Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-05-06
KATHERINE
~
In Her Wanderings She Meets
Cupid, Wei Disguised but
Efficient.
BY DAN Ia GRANGE.

She had reached the age Of mines
teen without anybody having sus-
pected her OF a weak brain. On the
! contrary, those who knew her best
said she would make her mark in the
world, girl though she was.
Her parents had planned to go away
! Tor q week, and Miss Katherine was
to boss the manor house during. their
absence. A good-by and then the folks
were gone, The girl dumped down in
to- the, hammock and did some think
Ing and musing preparatory to going
crazy.
They get ready and go right on as
IL / didn't count for shucks!" she pout-
ed. Then go and be hanged, but /
shan't always be here to be snubbed.
Everybody has good time but me.
Does any one call except on mother?,
Has ever young man driving past In
an auto stopped and asked what time
1t was? OF course not! don't amount
to pumpkins, don't!'
It is generally believed that people
go crazy with a whoopee, and make a
bee line for the kitchen and the BUTCH
er knife, but there are exceptions to
the rule. Miss Katherine raised up.
on her elbow and gave the hammock
pillow swat with her fist.
"I'll run away-thats what will
dol"
And she didn't put the matter Off,
until next Christmas, but walked right
upstairs and looked for the oldest
things In her wardrobe. She hadn't
planned where she was to go nor what
she should do, but a sort Of instinct
told her that she should have old
clothes on when she did It.
The cook was singing in the kitchen
and the gardener loafng, and neither
one OF them saw the crazy girl as she
passed out of the gate into the road
nd down the highway forty rods until
ne got the shelter of bit Of woods
There was an auto coming, but 1t was
yet a quarter OF a mile away when
she was sheltered.
So far SO good. She had gone crazy
and had made fair start toward rum
ming away and having adventures ga
lore. Where should she run to? With
no money in her purse and very sim
pie role. Suppose it was that of a
hired girl? She'd hire for week and
then skip back home, and there would
be incidents enough to keep her relat-
ing for a month,
Miss Katherine was about to ap-
preach the highway and sit down.
This cut her off from the road, and
she went farther into the woods. she
thought there was another highway
back of the woodland, but she did not
come across 1t in half miles walk.
She was wondering il she should not
suddenly regain her senses and return
to the house when man stepped from
behind a tree and gave her an awful
fright.
He was a bent and withered old
man, with hands more like claws, and
he eyed her in a maleVolent way as
they stood for moment.
I'm looking for the road over here
she almost whispered.
you are liar!n he croaked.
But there-there is road?''
You have come to spy on old
joint" he shouted.
Il didn't know you were here
You are lying to me. There's
reward of hundred dollars for me,
dead or alive"
But don't want ii" said the girl
in a voice she tried to make wheed-.
ling. "All want is to find the road
and go home"
you can't go!'
She sprang away from him and ran
at her best pace, but he had her before 4
she had gone 100 feet. She screamed
once, but he raised his fist to strike
her, and she was silent When he
she realized that he had fierce grip,
and though she tried her hardest to
break away he could easily handle
her. A few rods from where she en-
countered him was a brush shaDty
with small fire smoldering near by.
Sit down." exclaimed the old man.
Miss Katherine drew in her breath
to scream.
"If you do, I'll hit you!" warned
the old man.
The girl had always heard that In
sane people must be humored, and
finding herself in his power and in
danger OF violence If she provoked
him, she forced smile and half
laugh and said:
ooh, well, / don't want to go home
yet anyway, SO we won't care about
the road"
isn't that pretty good house for
an old man to build?" he asked after
grumpy silence.
Indeed, but it Is real cute" was
answered.
And built it in a day"
Then you are smarter than most
men half your age.
do You know my manner"
No, never heard II"
Its Cupid"
The words came out so pat, and the |
situation was SO incongruous. that |
Miss Katherine burst into a laugh.
I've brung about over a hundred
matches between couples, and that's
why they call me Cupid
Are You out In the woods to hunt
up match for someone?'
No came out here to sleep and
dream and listen TO the whispers, but
Continued on fourth page