Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-06-13

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this country youth; and II 1t were not
for the motor car and the yachts and
the magnificent home that were prom
tsed her she-well, she had once told
Joe Martin that she would marry him.
and Mae did not feel that she was
tickle.
Finally she rose and walked along
the path In the direction opposite to
that which Joe had taken. She was
absorbed in thought and scarcely no
ticed where she was until she found
herself looking down ut a stocky,
tawny-haired youth of about seven,
carrying rake over his shoulder She
had passed from the woods and was
traverslng the edge Of field.
Hello. SIS" WIS the youths greet
Ing. Where you goin'-home1 To get
ready for the trip to Cleveland?"
She was startled. This boy was Joe's
brother. although he had always, re-
ferred to her as his sister, probably
counting on future events Surely Joe
had not seen him so soon and told him
Of her plans.
what do you mean, Bub7' she
asked. whats this about trip to
Cleveland?"
The boy spread his mouth in wide.
knowing grin.
Jaw. you can't fool me-" he asserted.
Didn't hear Joe atellin' the folks
bout 1t last night7 Didn't I hear him
say he had got Job in 4 surveyors
Office or somethin'. In Cleveland,
through takin' that mail school course?
Didn't hear him say he didn't want
you to spend your days on farm, and
he was going to take you to the city
and make good there1 Didn't foller
him and see him meet you In Lovers
Lane this afternoon to talk 1t over
with your Didn't I. huh7 And then
you try to fool me like that. Shame on
you, sis"
Early in the afternoon the next day
Mae Set out for the railroad station.
Her father and mother wanted to &C
company her, but she declined and
walked or Juggling suitcase which
| contained the clothes she had been
unable to crowd into the trunk that
was taken to the station the day pre-
vious.
She had plenty Of time, so she saun-
tered along, taking last looks at tho
fields and the houses and trees that
mad been her surroundings ever since
she could remember. At the entrance
to Lovers Lane she paused. It was in
that lane she had promised to marry
Joe, land it had been their trysting
place for two years or more. Tears
swelled In her eyes as she stood and
| looked down the lane, which was tax
! Ing on Its multi-colored autumn garb.
Somehow, she felt it was becoming a
great effort to leave. 1t would not take
much to make her change her mind,
she told herself.
She tried to move on but she could
not pass the entrance to that leafy
path without taking one more look at
the log on which she and her farmer
lover had sat so many times and dis
cussed the future. Silently she glided
down the lane. Hearing a rustic
around bend In the path, she stopped
and darted behind tree.
The rustic grew more distinct. She
recognized the sound as made by
some one walking along the leafy floor.
She crouched behind the trunk and
peered forth to see who it was.
Presently he appeared, an angular
| young fellow. with hair that bordered
on yellow, wearing striped green and
red shirt, blue overalls and boots that
were like snow shovels. Over a shout
der was slung a peculiar instrument
that looked like a telescope on three
legs. 1t was surveyors transit.
-
Before boarding the train Mae wrote
a telegram and handed it through the
ticket window to the combined station
agent and operator. The address on
the telegram contained the name of
Paul Mccormick
"Thirty-five cents" said the oper-
ntor after reading the message and
checking the number. of words. Mae
paid for It, while strange little smile
tllckered over her face.
A short time later she looked out the
| window of the train as 1t sped on It's
| way toward Cleveland. Fading in the
distance were the hills and wood that
hid from view the home she was leav-
ing. She smiled and turning from the
window, addressed her seat compan-
ion:
"Im glad l didn't go yesterday as I
had planned Joe; and I'm glad the
| telegram I sent said mo- instead of