The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-01-20
( Down The Lane.


u
r. vas an angular young fellow,
tir that bordered on the vel.
md he wore a striped green ant
Ilitt, bIeu oysralls and boots that
Ike the proyerblal snow shovels.
eYe1 were gray, and he had Just
tsN freckles peeping through q
NJ coat Of tan. Altogether he was
fnprepo assessing. Dress him up in
tore clothes" polish his shoes and
sptech and his manners, place
I HIM ~ q ballroom and he would have
4 10 trouble IN filing his card.
( Yes, Joe, I've got to. You see, all
he prospect before me here is hard
q scrE on q farm. II ] marry you I'm
farmers wife. What ! want is
see the world. to live in the big
where there are scooting auto
lies and Changing street cars, and
QtA Of ligbtA and operas, and those
hings
& IA grixst a q rueful sort OF grin
md rested HIS chin in his hands and
1iG elbows on his knees whilo he
azed tntently at a colony Of ants a
Short distance from his feet without
eeink one Of the insects.
She was seated near him on the log.
Her dress was plain blue Bingham,
and she worc'a suubonnct to match 1t.
The snnbonnet served as o frame for
4 On oval face, flushed With health, and
4 despite the bonnet's bigness It could
Z not prevent several wisps OF luxuri.
ant hair from peeping out at the edges.
Some Of the w1sps apeared black,
Il while others, seemed dark red. It
y must have been sne way the sunshine,
sifting through the interlacing bows
and formed the roof Of the forest path,
fell on them. Some such idea occur.
red to joe a. he sat in moody media
tioNs but his heart was too heavy to
Iet him dwell on any such problem as
whether girl can have hair Of two
different shades.
Has has Paul Mccormick any.
thing to do with this?" he ventured
finally, raising his head.
a firm. slightly rebellious express
ion crossed her face, but 1t was gone
lf . flash and superseded by one that
vas closely akin to pity.
Yes, he has" ehe told him. Il may
Is well tell you 1t all, Joe. You see,
I liter Mr.. Nice ormick was here last
summer we kept up q correspondence.
YOu and me were engaged at the
tnie, and perhaps l ought to have told
Eoh then but didn't think either hin,
N me was serious until a month ago
when he proposed to me by letter. The
letters had been getting more and
more Tiendly Of late, and was not
& 50 much surprised when he asked
/ Hnesto go to Cleveland and marry him.
& When he was here he told me all
bout life In the city; about his yachts
\ sud his automobile, and the beautiful
nome he was going to build. And he
MAJ e me think a lot: though Of course
didn't suspect ne intended for me to
B i've IN tho 4 house. 1t didn't seem pos
sib1e then, and 1t don't now, that a
rich man like him would want to mar.
" me. q always thought a heap Of
you, Joe. and we would have got mar
ried next week, Just as we planned.
only for his proposal. You see, mar.
Tying him offers me a chance to live
The life have dreamed about so Oft
On. Please don't feel too bad and
don't think harsh OF me; will you,
5oe2v
Joe stosd up and placed his straw
hat firmly on his head. He held out
hand and tried to grin pleasantly.
That's all right, Mae" he said. 81
DON'T think harsh Of you, When are
ron Eoin II j may ask and can / car.
our things to the station for your.
I0morrow, she sanswered. "He
SAID 70 wire him Il l was going, and
Rs,d be ct the station to meet me In
cleveland. decided to send q tele-
Just before ! get on the train
aese. AZ for you going to the station
well, ! think 1t best We say goodbye
6ete rand now"
He clasped her firmly by the hand.
md left her, walking slowly 'out Of
iiehtz down the line, without once look.
ns back.
Mae sat on the log some time after
lis departure FROG, the scene, telling
serseif that she really cared q lot for
rs country youth; and IL 1t were not
Or the motor car and the yachts and
The agnifieent home that were prom
ned her she--well, she had once told
f0e Martin that she would marry him;
md Mae did not feel that she was
1clsl6. 5
Finally she rose and walked along
~ path in the direction opposite to.
nat which Joe lad taken, She was
IL s0tped in thougnt and scarcely no.
iced whore she was until she found
lsrselt looking down at a stocky.
aNnyhaired youth OF about seven.
;afyying = rake over his shoulder. She
nd passed from the woods and was
sSetstng the edge OF Q field.
Hello, SIS was the youths greet.
no Where you soin'- home? To
~ fsedy Tor the trip to Cleyeland?"
Ske was startled. This boy was
foe's brother although, he had always
,efeff6d 70 her IS his sister. probably
limiting on future events. Surely Joe
kSd notssesn him so soon and told him
d her plans.
What DO you mean, Bub?" she
tslsed WHAT'S this about 4 trip to
EisSslsndS'
Ike boy spread his mouth in q vide,
moving Erins
s1syou can't fool me, !" he asserted.
Didn't hear Joe a-tellin' the folks
.