The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-09-11
\ SMOKY MOUNTAINS
BY SUSAN =.

AA@1
| form Of the South Carolina station. he
was sick, therefore miserable In mind
and body, and he had come South be-
cause it seemed the only thing TO do.
Now he was waiting for the team that
would carry him into the pines on the
slope Of Old Smoky.
He raised him head. A mule stood
near by, Topping his ears and iazily
twitching a bushy tail. In front OF him
was a young girl, a very little girl, who
said:
Guess 1 came for you, but l thought
you was to be a lady"
"Why7" Marshall asked.
81 don't know, 'cept that Julie
guessed it from your letter, you wrote
so ladyllke. / don't believe she'd have
taken you IL she'd known you was q
man"
ANY special reason why she
shouldn't he asked.
Maybe" was the noncommittal an
swer, 'but now you're here we'd better
start" She looked about with keen
eyes. HUAQCI nhCAC AAah ~
mans gone an put your trunkr
I'm sitting on IL. But how are we
to get 1t into the wagon. The agents
gone and ! haven't the strength Of a
kitten"
She looked at him rehectively. You
are kinder peaked, but you jes' leave
things to me. 1 can manage, by
pushing 1t toward the edge an backin'
Bet to the platform. You jes' git In an
sit down an you needn't feel skeered
of the mule. Bet knows when to be
have herself"
Two weeks later, with Mollie's help,
he walked to a bench In the shade Of
a big oak and there faced a dilemma.
He had sensed something wrong al he
lay In bed during those first days, but
had been too listless to ask questions.
Now Mollie told him hat their granny
had died In the spring and with her
death the little pension she had re-
ceiyed had ceased. Julie had seen his
advertisement In an old newspaper
and thought they might as well take
a boarder, as they needed money.
But" Mollie ended. simply, 1--WE
thought you vas a lady, and now all
the folks Is talkin'."
"What can / do, Mollie7" Tom
asked, desperately. I'm not well
enough TO go away"
me an jules been talkin' an we
thought you might go up the noun
tain to Jim Hawn's old cabin. He's
gone, but there's a bed. an ms an
Julie can all a bag with pine needles
for a mattress, an Julie can cook you
something to eat an l can tote IL to
you. You can be real comftble up
there, an we don't neither of us want
you to 60" she finished, wistfully.
"And / don't want to 60" Marshall
answered. "If you and Julie IA fix 1t
that way I'm satisfied. But I will tell
you what to do. Get omeon to bring
me a chair or two and some other
things from the village. IL I am to set
up housekeeping. And there Is some
thing else" He drew the child close
to him. II heard you say you felt real
bad because you couldn't go to the
to teach your 1t would be something
for me to do, and you could come
to M In your spare time. I'm pretty
sure you will learn more with me
than In that schoolhouse two miles
away. What do you say to my planf'
Breathless. but with shining eyes.
Mollie looked at him. yet all she said
was: wont Julie be gladf She cried
because I couldn't 60"
1t was settled after Marshall had
his talk with the older sister, and
that same night, after a ride up the
mountain upon the bare back Of old
Bet, he slept upon a bed Of fragrant
pine needles In the forsaken cabin.
Ten days later In the comforting
knowledge of returning strength he
found work ready at his hand.
Julie was the last to come. She was
an entirely unknown quantity. al
though for a month or more she had
cared for his material needs. Mollie
had always been the go-between. but
one evening Julie climbed the path to
his cabin, an official-looking paper In
her hand. This she handed him ask
ing II he could tell her what was writ
ten upon the following sheets. His
first glance told him the writing was
French.
"Have you any Idea what is written
here who your parents werer he
asked, touching the paper.
She shook her head. Granny told
me to keep 1t; that / might need 1t
some day"
81 will write this out In English"
he said. After a moments thought he
asked: do you know anything OF
French historyT
"A little" she told him."
Then you will understand when
tell you your people were among the
Huguenots that were driven out OF
France years ago. Many Of them set.