Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-20
Euening Story
WHITTIER THOU GoEsT
BY Earl Reed SiIvers.
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure News
paper syndicate.)

BY Earl Reed SIvers.
| Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure News
/ paper syndicate.)
4 Nora McMurtry had probably never
heard the story of Ruth and Naomi
She knew the New Testament fairly
.well and she could have told you that
Adam and Noah were more or less
/ responsible for the human race, but
all in all, she delyed very little into
the mysteries of literature Biblical or
+, otherwise. The past had little signifi-
canoe; what Nora cared about was the
present-and grand and glorious
present it was, for 1t gave to her hope
and happiness. and the thrill Of youths
dea rest dream. For Nora was in love
with Tommy Lyons.
Tommy was twenty-one and Nora
! eighteen. To look at Tommy's eyes one
would imagine that he was poet rath.
err than a plumber; and to look at the
wealth of Morals golden hair was to
gaze upon treasure invaluable. Tom
| nv was six feet three and Nora was
| five feet two: but the heart of each
was filled to Overlooking with the JOY
! of life and the f,lIlness of mutual love.
| What. -mattered then such a thing as
size?
Possibly there was in Nora's actions
Just the hint Of clinging-vine type OF
girl. but to Tommy it meant only 10y
atty There was something about Nora
which called for protection. and Tom
my was perfectly willing to be the pro-
tectnr so long as he WAS sure OF his
girl" And he felt in his heart of hearts
that Nora was his forever to have and
to hold" Had he been student OF the
Bible. he would have proclaimed loud
ly and confidently that Ruth had moth
ing on Nora, that whittier he went,
Nora would go also. She would in fact.
have gladly gone with him to the FOOT
of the alter had not one, barrier. SEEM
inely insurmountable, interviewed. AS
Numbers helper Tommy's salary was
Sf5 a week, and although neither Nora
nor her fiance was blessed with an I'M
usually high degree Of intelligence
both knew that two people could not
live together on that amount. especial
" with butter I'D to 55 cents pound
So they sighed Fundamentally and in
unison ana waited for the dawn OF a
better day.
They had been waiting for wear
when one nieht in the early spring
Tommy reached the McMurty flat al
most an hour before his usual time.
Nora was cleaning up the supper
dishes. bnt she piled them all together
in the oven OF the gas RANGE. when
she heard the ring at the street door,
and hurried down TO the front porch
to greet the visitor.
II didn't think you'd come so soon"
she announced "But I'm glad you did.
ANYWAY. IT means another hour to-
gether"
She seated herself at the top Of the
rather ricketv steDs and looked into
Tommy's ewes Tommy returned the
look unwaveringl ely for moment or
tv-o. and then gazed rather thought.
fully down the crowded street.
"Cirlie." he asked suddenly. How
would you like to 60 away from here"
I'D die II i had to live anywhere
else" Nora answered instantly. I've,
lived in this town all my life"
The light suddenly went out of
Tor,my's eyes.
"oh!" he said Then it's all off ?"
whats all on"
What was going to tell you about
What was 1t ?"
Tommy shook his head YEARLY.
~ wont tell YOU now he said. 1T
wcrldnt do any good"
Something in the homeless finalitv OF
his tone sent chill Of annrehensinn
through Nora's brain ImDulsively she
gro s,ed her companions arm.
"what do Won mean. Tommv?" she
asked "were WOW ro,ng to tell me
something imnortant?"
at was jmnortant." the boy answer
cd slowly 'But now it doesn't matter
at all"
"why doesn't IT."
"Becarse Of what you said about
leaving the city"
Nora regarded him with a puzzled
frown
~ don't see how that had ANYTHING
to do with what YOU were going to
saw" she remarked.
'Jt had lot to do with 1t. Why do
yon like this town so?"
why. was born here
tJs that any reason why you
couldn't go away?"
go away where?"
"Well, to farm, for instance; up in
the mountains, with green grass and
cows and chickens and things like
that"
oh" Nora drew back impulsively
I'm afraid of COW"
Tommy laughed rather shortly.
II knew there wasn't no hope he
said bitterly Il oughten't to have said
ANYTHING about II.
"No hope for what?" Nora was very