The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-31
EVENING STORY
Sally, the Coker's Daughter.
BY BARBARA KERR.


Coke ovens, like mines, usually
claim both parents and their children.
Now and then one breaks away-one
with visions, who refuses to live and
die cocker. Sally. daughter of Old
Man Winters, the oldest cocker of
Greenbrier, was born not only with a
vision of what it would be like to live
in the outside world, but from some
forgotten ancestress she had inherit
ed beauty of face and figure and a
genius for being different, living above
her surroundings and picking up, the
Lord only knows which 'fum," as her
mother would have told you in her
lazy. musical, drawl, little bits of
she wore and reveled I'M as tho they
were jewels.
The Greenbrier coke ovens were in
a bend of the New river, and four
miles below, on the opposite side, were
the McSpadden ovens. Between the
two there had long been feud; boys
were not allowed to call on girls of the
rival camp. But love laughs at feuds,
as it does at the smith who ought to
keep it under lock and key. Sid Ru-
ney, of McSpadden, was in love with
Sally Winters, though he knew that
she was engaged to Bud Hickman, of
Greenbrier. Sid, in a shy burst of
confidence, had admitted to Sally that
he also had the vision. Sickness in his
fathers family had kept him tied
down, but some day he was going to
live in Sally's world of books, papers
and pictures. Since then there was a
growing bond of interest between
them.
They met at dance in mountain
school house, and Sid, regardless of
Buds dark looks, had sought out Sally
again and again.
Finally, to punish Bud for his low
down manners, Sally openly told Sid
he could come to see her the next Sun
day Bud on first thought decided not
TO take her home, out ne knew that
Sallys company never had gone beg
ging-he would wait and catch Sid in
Greenbrier and thrash him within an
inch of his life.
Sid had tied his horse to a sapline
in front of the shack of box house
that squatted on its launches against
the Inountainside. and was sitting on a
bench on the porch, while Sally sat
near him in bran-splinter-new rock
ing chair, shiny with brilliant varnish
and moving rhythmically to the con-
versation.
The rocking chair was the last word
in the community on leisure; in II the
woman Of the box house could sit on
her narrow porch and watch the rail-
road trains go laundering around the
mountain. the sole and only daily d.
version, the only visible tie to the
wonderful world outside.
Sally held in her hand a magazine
and some old fashion sheets that she
had got from a traveller at the station
and she was animatedly telling Sid
what she had read when Bud saun-
tered up the path. Her face Grim
soned with anger. but she would not
begin the quarrel.
why. hello. Bud" she called. try
Ing to make her tone casual. Then.
after side whisper. "Scuse me- Sid"
she darted into the house. slipped
her automatic inside her dress and
returned with another chair before
Bud reached the steps.
L low L amt much time to set
I've just a little business with this
ere McSpad-I gotta slap his face"
declared Bud as a preliminary to bat
tie.
Sid jumped to his feet to put the
rocker between them. but he was not
quick enough to escape a right-hand-
er. and Buds knucks cut his cheek
He merely said in slow. even tones: 81
amt armed. towards and low-down.
ornery thugs uses brass knucks."
But grabbed the rocker to fling IL
for him to put It down. Instead he
lifted 1t high above his head and sent
IL crashing off the porch down the
mountainside. a wreck
But. unfortunately for him. while
wreaking vengeance on this piece of
feminine refinement. he disarmed
himself. for Sally saw the shape Of the
revolver in his coat pocket. and while
his arms were extended she had quick
as lightning removed the gun. and Sid
backed inside the door and barricaded