Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1911-03-23

ness alone had kept her on the stage
when she never even had felt the
glory of success.
In the little Quaker academy, where
her grandfather had sent her to
school, she had become, with many
other girls Of her acquaintance, enam-
ored Of the mystery of the footlights-
for they were mysteries indeed to
those school girls in the quaint acad-
envy on Long Island.
Then-he. her girlhood sweetheart
had opposed her going to the theater
when she had left school, He feared
she might learn to care too much for
the city life-the life so far removed
from their own. And, whether will.
fully or not, Virginia Warrington had
eventually left the old home to go
upon the stage. She had gone In
search of a career.
Later, the one dear thing to him in
the neighborhood gone, John Borth-
wick had walked out into the world
in search of wealth.
Virginia thought of 1t all now. She
wondered where he was; she won
dered II he had made any greater sue
cess than she had 1t was nearly ten
years since she had heard of him.
The old home of the Borthwicks
had long since been bought up and
was now part of pretentious es-
tate. Indeed, the Warrington farm
was one Of the. few pioneer homes
that still stood in the now richly pop
ulated section. Virginia knew her an
cestors would turn over in their
graves If the grand old place were to
be disposed of. For this reason, to-
gether with the fact that she had to
live somewhere, Virginia had come
back, home. She promised herself to
try to be as good citizen as her for
bears had been, even though the out
look was bopelessly colorless,
Civilization had marched with rapid
strides about her childhood home. And
now the very latest evidence of it
was about her on all sides--the prep.
arations for the aviation meet. Air
ships from all over the world were
being housed in tent-like wooden
structures, called hangers, not a mile
down the road; great field was be-
Ing put in readiness for the starting
of the ships; the very course was
through her own property-by her
own consent. She wondered II her
grandfather wouldn't quake little at
that, even.
Day after day she watched the
great winged ships pass over her
house and float. into obscurity across
the trees. She saw them rise and
fall, some quickly, darling here and
there, others slowly, like great lazy
buzzards lowering over their prey.
She learned to know one from the
other. as she stood out in the garden
with her glasses glued to her eyes,
watching them, hour after hour
1t was late October and the winds
were variable. but daring birdmen
tried their luck in the air. Virginia
watched one aviator In monoplane
persistently try to make start on
windy afternoon just as the great
red sun was sinking behind the woods.
At last he rose into the air. At first
lie remained few feet above the
ground and finally rose higher and
higher until he was but specl
against the clouds At last, when the
sun had gone down, Virginia went
into the house, stirred with the long
ing to try the fascinating new sport
OF the century
"Oh. my dear, my dear!" cried Mrs.
Mackin, from the rear of the house |
not an hour after Virginia had gone |
upstairs.
There's one of those air boats land |
ed in the yard! I'm that scared"
. Virginia rushed down and out into |
the garden. There, clad In leather
costume from head to foot and with
sleet and snow covering him until he
looked like snow man, was an avia-
tor scrambling from his machine.
MAY trouble you to use your tele-
phone?" he asked, as Virginia stepped
close. Il want to phone for a tar
paulin for my machine. l struck a
snow storm up yonder and was afraid
my machine would freeze. ! coasted
down more quickly than thought
here.
Virginia looked at the oddly at
tired man. Her heart beat wildly,
She could not answer and he stood
looking at her.
Tin sorry, I'm sure" he said.
&C."
Are you John 'Borthwlck?" STAN
mered Virginia.
Il am, Virginia" he said. calmly.
She held out her two hands. you
certainly have come out OF q clear
sky" she laughed.
Its been anything but clear-for
me, Virginia" he said, pointedly.
And, after that. he telephoned for
his tarpaulin and explained to the
girls entire satisfaction that the whole
spectacular entrance into her life
again had been planned by him. He
had been over the whole World-seel-