The Lamar register., 1916-03-15
ALENE'S ROMANCE.
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.


Alene settled herself in the scratchy
plush seat of the local train, pleased
with the pospect oil spending her two
weeks vacation on a farm. Her many
visits to the movies. where broad
shouldered. good-looking young farm
ers or cowboys were the heroes had
caused ner to picture farm as the
place 1 all others Offering the roman
tic possibilities for which her young
soul yearned.
She had been rather nettled more
than once at VIII Egger's seeming
oversight OF the romantic in the vari-
Gus movies to which he had accom-
panied her He was always figuring
how the plot worked out. and frequent
ly when the most adorable hero had
rescued the heroine from the villain
WIN would only give "A grunt about
1t being the same old gag
AT this stage OF her day dream. the
porter stuck his head in the door
and shouted "Waynesburg! waynes,
burg" That being her destination.
Alene grabbed her suitcase and as she
tripped down the steps she became the
center OF interest to the dozen listless-
looking people. The prospect for ad-
venture was far from promising.
Just then the eyes OF all left Alene
and went In the direction from which
came the sound OF a rushing automo-
bile and excited and laughing voices.
A big touring car sweryed from the
main road on the open space at the
end Of the station and a young man
spra lg from the machine to grasp the
handrail OF the last coach Just as the
train moved past the station.
Alene hoped she would be taken into
the automobile to be conveyed to Ru.
raj Retreat farm. She was accosted
at that moment by a tall, lank young
fellow.
Are you waiting to go to Rural
Retreat FARM" The face from which
the nasal voice leaked out was sun
burned almost to blister His mouth
oozed the brown liquid and the
damp odor proclaiming the tobacco
chewer. AS they logged along the
dusty road. she made casual inquiry
about whether the occupants OF the
automobile were stopping at Rural Re
treat
Well, l guess notl" he calculated.
They're a lot of swells a-yisitin' up
10 Randolph's mansion
Alenes appetite was not tempted by
the midday dinner In the big yard
after dinner. Alene found little OF in
n ha .g
rel slaves and padded with a bed
guilt.
The long afternoons dragged insult
ferably, and the day before the end
of the week, for which she had paid
her board in advance, she was so des-
perately lonely that she asked to be
taken to the train. AS the boy was
driving her along in his buggy. she
saw three galloping horsemen ap-
preaching. and for an instant there re-
yiyed within her the hope that her
movie dream was coming true after
all. As the riders drew near, she rec
ognized one of them as the youth who
had driven the touring car to the sta
ton the day she arrived. But, alas
for her dream! The three horsemen
went galloping by the slow moving
buggy without even a glance at the oc-
cupants, and the last hope for a mo-
mantle adventure died out of Alene's
heart
Not until she was well on her jour
ney home did her sense OF humor
come to her rescue. Then she saw
how she had foolishly allowed her i'm
agination to get her into a predica-
ment. She reached home that eve
ming Just as her mother and father
were sitting down to dainty. but sim.
pie dinner in the darkened dining