The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-09-12
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!. NORA AND TOM : :
"a BY EARL REED SILVERS. p
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Nora McMurtry had probably never
heard the story Of Ruth and Naomi.
She knew the New Testament fairly
well, and she could have told that
Adam and Noah were more or less re-
sponsible for the human race, but, all
In all, she delved very little into the
mysteries of literature, biblical or
otherwise. The past had little signifi-
canoe; what Nora cared about was
the present. For she was in love with
Tommy Lyons.
Tommy was twenty-One and Nora
eighteen. To look at Tommy's eye one
would imagine that he was a poet
rather than a plumber; and to look at
the wealth Of NOrah's golden hair was
to gaze upon a treasure invaluable.
Tommy was six feet three, and Nora
was five feet two.
| Possibly there was in Morals actions
just the hint of the clinging-vine type
of girl, but to Tommy it meant only
loyalty. There was something about
Nora which called for protection, and
Tommy was perfectly willing to be-the
protector so long as he was sure of
''his girl" And he felt in his heart
Of hearts that Nora was his forever
to have and to hold"
They had been waiting for q year
when one night in the early spring
Tommy reached the McMurtry fiat al
most an hour before his usual time.
81 didn't think you'd come so soon,"
she announced. 'But I'm glad you did,
anyway. 1t means another hour to-
gether."
She seated herself at the top Of the
rather rickety steps and looked into
Tommy's eyes. Tommy returned the
look unwaveringly for moment or
two, and then gazed rather thought
fully down the crowded street.
"Girlie," he asked suddenly. "How
would you like to go away from
here?"
'Td die if I had to live anywhere
else," Nora answered instantly. 1--WE
lived in this town all my life."
The light suddenly went out Of
Tommy's eyes.
|
whats all OFF,"
'What was going to tell you
about"
what was it?"
Tommy shook his head YEARLY.
"Why do you like this town sol"
"Why, 1 was born here"
els that any reason why you couldn't
60 away"
go away where?"
''Well, to a farm, for instance; up
in the mountains, with green grass
and COWS and chickens and things
like that"
"Oh" Nora drew back impulsively.
'Tm afraid Of a cow"
Tommy laughed rather shortly.
you're just like any other city girl.
You don't know what it is to wake up
at five o'clock in the morning and see
the sun come up over the hills. You're
afraid Of COW which wouldn't hurt
even a kitten, and you don't even
know that duck lays eggs"
There was wistful light in the
depths Of Tommy's eyes. He was liv-
ing for the moment his own boyhood.
II thought you liked 1t here" she
said.
81 do like it little, but that's only
because you are here. Otherwise I
wouldn't stay another minute"
"What would you dor
'Td go back to the country"
could you get job up there?"
eyes"
us that what you were going to tell
me"
"Yes?"
what kind Of job?"
There was something in Morals
voice which made Tommy suddenly
glad again.
81 got letter from Nick Phillips this
morning" he explained slowly. "Nick
says that old man Glenwood is looking
for man and his wife to take over
his farm for the summer. It means
sixty dollars a month and all ex-
penses, and the job has been offered
to me. It's only open to a man and
his wife. I thought perhaps that you
might be willing to 60, But you say
you won't leave the city"
"Does it mean we can get mar
ried?" Nora asked softly.
"Yes, it means just that"
For a moment Nora was silent
Shrill cries of children playing in the
street came to her; from the next
block sounded the rumble of the street
cars. Just for few seconds she hest
tated, and then her small hand crept
suddenly into Tommy's large one. Had
she been a student Of the Bible she
might have said: "Entreat me not to
leave thee or to return from follow
ing after thee; for whittier thou goest,
I will co. and where thou lodgest, I
will lodge; thy people shall be my
people, and thy God my God"
But being only Nora McMurtry, with
big love in her heart for the man
beside her, she said simply,
''Take the job, Tommy; I'll be the
wife, and we can go together"
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-
l. per Syndicate)
| Disappointed.