The Oakes times., 1913-05-22
A Choice Between
wo Roads
By F. A. Mitchell

Having occasion 10 journey through q
portion OF Tennessee, the region Of the
Cumberland plateau. | was obliged on
one occasion to travel by wagon. A
collntrymnn with some supplies was
going over the route proposed to take.
and when | offered him good pay to
take me with him he accepted the prop
OSitiOn.
We hadn't got far on our route when
we came to house standing beside
the road. and girl carrying carpet
bng~it was an old timer. really made
of rarpet-came out of the house, eyi-
IDENTIFY to meet the wagon. She was
dressed up"-that is. she had on her
best clothes instead of the calico dress
and >,nbOnnet Of the typical southern
country girl.
Josh" she said. II reckon I'll go with
yo'."
".AI right. Sairy. Climb up yere''
There was room for three on the seat.
but since my driver-Saunders was his
name-and the girl seemed inclined to
be spoony | removed myself to soft
bale Of some kind Of goods in the wag-
on behind them. saying that | would
have Il smoke
Josh and Sairy. as they called each
other. were evidently enjoying the trip
together. Neither gave me any infor-
nation as to their relationship or how
the girl knew that he would pass the
house where she joined us at that day
and hour
Having nothing to do. amused my
self trying to work out the relation
ship between them. While they said
nothing directly to indicate it, they
said Il great deal indirectly. At one
time the girl would chat about GER
tain farm. mentioning all sorts of de-
vices for making the house on it attrac-
tive. She would put up some curtains
she had that would fit very nearly
and paper several of the rooms her.
self-she had done papering before
and line the porch with flowers. and
make lot Of improvements besides.
Josh assented to all this every time she
stopped long enough to give him an op-
portunity. saying: "Just so. That
would look mighty fne-beautiful' But
it seemed to me that he was listening
to story rather than facts. If she
were picturing future home in which
he was to participate he gave me the
idea that he considered the girl to be
q rainbow chaser.
Striking crossroad. we found a man
sitting on Il fence whiting stick. He
took no notice of us till we came op-
posite; then he said:
"Howdy. Josh? Howdy, Sairy?"
"Howdy. Mart?' said Josh. pull
ing up
"Whar yo' goin'?" asked Mart.
"We're goin' to Jasper"
"What yo' goin to do thar-get mar
ried?"
Josh looked at the girl. but since she
did not seem inclined to make a reply
he did so himself I'VE allowed we
might get hurried if we can find pa
son to marry us"
II reckoned So That's the reason
jist thought Id wait TO- yo yere"
l changed my position so that could
see the girls face All the light heart
edness had gone out of her. inferred
that the man sitting on the fence was
claimant for her himself. but he was
red headed. freckled. loose jointed,
disagreeable looking fellow, and
didn't see how he could have any
chance with Josh. who was quite good
looking and otherwise attractive. Nei-
ther Josh nor Sairy made any COM
ment on Mart's last statement. and
presently be drawled:
See here, Sairy. this has been goin'
on long enough. Yo' see the sign
boards pointin' the way? The road
you're goin' leads to Jasper. t'other
one to Chattanoogy. Air yo' goin' to
Jasper with Josh or air yo' goin' to
Chattanoogy with me?''
There being no immediate reply to
this. there was dead silence. 1t was
evident that the two men were wait
ing for the girl to decide between
them. Presently Mart added:
This ends the foolin'. Yo' go to
Jasper or to Chattanoogy. and which
ever way yo' go you stay. There's
no 60 back"
Half minute elapsed before the de-
cision came and then not in words.
Josh must have seen tt in the girls
face. for | saw him reach down under
the seat, take out Sairy's carpetbag
and hand it to her. At the same time
Mart approached and handed her
down on to the road. Then Josh drove
on. Looking back. | saw Mart and
Sairy trudging along on the road to
Chattanooga.
Taking the seat | had vacated in ia
vor of. the girl. handed Josh cigar
'Smoke?"
Reckon | will"
"What does all this mean?" asked
when he had lighted up.
"Waal. there's some wimmen hes "A
powerful influence over some men and
some men over some wimmen. That
gal hes been wnntin to marry me fc
long SPELL but that Teller wouldn't
let her. Did 70 hear her talkin' about
the house we was to live in arter we
was married? I'd heerd all that afore
| knowed it didn't mean nothin'. |
knowed Mart was a watchin' her and
mad his spies out on her and she
wouldn't get far afore he'd stop her."
Does she fear him."
"No. If he'd "a tried to force her
I'D put a bullet inter him."
asked Josh If Mart noticed the
girl. explained to him what hypnotic