The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-09-11

VI ike IL alreadyF' exclaimed Alice,
as her eager city-tired eyes grasped
the vision of Tidy lane with It's row of
small cottages neatly lining the street.
isn't 1t good to get snlff OF country
ARR
"Glorious! We both need a change
from city dust. l get so sick Of the
,fiice every day and cooped-ln fiat
every night. hope the cottage Is pos
sible-it will be so disappointing after
coming way out here In Long Island"
Helen Randolf absorbed deeply the
freshness of the avenue of shady trees.
She was tired, frightfully tired of the
strain Of her editorial duties on one of
the big magazines.
doesn't amount to much. can make
anything In the way Of shack COM
Portable for us two so iong as there
nre few walls and n roof"
Both girls were eagerly scanning the
small houses In search of No. 0.
Number nine must be the black
sheep that has wandered from the
fold" laughed Alice. 'The tidlest part
Of Tidy lane doesn't seem to have any
number nine. Oh! could that darling
one over there possibly be itf"
The advertisement for the small cot
tage In Tidy lane had read SECLUDED
but not isolated"
Number nine certainly was isolated.
II had rambled of the other houses In
the lane and found for itself a seclu-
sion that made the hearts Of the two
tired city girls jump with sheer Joy.
Number nine lay In the heart Of
small grove Of pine trees and had set
tied itself down there for all Che
world like bit Of the landscape that
had been created. not built.
ats too good to be true" Helen said
as they made their way back to the
city to pack up and take the first train
they could manage back to Tidy lane.
81 love the way it's gone OFF by l&self
and nestled In those smelly, healthy
pine trees"
"And I shall have few chickens In
that little coop, and you will come
home tired every evening from the Of
fee and will be waiting for you with
good things to eat" Alice was delight
ed to the extent of child over Il big
blue-eyed doll.
81 hope you won't be lonesome all
day, dear. You know II will be
change for you from seeing so many
people In the city,"
II couldn't be lonesome II tried In
that cute little cottage and Tidy lane
villagers to study"
So 1t was that the two fast friends
found themselves happily ensconced
In number nine out In sunny, fragrant
Long Island.
Daily Helen Randolf took the train
to the city and the editorial chair she
was filling while the editor was away
fighting for Uncle Sam. And each day
Alice Winter fitted more joyfully into
the small cottage with Its quaint sur
roundlngs. The furnishings had been
a bit cold, but they were so no longer.
The garden had been trifle lacking In
color, but a few geraniums and sweet
peas cheered 1t all up.
The owner of the small cottage had
gone with the American expeditiOnary
force to France. Alice realized that he
could not object to the few shrubs with
which she had ornamented the garden.
II hope he will come back to his cozy
nest" she said by way of little
prayer for the soldiers safety.
"You mustn't hurt your back digging
so much" admonished Helen often
when some new shrub greeted her upon
her return from the city. "You are
not accustomed to that kind of work."
"My digging" she cried excitedly
the next evening when her pal re-
turned "has unearthed mystery.
Look herew She held up n substantial
tin box. ~ started to put In that hy-
drangea this afternoon and was prob
ing round for soft spot to dig in and
finding one / came upon this box
Buried treasure? l suppose II Is
some child's pirate box. We used to
bury them as children" Nevertheless
the girls were both interested.
"Chlld nothingv exclaimed Alice.
"It's full to the gan of manuscripts.
Short stories. And look at the note
that was on top!"
Helen took the quite newly typed
note and read its contents. Farewell
TO fame. Mother raised her boy to be
a soldier-not a genius" The note was
signed "Phillp Cheyne" and contained
no more information. The many reJec-
tion slips from all the New York maga-
ines, however, told all the tale that
las necessary.
"Poor kid" laughed Helen. her edi-
,orial brain busy with the contents of
the stories. She was sklmming them
swiftly with the trained mind OF
reader. "Goosey," she said lovingly
to Alice, ~ suppose you hadn't even
looked at these stories"
II wouldn't know good story from
n bad nna I gnt ynur ,,,hnIo At.