Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-16

Ill O00 VI ~
| @nr oENyAya eehpAMx, " |.
and flung aside his cigarette in sud-
den gesture OF despair, my soul, my
life, love you! Truly, OF what use
this daring plunge into the mountain
lumber camp OF 81 Orc, this exile
from friends and family in persistent
quest of forgetfulness? OF what use
when the forgetting is 70 far distant,
now, in the continual round OF tedi-
Gus duties, the overseeing Of Indian
gangs and balancing Of numberless
accounts, as it was in the first days.
The long hours Of morning toll
brought, for time, detachment and
mental relaxation, but when evening
came with it's crying demand for
physical rest, it's breathing of wind
in the oak trees and glittering OF
1rst stars above the shadowy pines.
Marston was Invariably overwhelmed
with Old memories, and slender
girl, red cloaked, her hood drawn
over her soft brown hair, stood once
more before him, gazing wistfully
outward through her tear-dimmed
eyes. Unnumbered times had the
bitterness Of that parting been re-
newed.
"My soul, my life. love you!"
Marston tilted his chair legs back
against the crude, unfinished boards,
and stared meditatively out through
the open window. His glance Ignored
the miserable outlying huts OF the Ia
boring half breeds, passed along the
narrow dirt road, cut and scanned with
the continual repassing Of the heavy
loads, and fingered above on the hill
side, where, its lights cleaning bright.
ly through the intervening trees, stood
the comparatively princely cottage OF
his friend and employer. Lewis Penn
berton, promoter and engineer
| Several days ago, Lewis Pembertnn
had de gned to confide to his at
tendant corpa a. fact that had Iona
since been suggested, by the radiant
shining Of his eyes and his frequent
outbursts Of gay, impulsive laughter
that the young lady, back home,
had finally come to favorable de-
cision, and was now expected, &C
companied by her mother and sew.
eral friends, to spend month or go
in the crude but hospitable shelter
Of her fance's cottage. Pemberton
had selected three OF the boys to act
as guides and general cavaliers to the
ladies' during OF hours Newton, Jim
Howard and young Dick Marston.
Newton and Howard had jumped at
the invitation but Dick had shaken
his head with finality, pleading that
! he was too busy. Pemberton had re-
piled, "wait till you see the girls, my
boy" and had laughed immouerately.
What pleasure could companion
ship with any girl be since Natalie
had gone? At best these friends OF
Pemberton's betrothed would be col
crless, insipid creatures, or the usual
forward type OF chattering girls.
Natalie, with her deep, grave eyes,
! her tactful understanding, her unfail-
ing sympathy, had spoiled him for
| the frivolous banter OF the girls
whom Newton and Jim Howard were
now finding so enchanting In their
| first enthusiastic greetings at Penn
|berton's festive, little cottage, on the
hillside.
To Martson, companioned by his
loneliness and sorrow occasional
peals Of girlish laughter mingled with
/! broken snatches Of conversation and
song. softened by the distance and
the trees, foated downward through
the night He closed HIS eyes In hope
less surrender to homesick, longing
depression. And even now, in the
midst OF gloom, scared and over
Swallowed by the contrasting gayety
above. his thoughts turned to Natalie
and the days long past.
How sweet she had been, how
brave! How loyal to her cross.
grained old father, who, in burst
of ungovernable rage, had forbidden
Martson the house and further com
| munication with his only daughter.
It was on that never-to-be-f forgotten
night Of humiliation and dismay that
Natalie had explained, out under the
stars of the great suburban estate.
"You see, Dick, he's very old, and
mother left him to me when she died.
Always think first of your father,
she said, and 80, Dick dear, you had
better 70 away somewhere. for
can't possibly marry you, Go away
somewhere and forget"
He had gone away, to the ends OF
IJQ0 0dELu, " utu 1S0AuSu. kAt AASS, hS
had received unseldsh little letters
from his PARKWAY sweetheart. but
soon these were entirely dropped, and
his only news OF her was CLEANED
from the month-old newspapers from
home. But. in spite Of seeming In.
difference on her part, and persistent
endeavor on his, he had in no way
followed out the injunction Of the
piteous pleading girl: dick. please
Dick, forget"
! Not even, after a long period Of
neglect on the part Of the social sec
tion, when he had perceived this
zlaring headline. final and complete
Brokers Daughter Betrothed- Miss
Vernon to Wed Son Of British Peer,
had he denounced the loved one.
Natalie, Nataliei Without, the
wind whispered tender things to the
towering pines, and the stars still
L MI v,t - H