Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-26
By CHARLES TENNEY JACKSON
Author of Che Day Of Souls. My Brothers Keeper Etc.
Copyright 1912. The Bobbs-Merrill Company

we'll as the hostelry so that she had the
| eminent respect, If not the patronage
of the best people.
Harlan, from his Office window, look
ing absently across the square, saw
Miss Norman come out Of the News
door and go down the street toward
the Parsons House presently. Then she
paused at the corner Of the court
house park to glance up at the splen-
dor of the August NAPLES. The birds
were singing, and the sunlight flicker
ed through. She crossed the lawn to
seat and sat down. Harlan could see
her looking about, drawing In the ali
perfumed with the bloom Of the corn
and the golden stubble up the hillsides
Her eyes closed, and after while sne
slept-just q tired woman of forty VINO
had worked hard and had no Illusions
who was just what the inevitability ol
work and life makes OF all Of US. But
about the square, in fifteen minutes
gossip ran. The bleached-hair lady
who had come back with Aurelie Lind
strom from her triumphant 100000
prize beauty tour Of the west wearing
the ill-gotten McFetridge diamonds
was asleep in the park!
No other woman had ever slept In
Rome's park. Nothing could have SO
tabled convention, nothing so focused
comment on Aurelie Lindstrom. All
about the square, the stores, the BILL
lard parlor, at Playter's corner, at the
bank and around the hitching- the
buzz ran. Harlan heard talk Of 1t from
his window. Clerks stopped and told
others; farmers stared. Some one ask
ed where was old Marshal Bee; and
others said the sheriff's office had 1urls-
diction, as the park was county prop
erty.
Wiley Curran, talking to Aurelie In
his shop, saw Miss Norman drowsily
lurch back under all the midsummer
glory and sleep as child sleeps.
Poor Adj" murmured Aurelie
"she's been tired for ten years and nev-
er had such peace and air as this. It's
Just fine to see her!"
And Aunt Abby who had hurried
down, wiping her floury hands to set
tie back her specs" and kiss the wan
derer, looked over in the park and said
Poor dear-let her sleep till supper
time IL she will. What else Is the PARK
good for except tired people, and may
be hcart-sick, too"
But meantime Rome rocked with
scandal. Old Marshal Bee was routed
from his midday meal and told to dc
something, and he ambled into the
sheriffs office and said they ought to
do something. Old Deputy Amos pull
ed his whiskers and protested. The
undertaken came in and denounced
both of them, and the district attorney
was appealed to, but he shook his heao
head. Never would he wake anybody
up Just before the primaries!
And while the agitation grew and
seethed in the court house and about
the square, Miss Norman slept. Slept
whole, long beautiful hour, and ther
awoke slowly, luxuriantly, to stare ur
at the splendor of the sky through the
NAPLES. Afar off came a drowsy cow
bell and the singing OF a reaper She
hated to come back to her banal worlt
of grease paint and the hunting o
| Jobs. Just peace-thag was what she
longed for. But she robbed her eye:
and went over to the Parsons House
as Aurelie had directed her.
Aurelie and Mr.. Curran were laugh
ing together over old times; and Uncle
Michigan, who had been summoned b!
a small boy, was sitting spellbound lis
tening to Aurelie's adventures, he
hand tucked under his own black paw
when Miss Norman came in.
WELL" she drawled with her goot
humor, "the old dame put me ou
proper!"
| "Old dame? Miss Amelia?
81 suppose so. Never had such
frost. The old catamaran-zing!'
What's the matter?' cried Aurelie
"She said," drawled Miss Norman
calmly, that no friend of that Lind
strom girl could get a room in he
house. Said it had been a respectable
house since 1856. We could take ou
diamonds and beat it to Earlville
Lord, Aurelie, our diamonds"
| Aurelie colored to her ear tips. He
eyes began to blaze. And to damp tn
kindling fires, Wiley called up Ameli;
Parsons on the telephone. She declin
ed to explain. She wouldn't have then
actresses" and that ended it.
Aurelie caught his lamely-repeate'
phrase. Them actresses!"
"I wish some of the managers coul
hear that" went on Miss Norman
They've told me, now and then,
wasn't actress enough to hurt"
But Aurelie could see no humor i
it. "Oh, this town. 1t always did hat
mel" And she burst out of the New
office to stare at the court house
That's just where they sent Pap
Lindstrom to Jail and made him era
zy! And it's just where they laughe
when l went to school wearing daisie
in my hair. And no shoes!"
Now DEAR" protested Aunt ABBY
its just proud of you!"
) Il won't stay here a night" Sh
: came back and threw her arms aoou
Uncle Mich's grizzled head. We'll
over to Earlville and stay at the Me
, tropole-and take you, Uncle Mich, an
, Mr.. Curran-and everybody that's goo
to me-" She was on the verge {
tears. "And the rest-I hate 'em! The
, say I'm different-and I'm glad II
different! l hate 'em!'
, Uncle Michigan had sat rubbing tn
brass band of his peg-leg. This radiar
: Aurelie, his old rabbit hunting Azure
lie? The same child-Aurelie who use
: to dive among the waterhyacinths
futile chasing of the baby sharks
the south Louisiana bayous? Don
) come to occupy the land! But now h
) was more bewildered. Reckon I'd tax