The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-19
WHAT could they Do?
BY ELIZABETH SHIELDS.

IL W&3 JUSS y country EO2O, UuSsJ
and crooked. A uny brook laxily
flowed along On one side Of 1t and q
jungle Of dense green banked the 9TH
er. tuinbled rail fence divided the
brook from the road. The still. sweet
scented air was unbrckea BY even tho
song Of a bird. But. mingled With tho
gurgiing melody OF the brook. was the
sound Of young girls sobs.
A gaily-colored sweater and WOODEN
cap hung over the rail fence. A girl
slender and pretty, leaned YEARLY
against the fence.
Wiping the tears away. with eyes
bright and little head high, she turned
toward the hill. Painting and breath
less she hurried on to the little white
house at the top. This road led d.
rectly from the little house occupied
by Roland Jackson and his father, ON
the hilltop. to the small country estate
of Mrs. Harris Harvey and her daugh.
ter. Myra.
Each morning for three days Myra
had waited, at the bend Of the road.
where the brook formed in miniature
falls, for Roland Jackson to come
down the hillside. But Roland did not
come.
When Myra and her mother rented
the house in the farming section Of
Essex, they expected to remain only
till late in September. But the red and
golden days of October cane ard
passed and they still fingered 10 the
large. old house far back from ths
road. sheltered by avenues o. tall tulip
trees. With Roland as guide and
teacher, Myra found JOY and beauty
in nature Of which she had only been
vaguely aware before. The call Of the
city had never before failed il its up
peal to Myra. but 1t did not reacl; her
now.
AS she trudged up the hill! her mind
flew to the events Of her stay In the
country. and she went white rs she
ing she had spent with Roland. The
habits of a lifetime in the city had
swayed her completely that morning,
when Roland asked her to share his
little hut on the hilltop. She had
weighed the man by the --LATEST Of
standards.
Not being versed in the ways Of
woman. knowing nothing OF their in
cOnsistencies, Roland could not know |
that the next morning, Myra. after
wretchedly wakcful night, awaketl no
longer a laughing girl, but woman,
with q woman's desire for her man.
After waiting three days for Roland to
come to her. Myra went to him.
Coming out of patch Of dense
woods, Myra turned into the lane that
led to the Jackson house. Roland saw
her through the trees and coming to-
ward her with outstretched arms. his
eyes smiled into hers with simple. hap
by confidence in her love for him. So.
with the beginning Of the love Of Tlso-
land and Myra, began the days Of sor.
row and much confusion for Roland's
father and Myra's mother.
Mrs. Harvey went about with Qutv.
ering lips and red-rimmed eyes. She
declared that nothing in the wide
world could separate her from her
only child, and in the same breath in-
formed Myra that no power under the
heaven could induce her to settle down
to life in the wild farming country.
One day Roland came to Myrc aud
taking her in his arms whispered in
tragic voice. that his father was vast
ing away before his very eyes. He
confessed that his father point,.i;y
ignored their approaching mayria.e
and with the passing of eac! day tie
older man grew more unyieldinH uhd
sad.
"Well elope." cried Roland.
Its the only way" asscnted Myra.
Thereafter so deeply absorbed were
they In their plans to run away on
the eve Of Thanksgiving to the little
in the village aud return
that tue complaints Of Myrn's
mother and the gloominess OF Roland's
father affected them not ut all. The
s0lace Mrs. Harvey found in telling
Mr.. Jackson about the utter lack Of
daughters accorded
mothers In those days, and the COM
'ort he extracted from discussions
With her on the ncglcctfulncss ot sons
passed entirely unnoticed by their
Early dusk was falling on Thanks
giving eve. when Myra. wrapped in q
Ong gray motor coat, with scarf
bout her head. slipped out Of the
louse into the shadow Of the trees.
She stole quietly down the path. ex.
'ecting to slip into the waitin. ina
hine, pick up Roland down the road
md then ride into the village. Halt
way to the gate she stopped and
Istened. Her mother! Her little fig.
Ire rigid, stubborn light shot into
Ter wide brown eyes and Myra lodged
behind hedge.
Two reasons suggested themselves
0 Myra for her mothers appearance. ,
)verwr0ught nerves was sending her
ut in the dark. lonely night, Or she
'as on Myra's trail! Then in the still :