Catoctin clarion., 1918-07-11
swell, good-by." she interrupted,
"Pres' will be obliged, too"

AACS Will D0 OUlBcu, tOO.
Mr.. Jernigan looked at her wonder
ingly. Talk about the selfishness of
men," he thought "women amt made
OF anything but that self-same article"
Aloud he said with dignity: "I am 60
Ing to say l didn't know as had any
thing mapped out yet, but of course
l don't get to the end of my ideas In
half an hour"
His tone seemed to remind Ianthe
of the hospitable traditions of Vir.
ginia.
Come along to supper" she sug-
gested, "only don't talk to pa as If you
knew much, or maybe he'll suspect
Pres didn't make up those fine new
notions
For many weeks after this Mr.. Jer-
nigan stayed in Norfolk, although he
was badly needed in Wellsville. He
spent his mornings consclentiously do
Ing the many sights Of the neighbor-
hood-Soldiers home at Hampton,
Fortress Monroe, Hygela hotel at Old
Point, every one of which would have
been run to far greater advantage had
an Iowa man been at the head-and in
the afternoons he taught Ianthe Var
brough the essentials Of progressive
trucking. Her father had taken a llk-
ing-naturally-to him, and often he
went to supper with the Yarbroughs.
After supper he and the father sat
on the front steps and smoked, while
he watched-a little grimly-Ianthe
and Pres Lewis sauntering by the
river. Pres was tall, dark, lazy
looking boy, who evidently had no
Thickness about accepting another
mans cerebral fruits He protited by
the hints Ianthe gave him during
the river bank strolls, and when Mrs.
Iarbrough was through with the
dishes he and Ianthe came to the
steps, and new ideas scintillated Over
the porch Of the little house grew Il
MareSchal Mel rose, its hundreds OF
buds making the air sweet, but Mr..
Jer7ligan's bitter heart did not let him
enjoy the sweetness. Yes, his heart
was bitter. He said to himself as he
sat listening to Pres talk, sat watch
ing lanthe crush the rose leaves
against her cheek, that his vexaton
referred purely to a matter of good
sense. "Waste Is what | can't stand
owe that to the back-East bringing
up Aunt Mary had-and waste 1t
surely would be for him to get that
fair flower of the South"
There had to come an end-Wells-
vile would no longer be put off, and
one night when Mr.. Jernigan went into
the Yarbrough sitting room for his hat.
after the usual placid evening on the
steps, he made himself say: "Well,
folks, l guess this is the end of my
visits. I must get hack-and come to
Welsville all of you, and I'll see that
you meet the elite"
They were all standing, but Ianthe
dropped into a chair.
"Going-" she said.
Pres turned to her-then the color
rushed to his dark checks. He stepped
toward Mr.. Jernlgan.
you've been talking crops to her,
you have? You've been making love
to her-you've-"
Mr. Jernigan laid a hand on the
boys mouth. stop your fool talk
he said. "MiSs Ianthe-"
Ianthe sprang to her feet. II don't
care two strawber's If you are goin'
way-T don't, I don't" she cried,
throwing open the door leading to the
steep stairway, and then going up
stairs as fast as she could.
Mr.. Jernigan retreated dignifedly.
81 shall call upon you tomorrow" he
said to the dazed Mr.. Yarbrough
Good night, Mrs. Yarbrough, ma'am-
GOOD night, Mr.. Lewis. Let me wish
YOU success in your trucking In case
don't see you tomorrow
He did not take the road toward No
folk. Through that misty gray light,
the light that wraps one around, the
light that the dwellers on the Elizabeth
river call June evening, he made his
way to the wharf where he had first
seen Ianthe. There were no guano bags
there now, but he sat down on the
planks where she had sat, and took up
the long pole which still lay there. He
laughed, whistled and sang as he
whipped the water with the pole-sang
with subdued nasality. "She don't
don't cars-two strawber's-two straw
ber's-no, she don't she don't" Then
he drove the pole into the mud, and
meditated. Ianthe was by him. Ian
the in the purple calico which made
her eyes too look purple. mo call
CO.'S" he said suddenly. "Wellsvtlles
best quality silk for Mrs. J. Archibald"