Catoctin clarion., 1915-06-03
N THE TRENCHES
ey DOROTHY eLAckMoRE.

copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
"The enemy is in your trenches
again, sis," cried Teddy Herbert to
his sister, who had not yet come down
to breakfast,
Dear, dear!" he heard her exelain',
and then he heard hurried footsteps
and saw Matte run downstairs, pick
up q coat that was lying on chair
in the hall, and slam the front door
after her.
Four sixty-foot trenches lay open
at the side of the Herbert home, and
Matte was running back and forth
chasing away the neighbors chickens.
The fresh fertilizer which had been
placed so carefully in each OF the
trenches was scattered everywhere,
and dismay was written all over the
girls face when she turned to come
into the house
Its a shame!" she said, as she
took her place at the table, breathing
hard, but looking as fresh as rose
after her exercise in the invigorating
March air. And this one year when
/ had counted so much on my sweet
peas and have followed directions 30
carefully. What shall l do, mother?'
Shoot the chickens suggested
Teddy.
This isn't the war, Teddy" his
sister said, squelchingly. These are
sweet pea trenches"
II pass" said Teddy, getting up
from the table. Its not my funeral,
Mat So long!" And with that he
was gone.
Matte and her mother were finish
ing breakfast in silence when they
heard the knocker on the front door.
"Tll CO. said Matte, as her mother
started to rise.
lin George Davis-next door,
you know. just saw you chasing
my chickens out Of your garden.
-
Come in, please said Matte,
opening wide the door to the young
man who was introducing himself.
You see, I've come to stay with
my brother, next door, for a while,
since my firm saw fit to cut down
expenses by letting me out OF joD.
He's never at home and my sister 10
busy with the baby, so the chickens
have been in your trenches owing to
my folly. apologize and Will see
that It does not happen again.
"Oh, don't worry!' Matte hastened
to say "Ot course, well, l have
worked so hard this spring, and 1t has
been rather disconcerting-"
"Disconcerting! interrupted Davis.
That is polite. If had been In your
place l think would have blessed the
whole houseful of neighbors. DID
your he laughed.
Matte Joined him. Perhaps you
would call it a blessing. | hadn't
thought of it in that light. But now
you won't worry, will you? I'll get
out this morning and try to plant the
seeds, and then"
Then II my chickens dig them up
] needn't show my face again In this
neighborhood?"
Matte nodded, laughing. That's
it, she said.
With a few more words Of apology
George Davis left, and Matte Herbert
knew that she liked him and was glad
that he was to be neighbor.
That morning, when she was busy
out of doors, trying to repair the
damage done to her trenches, George
Davis looked over the hedge which
separated the gardens 1T is / who
should be doing that" he ventured
You may help Matte said,
quickly.
A few hours work with her assured
him that Matte Herbert was not con-
yentional, that she was the most orig
inal and charming girl he had met
Spring came and went, and June
brought the looked-for blossoms IN
the Herberts' garden. The four sixty
foot trenches were riot of bloom,
and some stems held four blossoms
of gigantic proportions.
Matte and her mother and even
Teddy picked sweet peas night and
morning, and Matte herself attended
to the shipping. 1t was then that Mat
tie called upon her neighbor for help.
II can't offer you much in return
for your help, which | need badly,
the girl said, frankly, but think II
you are still out of position you and
could do a small business together
with your chickens and our ground.
Il don't need any pay for helping
you,' Davis said earnestly Il should
love to do it."
Later they worked out scheme OF
successive raising of table commodi-
ties for which they knew Of ready
and accessible markets. And while
they worked on this scheme they fell
in love with each other.
One day he told her of his love and
of what he had hoped her answer
might be.
my answer 1s yes, OF course" Mat
tie said. But we must continue to
be partners in business as we'll as in
our home. well, I'm glad the war
brought to you and to me the neces-
sity for earning our living together.
For it was the exigencies of the war
situation that brought us together,
wasn't it?' she asked.