Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-12-01

I
"And why not?" she asked, as she
almost came to a pause.
| We'll, according to my idea, it's CO.
ing to rain and snow and blow and
hail, and when the storm does break,
she's going to be a buster"
81 wanted to go to the postoffice to
mail letter."
Its three miles there and back,
and if 1 was you I'd put it off. Mebbe
somebody1l be passing that you can
send by. Tomorror's Thanksgiving,
you know, and We are going to have
the awfulest, biggest, incest dinner
anybody ever sat down to. It's in
your honor, you know. There'll be a
turkey, duck and chicken; there1l
be cranberry sass, pumpkin pies,> cur
rant jell, sweet cider and apple dump
Inns; there'll be-"
| Il think I'll Just walk little ways.
anyhow" said the girl, as she opened
the gate and passed down the high
way toward the village and the rail
road depot.
And if you come home as wet as a
hen don't say I didn't warn ye. It's
going to come, and it's going to be
! q buster"
Half an hour later a middle-aged
woman with a motherly face and
voice came out on the steps and
asked:
Pa. do you reckon it's goin' to
Storm"
"Sure as ducks"
| where's Minnie?-
| 20, she's gone for a santer. give
her warning. What's she wantin' to
mail letter for? 1 hain't mailed .
and I guess I'm about as well off as
must folks. I was going to ask her
but forgot it."
Don't you ask her word about
it," cautioned the wife as she came
down to him. 81 guess Minnie's got
something on her mind, but it hain't
none o. your business"
| Something on her mind, eh? That's
funny. Didn't know that girls ever
had anything on their minds except
new clothes. Is that why she come
visiting us all of sudden?"
None O. your busiaess! I guess
my own sisters daughter can come
and see me any time she takes no.
tion, and that without writing ahead.
What's on her mind, as nigh as l can
make out, Is about young man.
They are engaged, and they've had q
falling out, and she's sorter run away
from him to find out if he really cares
for her"
"And she's got scared about it and
has written him letter to tell where
she is?" queried the husband.
1 Iaat
her ma, though l didn't see 1t nor ask.
hope she didn't start for town. It's
going to storm for sure, and there
hain't but one house on the road
where she could find shelter. Look
down the road and see if you can see
her."
Cant see hide nor hair of any girl"
reported Uncle Robert after going out
to the highway and taking long look
An hour later, with both uncle and
aunt fidgeting about their girl visitor,
the gray afternoon had become twi-
light. In Is minutes there was cold
rain and lively hail, and Uncle Rob
| crt was blown into the kitchen.
Miss Minnie had reached town and
mailed her letter and started back
| again when the storm broke. Before
it came she thought she could make
out human figure on the road ahead
of her, but wasn't sure.
The very first gust picked her up
and turned her around and deposited
her under roadside tree. She re-
manned there until the gale began to
whip the branches off, and then let go
her hold and ran for it.
1
when, as she crouched and covered
her face, she was struck by falling
limb and knew no more.
1t was the dim sight of the girl and
the-scream she uttered when hit, that
sent the man who was clinging to the
roadside fence back into the highway.
He bent over the unconscious form and
picked it up and staggered back to the
fence and followed it until he saw
light and found the gate of farm
house.
His lusty calls for help soon brought
out man, and the senseless burden
was carried into the house and re-
ceived by woman.
Il don't know who she is, but 1
found her in the road" explained her
rescuer. There is blood en- her hair,
and | think she was struck down"
Well do all we can" replied the
man and woman together, but you
mustn't look for much. We are mighty
poor folks. We hain't got no cam
phcr nor whisky, and as for getting a
doctor out from town-it can't be
done tonight"
The girl was carried into the only
bedroom and laid on the only bed, and
when her wet clothing had been re-
moved and she was between the