Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-03-07

Alitn had been IN Cortervllle Tor
Just two months. two long. lonely
: months. during which she grew 20 hate
; every dusty street Of the shabby little
4 town. II was not all shabby. OF course.
There were n few square white houses
with green blinds.
Anita taught English In the Carter
Vile high school and as 'teacher' she
; enjoyed a sort Of social eminence.
THE Culture club had taken her in,
! and the minister's wife asked her 20
tea. but the young people. tae girls her
own age who should hAve been her
companions, looked at her askance.
OF course, none o. these Carterville
boys and girls would be possible
friends for her. anyway. She told her
self this little vehemently. perhaps.
TO stili tse lonely tugging at her heart
At me end Of two months. however.
Thugs BEGIN TO be different. There
vas n young man who boarded az the
Palace hotel, n nlce-looking young
man with brown eyes and the sort OF
nose one imagines 10 be aristocratc.
Anita wntched him sometimes In the
dining room and sometimes she lis
tened TO his hearty voice when he was
In the hotel ONCE. talking with other
men.
"what a pity" she thought. 'that
man who looks like that should be |
common, after all. He talks 10 Jim |
Murphy as II he'd known him all his I
life and he uses so much slang"
Just what the stranger did In Car
terville, Anita was not sure. His ame |
she could not help hearing that
was Davis, Carlton Davis.
When there is only one young man
about; when he Is very good looking;
when he sits at n table near you In !
the hotel dining room every morning
and evening. when you are a girl, and
lonesome. II Is hard 10 be bound by the
traditions Of the proudest Of families.
Once, when she felt that he was look
ing after her as she left the room, she
was blinded by n sort Of hateful self
consciousness that made her trip.
awkwardly, and fall. In an instant he
was on his feet, helping her up.
ATt NNu
"Not at all, thank you"
She was aware that her tone was
cold, inhospitable. He bowed gravely
and returned to his seat near the win
dow. So,
After that Anita tried 10 avoid Carl
ton Davis. She refused TO admit to
herself that this man was the reason
for her early breakfxts, and late din
ners, yet deep In her heart she knew
that she could not ReaE to sit there
In silence, so near TO him. --
One evening when she could bear !
the strain Of depressed spirits no long |
er without action OF some sort. Anita |
set out for a brisk walk. 1t was just |
supper time for Carterville; lights !
shone from the unshaded windows, and /
she could see family groups about the
tables. --Tsr7--ygT- -. - -
The girl scarcely noticed where she
was walking, the rough, unpaved
treets Of the little town were no bet
ter than the country roads. and Anita
realized, with a sudden start. that she
had walked far beyond the last house.
Tears overwhelmed her suddenly. Is
II not, 20 youth. a genuine grief TO be
denied the pleasures Of youth, the sim
pie joys Of friendly living7 Moreover,
there was something else that made
Anita weep, something that tugged at I
her heart like a wild longing, some |
thing she was powerless TO stlfle or =
control.
Suddenly as she sat there by the ,
roadside, sobbing, a man approached.
She could see him clearly. She shrank
back against a tree for shelter.
But as she did so n twig snapped
under her feet. and she stumbled, with
n soft little cry. The man stopped
short.
"Who's therei" he called sharply.
II was very strange, hut all fear left |
Anita the very moment she heard his
voice. OF course, she would be safe
with him. He was a stranger 20 her,
yet she was safe. she knew.
ats I, Anita North" she called back. ,
and her voice trembled hit.
"Miss North-Anita - he exclaimed.
"What are you doing here nlone" He
had taken her arm and helped her out
90 the road.
"Poor little girl" he said. "Could
you tell me about itf"
She shook her head.
"Poor little girlw he said nj last.
81 wonder II you are-lonesomcT
She nodded In the dark, and he came
step nearer.
$50 am l." he said slowly. 'Tone-
some for you"
After tina. they walked back 10 town
slowly, arm In arm. They passed light
ed windows where happy family
groups were gathered about the sup
per tables, but neither OF them no.
tlced. or II Anita did so, II was but
70 reflect that never never again need
she envy them, never, never again