tory worker all his life He's m
" ried and has two little tots,
smart. "