The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-07-26
Eleventh Hour Pete
by lola FORESTER


tCopyfieht 1919. by the McClurs News
paper Eyndlcateb
they had Called him Eleventh Hour
Pete" ~ hoine long before he had ever
zone into training camps all through
'is lpisurely hoyhood days and later
hrougl, his teens when he helped his
father Mt the old sawmIli on the side
VI Rocky Knob.
"I,nndy's purity slow going" old Hal
sey would any, watching his over
grown, lanky son toss slabs out the
side door to the big pile ON The sloping
hillside. "Hut he's ~ steady MS the
river II goes down aud II amt good
FOR uuthin' half the yenr. but when II
Ices start OF II makes NJ for lost
lime"
The other boys NJ school had nlck-
lHmr1 him Eleventh Hour Pete" ms
soon rs they discovered his propensity
Tor landing right ut the last minute.
lust before thc bell ranE ~ nine,
itandy's hnro feet would got owe The
ioorsill of the entry. Just u minute
before the teacher was ready to mark
rim down u failure, he would spell the
word right. aud rs Elvn lnlgllinrty
sni1. "Iust when u girl thought he
lidnt hnVo nerve enough tu KISS a rug
baby Nn'd Gtah ynn around the neck
and KISS vuti rnughrr than uny Of the
,tter hoys." And Elyi Was somewhat
if u Judge when 4 came to methods.
wen Err twelve
"fltcknn yOull mnrry Elviry Wilson
ON day, won't you. Randy r. IFS
mother would nsk tentatively. and
%I,andy'd look seIr-consciUus ana dodge
The direct lsattr with a smile. But All
The Years nt home Elvn had led his
fancy hy 4 golden cord. Just the sight
NJ her dnncing ahead Along the couu-
try road was enough. Her hair was
rod, not bright %cnrroty rod. hut n shiny
sort of chestnut. ana II hung IN long,
Thin. home-tonded rurls below her
waist. Then her eyes were hazel. cpt's
eyes. the other girls called them. and
there wns n provocative lift to her M
per lin that started even Handy's slow
blood to moving faster.
Yet he enlisted without asking her
To marry him. and went overseas with
everybody NJ the Knob prophesying
Elvn would marry somebody else while
he was gone, anu asking why on
enrth he hadn't taken her. when she
WINS willing.
cor course IA marry Randy" she
snid fatty and proudly. when they
.at I. .lL..l H.. Nktrl... ...t
He's the only fellow on the mountain
viii, any good looks or nerve"
'Didn't have nerve enough to ash
you, just the sume." Tuck Phillips
c%hnctled.
"Ite had nerve enough not to
didn't he3 Randy isn't the sort e
mntry i girl So as to give her ~
allotment aud then run the chnnc,
Of leaving her II widow tlva's bis
eyes we're bright with nnger. "Aud
sny. Thick, just because you're ovei
age Is no rcnson why you can't en-
list. They're taking them IN the ma
rines. you know. bigger and oldel
than you are
Two years later Tuck drove dnwf
to the county seat after u mnrring,
license. No news had come fron
Randy after tie first ycir, and he hat
been reported missing after the biz
spring drive. When the troops begai
coming home. Elvn watched every da,
for news of him. but the days passc,
and months until Tuck found her In
tired. helpless mood u day. He
father had had u stroke after one .
his usual election fights. Election or
n mere form Of government. II WA
the u dny Ia the year when custom
almost commanded all loyal citizens
"a uphold their personal principles
nnd %prejudices against all comers. an,
The Judge was famous for his election
Tits.
But this ,lny they had carried hin
back III the mountain n quiet, linn
old figure, and Elva had cared 70
him. Tuck came daily. In his YIN.
he was gentle and t%actful. aud til
iudpe liked him. There were tire
hundred and some odd acres Of LANE
IA look after. and all the timber he
sides.
"rm gone by. Elva." he snid. bet
ter get n man you cnn trust to lool
after things. Tuck's right next to us
md he's been n good neighbor. ! Civ
my consent right now"
"isut Randy may ON back."
Gle nin't never had the gumptloI
10 ask you. has he7 Amt you got an,
pride ut All for n girl that don't hnv
"a pick up with the first one tina
comes along2"
Elvn had WINGED, and when Tue
asked her again that night. she ha'
nodded YEARLY.
'only just one thing. Tuck" sh
added with n flash Of her old spirit
al think I ought To tell you this. Their
amt any man on earth ever can b
10 me what Randy was"
"well. | guess ! don't have to worr