The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1911-08-25
THE DESERTED BOWL
~ EMIN ELAN.
Jackson, Ky.

TIE Bowl Peak, whose lofty summit
overlooks the other Kentucky noun
tains, threw a May morning shadow |
fiittingly DER the pretty Red rivers |
laughing 1ow
Gladys Oldfield, as usual, was walk !
ing across the green field, reading a
new book; she crossed the wide sand |
bank, the rustic bridge, and began the
| ascent OF the peak, feat which might |
have fatiCued stronger person than
| herself. But she had climbed to its
top many times before this morning. |
When she had accomplished the
climb she threw herself rather discon-
| tentedly upon a moss-carpeted knoll
and looked downward. Meditatively
she gazed upon the Understanding
town, the swaying country for miles,
the glistening river that winded and
winded, and caught the fragrance of
million flowers that sweetened the
whole earth, it seemed.
With Indifferent mien she walked
down the sloping side and scrambled
up wall-like mound and over into
| bowEshape1 amphitheater. From this
point she could plainly see her home
an humble little cottage above the
town, where she lived with only her
| father, the editor of the town news
| paper.
The amphitheater seemed to have
been followed like a dish, and the
oak foliage and flowers on its brink
afforded an ideal shade; it's grass COW
| cred surface resembled a parlor more
| than a spot on hillside. An old tale
of the town said that it had been used
as a place of refuge by notorious
''moonshiner" in the pioneer days of
the mountains. After he was captured
and from it's resemblance to a bowl it
was dubbed THE Deserted Bowl"
From her father she had inherited
| literary tendency, and always bought
the new books.
! She resumed her perusal of the one
! she carried, MY Own Tale" by Dean
Isom, IAN aristocratic young duck
as country jake once called me-" in
his own words. She often spent the
long summer days in the bowl, and
never failed to have either a book or
her sewing.
When she had finished reading the
sun had dropped far down its west
| ern path.
ct never can be my luck to know
such a man as Mr.. Isom," she said to
herself, not thinking of the impossi-
bilities that really come to the good.
| Suddenly she remembered that her
father had asked her to come to his
Office that afternoon. But what did
he want? He had not told her.
| When half way down the hill she
thought of having left her book in the
bowl. But l will not worry; it is
SAFE" she said to herself.
| Leisurely she descended until she
/ lad almost reached the river; then
stopped and gazed at the evening sun
light illumining everything with mel
| low light cthwart the skies. It's trans
! cendent beauty gliste1ed on the trees
and cast resplendent Glow uNon the
river; the waters idly kissed the
banks and danced in the light; water
lily drifted by so quietly it seemed a
phantom sight.
Apprehe.sively she resumed her
trip to her fathers office.
| On her arrival the door stood open,
| the windows raised and a dead calm
seemed to say that something was
wrong. She ran to the pressrOom-
| and, oh! the engine had exploded. She
was frightened and started home,
when she met the town doctor, who
said, quietly, Your fathers foreman
was seriously injured in an explosion
and your father was-killed."
Alas! poor Gladys Oldfield was left
alone in the world.
| Three years afterwards Thomas Old
! field assisted Gladys into a car at the
car center in Lexington. They were
going to the ball park to witness a
game between Hazel Green and Lex
ington.
| Thomas Oldfield was a brother of
Gladys father, and had come into her
life rather Unexpectedly. He was
bachelor and had boarded quite for
tune. His home on Broadway was
enough to be proud of.
|
cts for the ball game negro boy
handed Mr.. Oldfield a letter. In great
excitement he exhibited a thousand
colors.
GLADYS we must" he stopped alb
rutly. and tlen said: mo, here's a
friend" And he introduced Dean
Isom
After Mr.. Isom had agreed to take
her to the game, Mr.. Oldfield hurried
home.
He went to his library, shut himself
I'D and turned up the lights. After a
moments hesitation he read the letter
again:
Keep yerself skase, mr.. Oldfields;
heered them a plannin to kill We.
"A FREN."
It was written in miserable hand,
and he was absolutely dumbfounded.
AS soon as Gladys had returned he
sent for her.
Little girl, if anything happens to
me, you will get my fortune" he
said.
"Oh! uncle, what's wrong?" she
asked.
go away and don't ash any ques-
tions," was his reply.
The beautiful summer days were
passing unreservedly with everything
save the growing friendship between
Isom and Gladys.
Gladys was now very beautiful
woman; her pretty blue eyes, black