, 1918-12-26
Squaw-Berries
BY AGNES @. BRoaAN
Copyright. 1sls. western Newspaper uniOn.)

cheeks; it also loosened a shining
strand or two of hair that had grown
to a fashion of neat preciseness.
With a strange and sudden impulse
she turned from the country roadway
down a t~ree-bordered lane to the ra-
vine. How long it had been since she.
a fun-loving girl, had followed this
path of w~ood-fragrant charm, In
search of bright red berries, clustering
among their shining green leaves in
the moss underfoot. Or, had the
search for strawberries been but a
youthful excuse for an afternoon In
his company? she wondered. So hap
py, so care-free they had been togeth-
er, the tall, bright-faced lad. all en-
thusiasm in planning his future,
or "'our future" as he had called 1t, and
she, released for an hour or two from
the daily care of her invalid mother.
Bending. she would gather the berries
from their hiding place beneath the
dead leaves. as she listened to that
old. old story whose charm is ever
new. "And when I come back rich
and famous he would say. 1--WE shall
be married. Jane Rose"
"Jane Rose" She loved the name as
1t fell from his lips. "Jnne" was too
plain for his "rose-girl." he told her,
and the added name seemed a caress.
But Jane sighed as she thought of the
years of separation, necessary, If he
were to become the great artist That
his ambition craved. Never for n mo-
ment did she doubt his success, even
now. Wonderful were his unframed
sketches of wood and valley, beautiful
~fancies, too. filed his mind.
1.-THE dead leaves and h snow" ne
told her Signify the discouragements
and hardness of FIFE. while beneath
them grow the BRIGHT berries of hope"
"And love- Jane Rose had added tim
idly. for love can live through every
encouragement" The young man had
turned away impatiently at that, for
her allegiance to the invalid mother
was a never-forgottcn grievance. Had
It not been for the mothers eXacting
presence. Jane herself would have
Travelled with him across the ocean to
the land of adventure. and realized
ambition. So-he had one away.
Far as her eye could see his graceful,
swinging figure Jane watched him
down the road to the station. And
that had been more than ten years
aco-ten long years and until this
threatening winter day, James feet
hid never again followed the ravine
path to the wood.
AT first letters had come regularly
from her lover; then they had grown
further apart, and ceased altogether
Often she thought of him. this alb
sent lover. and without bitterness
Then came the time when her care
was no longer needed. Quite alone
Jane prepared her evening meal ano
set n place at her table for one. Alone
she sat at evening looking down the
long road to the vill"ge. for young
friends had departed or made newer
homes for then selves. while Jane had
been busy occupied with a task of
love which allowed no respite
"I1l go away" Jane murmured pas,
| siOnately: 81 will see the. world that
claimed him. Twill not stay forever
and ave on a lonely hillside"
AS if to give incentive to her deci-
| sion, Jane read a sentence in h pa
per which came daily from the city.
"Mr. John Allen Gordon" announced
the society column. has returned from
| abroad" "Mr. John Allen Gordon"
she smiled TREMENDOUSLY. Would he
recognize the village friends who still
lovingly referred to him as "JnckT'
Jane Rose fell to dreaming. then, of
the home he might now have, and the
wife, perhaps. and It seemed all Mt
once that the four walls of the little
home room we're pressing down upon
her. and she must-mnst get away.
After that. preparations brought a
new and delightful excitement. She
would take the money saved from the
renting Of the old barn for a neigh
boris automobile, and spend it all in a
short city vacation. Such extrava-
gance seemed IA sin, hut this new sense
of recklessnesS was eX~hilarnting
James eyes sparkled with an old light
as she viewed the mail order" trav-
cling suit. with accompanying hat.
gloves and shoes. Gray she had chos
en- for each article. a silvery. beauti-
full gray.
Jane was enchanted. She blushed
with guilty vanity as she regarded her
self in the mirror. Ten years. even
In the filling of hOt-water bottles. had
been most kind. Her spirits sank a lit
tie as she considered that she had not
n acquaintance In the big city. But
she knew of the best hotels.
She glanced around the room nppre-
hensively, hoping that the time of lux
irritating would not spoil her o the
coming back. And as the train rushed
citywnrd she wondered If II could be
that two people parted ten years ago
might, by any possibility of chance.
meet on a public city street.
The arrival at her destination dis
couraged this hope. Among all the
surging throng. she appeared TO be re-