Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-12-21

Dawson was liited to the seventh
heaven of ecstacy. All the evening he
had moved about and made a show of
stripping the long crisp ears of corn,
with eyes only for Airline Woolson.
Three times she had brought to
view a red ear and had been speedily
captured by her male companion.
Then, with pain and longing Ned had
seer a kiss stolen from her damask
cheek.
Just now he was passing her. The
seat beside her was vacant. She dart
ed a bright glance as this shy, but de-
serving sutton at a distance. She
drew aside the skirt of her tasteful
merino dress invitingly, making room
for him. +
"Oh, thank you |" he almost gasped,
and amid his confusion upset the high
basket between them. Then he ner-
vously set at work at the basket to his
left, so dazed, yet happy, that he was
all at sea.
"Why, you are helping the next girl
and she has a partner" cried Airline,
with a sweet trilling laugh. "This is
your husking basket. l have found
three red ears already"
I'll wish they were all red ears"
stammered Ned, and then at the play
full, yet seemingly childing glance of Ar
line he dropped his eyes, abashed. She
forgave him by sitting up close to him,
a teasing cur about the corners of her
merry lips.
IL am going to the dance up at
Bartley's Saturday evening"" he hap
peped to say, and halted there.
81 hope you will have a splendid
time" said Airline.
"tf I only had company" he began.
and blushed like a school boy, and
felt the ordeal of the moment too much
for him.
"There is your sister," suggested
ter company anywhere than Edna.
Oh, dear!"
"a red earl" rang out an excited
chorus.
"Catch her, quick, Dawson |" shout
ed his neighbor. "She runs like a
fawn."
This time that was just what Airline
did. She was out of sight by the time
Ned had crossed the threshold of the
big double barn doors.
"Coo-ee p rang out her clear, tanta-
lizing tones from covert. Then the
flashing edge Of her dress guided him
to a thicket. Thence a sight of twin
king, aggravating feet led him to
where a heap of hay shut her out.
Round and round the yard, with all
its numerous hiding places, he pur-
sued, to find no further trace of her.
He came back to the barn and I'M
obtrusively regained his seat. Amid
the dancing that had now begun he
was unnoticed. He looked eagerly,
but vainly for Airline. His heart sank.
"She did not want me to kiss her, but
she let the others p he choked up.
Then his eye lit upon the red ear
at his feet that Airline had dropped
in her flight. He darted a searching
glance all about. No one was looking.
Ned seized the precious reminder of
bright smiles and dancing eyes, thrust
1t guilty into his bosom, arose., went
outside and started drearily for home
with a muf1ed sob.
Its strange, Arline," said Ned's sis
ter contidentially, meeting her friend
on the street a few days later, "but
Ned is scting peculiarly. Mother says
he is liz love. If he is, he keeps it
close to himself, but mother found
some kecnels of red corn in his bed.
Well, I watched, and what do you
think? FED puts an a of red corn
under hin pillow every night. l saw
him take it off from the bureau last
night and kiss It,"
Airline looked sedate, almost solemn.
"Yes," She murmured, h must have
met some girl at the husking bee who
struck his fancy"
"But 1t don't seem to make him very
happy. Ned mopes around evenings,
don't go anywhere and has written to
a friend in the city to find him a po-
sition.'
"Oh, he mustn't leave, Edna" cried
Airline, and then checked herself. Il
I mean he shouldn't" corrected Ar
line, blushing f%uriously. HE is just
the incest young man in town."
Then Airline hurried away uncere-
moniously, and turning a corner, and
out of sight of Edna, she brushed her
eyes suspiciously.
'Poor fellowl and it is frivolous,
heartless me who has done all this
wicked HARM" she choked up. "Oh,
door opd how can I mend it2"
Airline tried to, at any rate. She
made it a point to stroll about the
streets where there was a chance OF
meeting Ned. Once she saw him a
square distance, coming her way, and
set her face to look its prettiest and
most winning, but evidently Ned had
noticed her and turned into a side
lane.
II have broken his heart and he
a.