River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-09-20

nearly ready, Myrtle? All right" as
she nodded assent. "Come in, neigh
Dor, and Wen talk it over"
Hector Lane, winner of hearts, in
his frank, jolly way captivated all
hands with his recital Of how he had
invested his sole thousand dollars in
the automobile, and had started off on
a protracted sketching tour. Then he
was invited to stay all night. Fright
and early the next morning he Joined
the farmer attending TO his stock.
"Ive been thinking, Mr.. Payne" he
observed, "and I wondered if you
wouldn't take me in pawn, as well as
the automobile. Here's the facts:
overheard you tell your wife you were
short of working hands. Hire me. /
need little of roughing it to get me
in trim for winter studio work. Then
by fall, if I don't get action with my
friend, Wen sell the automobile and
square up"
He had persuasive way, he was
prime fellow, for, accommodating him
self to his environment, every evening
he declared he was as healthy and
hungry as q bear. Every morning he
went gayly to his tasks. Between
times there was Myrtle, modest, bright
eyed Myrtle. Evenings and holidays
the automobile was called into reQui-
sition. Hector taught Myrtle how 10
run it. It got to be almost considered
as family property.
One day Payne said to Hector: "See
here, Wen call it square on those two
old sheds that burned down. Yours
man, every inch of you, and / cancel
that debt. You can leave, machine
and all, any time you like"
Farmer" responded Hector cheer
lily, II don't want to leave. This is the
life! Why, I'm built up like a trained
pugilist, and if you don't object, I'll
stay another month";" and here the
crafty young schemer stole a glance
at Myrtle, daintily trimming the gar
den border, and whispered to himself:
1.-TWO months, a year, if Myrtle acts as
If she'd like me to-"
Myrtle was wont to take the auto
mobile afternoons for a trip to girl
friends in the district. Hector had
made of her an expert at the wheel.
One day, nearly at dusk, a strange au-
tomobile drove up.
"Oh, father!'' yelled Ned Payne,
rushing into the house all excited.
"There's been an accident; the auto
mobile is oil smashed up, and some
strangers have brought Myrtle home
all bandaged up!'
All hands rushed out to the road.
A stranger, well-dressed impressive
looking man, was assisting Myrtle from
his automobile. Myrtle wore BAN
dage over one side of her face and
one arm was in sling. She was pale
and shaken up, but instantly called
out, reassuringly:
Don't get frightened. mother; I'm
only scratched up a little"
''She is a heroine!" cried her escort
in quavering tones. "Oh, madam! Oh,
sir - he added with fervor, "she risked
her life to save my two little children
from certain death. shall bless her
to the last moment Of my existence -
The thrilling story came out in Sec
tons. It appeared that light auto
mobile operated by nurse, with two
little children in the rear seat, had got
stalled directly in the middle of rail
road track, with the fast mail coming
not two hundred yards distant. Myrtle
had discerned their peril. She took a
fearful chance and drove straight up
against the little machine, sent it
spinning off the tracks, but the shock
hurled her own machine sideways into
ditch and she. was thrown out.
Mr.. Davenal insisted on purchasing
outright for an extrayagant sum Hec-
tors automobile.
Hector felt 1t his duty to be very
tender and attentive to the family in
valid, Myrtle. Those two drifted swift
ly under the potent influence of loves
young dream.
And the day of the wedding Mr..
Davenal made a present of the hand
soonest residence in the village to the
| happy pair.
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