Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-08-31

THE WAY OF A GIRL
BY MISS JEANNE M. gLAck

@etio OAiHS stranger can ha
who passes here so persistentIy avosr
few hours in that gray roadster , so,s
Mrs. Burk as she peered from 'I Wv
tween the curtains of the parlor win
dow. wiz
Helen blushed furiously and trrn.,
a conscious face to her mother COZ
yes, mamsey, forgot to tell Wv
about him. He is a guest at the tor
ern. call him my Prince Cb9rm,nan
said Helen, laughing. His name :.
Leroy Talmage. They say he MAJ
loads of money in Kalamazoo III
buctoo or some outlandish place ans
came back to civilization 10 snand :,
Then came the war. He has haen ~
France and incidentally covered him,
self with glory and medals. He waors
the military cross and the Legion ~
Honor upon his breast and looks Hka
q man who really counts" fnisb.d
the girl with sparkling eyes.
but what brings such an amazin,
person to our secluded village2 What
is the attraction?" asked Mrs PM.
"Oh, rest and scenery, | supnose.
he is on leave for convalescence ua
calls these bald old mountains and
rocky pastures exquisite "a valley If
dreams and one of Gods hoan,v
spots I must say l don't admire bis
taste; give me the fleSh-pots and
bright lights. care not how bean.
tiful it be, if it be not beautiful to
me-" sang the happy girl as she
pinned on her sun hat and gathering
up tin pail and lunch basket, she
opened the door to the wind-blown
morning.
''Bye-bye, mamsey, I'm off. I'll take
the Marsh baby along for company
and give poor Mrs. Marsh a chance
to get her jelly made. Baby can roll
in the clover while 1 pick berries"
We'll" thought Helen, with giggle.
as she tripped gaily away that's the
time / put one over on mother If
she dreamed rhat her unsophsticated
little daughter had actually firted
with the handsome stranger. I trem-
BILE to think what would happen to
little me. But l should worry, every
body talks to soldiers these days."
Within half an hour, the Marsh
baby, a pink and white m0rsel in
rompers, was stumbling among the
clover on unsteady legs, picking tie
pitty-pitties" while Helen picked bef-
fies in the pasture on the other side
of rail fence. Suddenly the silence
of the summer morning was broken
by the low-toned honk-h0nk Of q mo-
tor car, and a familiar gray roadster
of aristocratic lines came purring
along the road and ground to a stop
opposite the busy berry picker.
transformed Helen nodded a gay
good morning" Leroy Talmage
climbed from behind the steering wheel
and with one leap was over the low
stone wall, and with widening eyes
stood looking down at baby Marsh
ada da,' gurgled the infant, lifting
entreating blue eyes and chubby arms
"You rascal" and the tall military
man caught the child up, held him
aloft, then cuddled the little creature
in his strong arms. The rose-leai
mouth was pressed to his bronzed
cheek and the busy fingers played
with the military cross.
"Why, Baby Marsh, you are alto
gether too familiar" scoded Helen.
"He calls every man he sees Data
explained the girl, with bright blush.
His father is in France and he natlr'
ally misses him"
Don't apologize for baby, MrS'-s[
Marsh; let me play with him.
am very fond of children"
When luncheon was over The man
sat quietly smoking and watching lhe
girl with the sleeping child resting
against her knee.
Mrs. Marsh" he began, Il was
amazed to find that you were
married woman" After tense
silence he added earnestly: Nv ou'a
1t interest you to know 1'a'
have never been in toFe--HO'
the reel thing?' Another silence
| The girl stirred reSueSStS.
went on huskily: when ] hT'l So|
you tripping along your quaint W.
lage streets, in your simple NA.'e Eg"s
and rose-wreathed hat, with your i',-
Cross bag on your arm-We1' ] A1sg
l had reached a turning point III ~
life-that's all. l hope you VIII Nv
think this confession imper,lae -
am not in the habit of making lo'e ~
other mems wives, and l hope yum
forgive me-"
The girl sat with demure. doTncas.
eyes, twining the child's 81 .- ,-
about her finger. Suddenly r
to her feet with an exclamau"n. Y .'I'
it is raining; a big drop 81 "
baby'~ nose; Ne will get sa-A We w..
Talmadge, will you kindly ~
homer .... he.
Ten minutes later they pulled Wy
fore Burk cottage. Helen .a'. .,t-
roguish face to her compana+
! r 4--o,l,la 1-o1, IN drive uU iH.