Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1917-10-27
Her AWAKENING
BY MARTHA MITCHELL.

After tiresome trip up the White
river kalph Sanders pushed the PROV
vi MS canoe into the bank and then be-
gan making Il home in the edge of the
ozark country. After getting n patch
Oh mountain and valley into some som.
Dionce of Il home, he was stricken and
uieu. sanders was an unmarried man.
hhu me one whom he named rs heir 10
'he ilttle speck of II mountain home
was Grace Milton. then in her early
teens. IL was with no little degree of
surprise that young Miss Milton re.
celved the announcement at her home
IN virginia that she was the heir to A
certain tract of land I'm the Ozark
mountain country.
The months stretched into years dur.
Ing the time that the little place had
no tenant. and the space that Ralph
sanders had cleared there in the forest
became Il wild tumble of young pine,
sassafras and bamboo. And before
long the low house that he had built
was completely hidden from the river.
Meanwhile Grace Milton was grow.
ing up in the society of her surround.
ings. forgetful Of the little wilderness
that was passing from her possession
because Of unpaid taxes.
Spring had come again and Virgil
Ferris. one Of the boys who had
romped over the place. now u stnlwart
man. began clearing away the young
growth. little thinking that this very
act would restore to him the sweet.
heart with whom he had quarreled
About This time Grace Milton was
seeking vninly for some refuge, some
place where the memory Of her bitter
words would cease to burn like n hot
iron In her soul. For she too had quar-.
relied with the man whom she loved,
and all because he refused to have his
wife independent Of him and his for
tune. while she desired independence
for the sake Of maintaining her so.
called "wolnnn's rights"
She had sought forgetfulness In SUI.
frage meetings. In society In charities.
church work md travel But the pnin
ut her heart grew and would not he
tramping trip to her Ozark estate.
which had long been II source Of mer.
riment among her friends. suggested II.
self.
After she alightcd from the train In
the village of Runklc she learned. by
dint Of much questioning Of the sleepy
agent. that the Sanders estate was
"where yc see them young pine sap.
Inns. that's II. About mile down tn
river"
Many paths crossed and recrosscd
among the slender trees. hut none of
them seemed Ia lead anywhere. She
was about to despair Of ever finding
the log cabin. Of which she had heard
little and spoken much. when she heard
u sigh--nlnost sob-not far away.
Holding her breath and listening, fear.
ing she knew not what, she heard u
mans voice. deep and rich and all un.
trained. singing I'm old ballad, lie was
evidently using an nx. for now she
heard the even blows on a log. A girls
form dnrted down one of the paths and.
without thinking. Grace followed. She
halted when she came in view Of the
young man swinging the nN. for the
girl was running toward him now,
frankly crying. Grace stepped back
among the trees. hut still within ear.
shot.
The man exclaimed. "Oh. You" Then
no more WIS said until the girls voice
broke out:
"Jnck Jack I'm 50 sorry ever
said ] wouldn't marry YOU and be- n
farmers wife. ! will. ! will hut why
have you begun planting here? Don't
YOU know how you always said 1t was
Il sort of furry place and its owner n
fairy far away, who didn't want II dis.
turhcd?"
"Ycs. I know" said the man, hut
iust decided that fixing up the old log
house aud seeding the cleared ground
wouldn't be- disturbing even II fniry's
place; and anyway, I'm doing II for the
fairy"
"Who owns II now" asked the girl
81 do" came the answer. ut was
sold for taxes two months ago ana l
bought II in for us
The girl laughed softly. "iiow did
you know
"Oh, ! Just knew YOU couldn't help
knowing how wanted you, and that
YOU would really rather live with me on
a farm instcnd of In one Of those
cheap. guudy cottages in The Center.
They ARE not real, dear" he said, soft
ly. "Nobohy wants II plnc" that isn't
II home
Tears stood in Grace's eyes now. 4
horne. "Nohody wants n place that
isn't II home" The words pounded
themselves into her brain. This was II
home for these two, and hers was far
away.
"Good-hy. young lovers Good-by,
Ozark estate, I'm going home
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa.
per Syndicate
-.