The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-12-14
The Girl Under
the Hill
By DONALD ALLEN
Copyright. 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)

1
| Travellers who came that way an(
assembled and descended the long hill
with the creek and the bridge at its
foot, always turned their heads to looE
at the old stone house bTilt In colonial
days. In summer it was covered with
vines and stood in the shade Of the
pear trees, and in summer the "girl I'M
der the hill' was Oftenest caught
sight of.
Why the "girl under the hill' instead
Of Molly Thatcher? Well, travellers
would have it so, and nobody knew
Just why. She had been called so at
sixteen, and she was still being called
so at twenty. 1t was necessary only
to inquire at any house in the village
beyond the creek to know she was the
daughter Of old Mart Thatcher, the
pensioner, and q motherless girl.
Sometimes travellers saw the old
:..ln on the porch and the daughter
reading to him as he smoked his pipe !;
sometimes she was working among
the flowers in the yard; sometimes
from the open windows of the house,
they heard her singing and paused to
listen. When strangers met her on
the road as she went to and from the
village with her basket, they remem-
bered that she had hair that shone
like gold in the sun, and mouth that
smiled, and eyes that reminded them
of those Of a deer. Sometimes, when
too-curious young man pestered the
postmistress for information he re-
celved the reply:
"She's smart and handsome and
good, and it's no use for you to waste
your time. Molly has never looked
at any fellow twice"
One summer day the girl under the
hill carried an apronful Of weeds
from the flower beds out of the gate
and emptied them in the highway.
Just as she did so an auto driven by
a young man came chugging up the
hill. She looked fairly into the
young mans eyes, AMI he into hers.
The look did not last ten seconds, but it
made her heart beat faster as she
turned away, and his as he continued
his journey.
An hour later, the old father hob
bled out on the porch where the girl
Eat with her chin on her hand, staring
into vacancy, and said:
81 thought you might have gone to
the store. I haven't heard you sing
Ing for q long time"
II was just-just thinking" she re-
Piled as she got up and ran away.
Autos were not rare sight on that
highway. A dozen passed up or down
The hill every day, and no one minded
hem. The girl under the hill had
never gone to the gate out Of curios-
ty. If seated on the porch she had
rot raised her eyes. All at once, now,
'he found herself listening, and was
Texed. She found herself at the gate.
md stamped her foot as she turned |
way. That young man had black |
lair and dark eyes; he was young and |
he was surely a gentle |
nan; he. But to break the chain of |
bought, Molly seized the broom and
'egan to sweep the porch SO vigorous
y that her father called out from the
Interior of the house:
"Hey, girl, what's the matter with
ou today? You swept the porch only
n hour ago. Better save the broom"
Two days had gone by since Mollie
ad thrown the weeds in the road and
he young man in the auto came again.
he girl was training a vine at the
orner of the house, and she heard
ne machine rumble across the bridge
nd begin to climb the hill. Yes, it
'as the same young man, and he was
boxing her way. She was partly
1rned away, but she knew he was
boxing. She heard the machine al
lost come to stop, but she would
OF look up. Then the power was in
reased, the chug went louder and
lster, and she stood and listened I'M
| the sounds died away in the dis
lnce.
THAT fellow pretty near got stuck
4 the HILL" said the father as Molly
ame around to the porch
1t was just as well for "that fell
W. that he wasn't there to see the
ISIS of her head and the snap in her
res. she believed that he had al
ost stopped to stare at her, and she
as reioiced that her attitude had
zen one of disdain.
That is, after thinking it over, she
dn't know whether she was or not.
Three days later, as she sat sewing
I'd her father slept in his rocker, she I
'ard an auto ascend the Hill and /
op in front of the house. The rose !
shes hid it from her sight, but a ,
cment later the dark-haired young {
an was standing uncovered before {
r and saying: +
II beg your pardon, miss, but could s
u lend me an ak while I make some ,
ght repairs to my auto? So sorry Z
bother you. All, see ap ak over $
ere. Don't get up, please. I shall
turn it directly"
In her confusion at his sudden ad- ;
mt and strange request the girl had :
nply looked at him. She gave her
Their shake to wake him up, brief
explained matters and disappeared
to the house. When the ak was re-
rned, and while the borrower was 4