The Little River news., 1916-05-13
ALENE's ROMANCE.
By CATHERINE cRANMER.

Alene settled herself in the scratchy plush seat of the local train, pleased with the pospect of spending her two weeks vacation on Q farm. Her many visits to the movies, where broad shouldered. sood-looking young farm CTS or cowboys were the heroes had caused her to picture a farm as the place If all others offering the roman tic possibilities for which her young soul yearned.
 She had been rather nettled more than once at Will Egger's seeming oversight of the romantic in the vari- ous 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 will would only give grunt about it 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, Aene grabbed her suitcase and as she tripped down the steps she became the center of interest to the dozen ustless- looking people. The prospect for cd venture was far from promising.
 Just then the eyes of all left Alene and went in the direction from which came the sound of rushing automo- bile and excited and laughing voices. A big touring car swerved from the main road on the open space at the end of the station and a young man sprang 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- ral Retreat farm. She was accosted at that moment by 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 moutt 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, guess not!' he calculated. They're . lot of swells a-visitin' UT to Randolph's mansion"
 Alene's appetit$ was not tempted by the midday dinAer. In the big yard after dinner, Alene found little of in terest save a hammock made of bar rel slaves and padded with a bed quilt.
 The long afternoons dragged insuf ferably, and the day before ~the -ena- of the week, for which she had paic her board in advance, she was so des perately lonely that she asked to be taken to the train. As the boy wa: driving her along in his buggy, sht saw three galloping horsemen ap- preaching. and for an instant there re vived within her the hope that hel 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 tiou the day she arrived. But, alas for her dream, The three hOrsemeL went galloping by the slow-moving buggy without even glance at the oc- cupants, and the last hope for a mo mantle adventure died out of Alenc's heart
 Not until she was we'll on her jour, ney home did her sense of humol come to her rescue. Then she saw how she had fooltshly allowed her i'm aEination to get her into a predica ment She reached home that eve ming just as her mother and father were sitting down to a dainty. but sim pie dinner in the darkened dining room of their little flat. They laughed heartily at her accounts of her dis ilIusionment about the retreat and the rustic hero she had expected to find there.
 And now we're going to celebrate my return from the rural regions by going to a picture show, but l hope they won't show any rustic heroes" said Alene.
 That reminds me- exclaimed her mother. Did you hear about Will Egg. ger winning a thousand-dOllar prize for the best scenario picturing a mod. ern business romance? Isn't that great?" Before Alepe could reply hel father called her from the front door, bidding her come to greet an old friend. She was not surprised great. ly when she found the "0ld friend" to be Will Egger.
 "Oh. Will, but I'm glad to get back to civilization said Alene, after the first greetings were over. I'm in clined to think the rustic romances are all on the films"
 ''I came by to ask your parents how yeu liked your retreat laughed Will, but maybe you'll go to the picture show with me.
 'Ill go if you'll guarantee no rustic adventures" asserted Alene
 .'I can safely promise that said Will, flor they are giving the first run tonight of a modern business TO- nance"