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

, wanted that picltSe-it was just like
| a breath from the old home days. And
some girl had beaten him to it-just
| his luck. He went into quick
lunch" and ate some supper-say, hut
lonely man does have to eat any
! thing that's handed to him and went
home to his apartment-bedroom and
; bath.
How should he spend the evening?
A movie show? Shucks! What's the
idea Of watching lot Of ginks making
love all over the screen? Nix on that.
He was in no mood of lovemaking. The
loss of that picture was still affecting
him!
While Joe was in this frame Of mind
certain young lady, Of whose exist
| ence he was not even aware. was feel
ing quite elated. She had got hack
home from the office. and after eating
her supper she was going to extract a
| certain number Of dollars from q GER
| tain private cache and was going after
that picture she had paid the deposit
on. Funny how the same thing can
have such opposite effects on different
people. But then. of course, the girl
had not lost the picture!
When Joe put on his hat that eve
ming and set out to try and forget the
old home days, his steps seemed nat
urally to bend themselves in the direc-
ton of the antique shop. The rain had
: stopped and fresh wind was blowing
| He was still feeling homesick on ac-
count of that picture. and was just
wondering what had become of those
| friends of his boyhood. Bill Smith and
Larry Jones and that freckled-faced
| Red, when. on turning a corner, he
was violently hunted in the middle by
some one carrying a bulky and re-
markably hard parcel. Joe staggered
, from the sudden impact. He stopped
to pick up his hat, and then looked to
| see what had caused 1t. Instantly he
realized what had happened. He had
met the girl with the picture! AS
though to confirm his suspicious, the
wind playfully whipped up corner Of
the loose wrapping paper, and the
glimpse he got proved him TO be cor
| rect. Without taking his eyes Off the
| coveted picture he addressed the girl.
would you mind If I took a peep.
last peep at it?' he asked pleadingly.
The girl nodded. Evidently this man
must be the one-time owner. She
thrust the picture toward him. and Joe
gazed at is long and earnestly.
| Guess you've seen 1t before some
where?" she asked presently.
II should say 1 have! Gee" he
muttered, drinking In the familiar
scene. 81 wonder what has become of
Bill Smith and Larry Jones and that
freckled, red-faced kidT
smile unseen by Joe lighted the
girls face.
| And Eflie Farmer?' she suggested.
| For moment Joe wondered If his
ears had deceived him. Then. wheel
ing round on her, he asked amazed:
Say, were you ever in my home
town."
II kind Of think I must have been,
one time" the girl answered reflective
ly. II kind Of think there was boy
called Joe Annerley lived there. But
! can't be just sure"
She turned her head away--thIs
man was staring at her SO rudely. He
seemed to have been stricken dumb,
too. He just stared! He stared so
long that she simply had to break the
silence. But It was the man who
spoke first after all. He had often
wondered about the little girl who
used to come to his mothers house,
the two blond pigtails hanging down
her back. But that was years ago.
She must be quite grown up by this
time.
Did you know Enief" he asked
! tcnscly.
The girl nodded. She still held her
head avcrtcd, ana Joe wished she
would turn IL into the zone Of light
! made Ivy til" street lamp. Eut she did
no: seem interested. She had tucked
the picture under her urin agaiu and