The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-01-29

HE b Ally
sHORT STORY.
saIlS Tue 6 okers Daughter.

oallv The COkers Daughter.
III HARBARA KERR.
epDyfitlit, 1919, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
OK b ovens, like mines, usually
Tim both parents and their
cIlildfen. Now and then one
li1e ava one with visions, who
o'|iS To live and die coker. Sally,
Of Old Man Winters, the old
s6f % reenbrier, was born not
OH With q vision Of what 1t would
2 be Ike to live IN the outside world,
t.|t from some forgotten ancestress
81 had inherited beauty Of face and
tSfH and a genius for being differ
Wing above her surroundings and
pieisinEup the Lord only knows wheh
her mother would have told
1lt ID her lazy, musical drawl. little
y ~ Df civil alton, crumbs of culture,
& she wore and reveled In as
ltllsH they were Jewels.
" The Greenbrier coke ovens were IN
bend 0f the New, river, and four miles
low, on the opposite side. were the
Spadden ovens. Between the two
here had long been e fued boys were
mot allowed to call on girls Of the rival
camp But love laughs at fueds, as It
do lbs ct the smith who ought to keep
II under lock and key. Sid Runey, OIL
adden. was in love with Sally
Winters though he knew that she was
engaged to Bud Hickman, Of Green
X bftef Sid. In shy burst OF conf
Ilience, had admitted to Sally that he
also had the vision. Sickness in his
fathers family had kept him tied
down, but some day he was going to
live In Sally's world Of books, papers
and pictures. Since then there was 81
growing bond Of interest between
them.
They net at a dance IN mountain
school house, and Sid, regardless OF
Buds dark looks, had sought out Sally
again and again.
Finally, to punish Bud for his low
down manners, Sally openly told Sid
4 he could come to see her the next Sum
day Bud on first thought decided
not TO- take her home, but he knew
that s,ally's company never had gone
lerging- he would wait and catch Sid
Id Gteenbrier and thrash him within
IN Inch Of his life!
3 Y Sid mad tied his horse to q sapiing In
front of the shack Of box house that
sQuatted on It's launches against the 4
m6hntainside, and was sitting on
bench on the porch, while Sally sat
near him in q bransplinter-neW rock
ing chair, shiny with brilliant varnishl
and moving rhythmically to the con-
Kefsation.
The rocking chair was the last word
n the community on leisure; in It the
oman Of the box house could sitlun
4 uer marrow porch and watch the rail.
road trains go thundreing around the
mountain, the sole and only daily d.
Sxersiun, the only visible tie to the won.
sderidl world outside. s.,{l
Sally held In her hand magazine
aud some old fashioned sheets that she 4
had got from q traveller at the station
and shD was animatedly telling Sia
what she had read when Bud saun.
Tered up the path. Her face crimson
ed with anger, but she would not be-
s gin the quarrel.
Why, hello Bud J" she called, trying
20 make her tone casual. Then, after
d side whisper: "Scuse me, Sid, !" she
darted into the house, slipped her auto.
matte inside her dress and returned
with another chair before Bud reach.
cd the steps.
low | amt much time to set. I've
lust a little business with this ere Nc
sra gotta slap his face" declared
ad rs q preliminary to battle.-
Sid Jumped to his feet to put the
rocker between them, but he was not
Quick enough to escape right handler,
and Bud IS knucks cut his cheek. HI
merely said in low, even tones: p
ant armed. towards and low-down,
thugs uses brass knucks."
Bud grabbed the rocker to fling IT
oiit Of the way, when Sally screamed
for him to put 1t down. Instead, he
lifted Il high above his head and seat
il crashing of the porch down tho
noun inside, a wreck.
but unfortunately for him, whilo
MTealsfpg vengeance on this piece OF
feminine refinement, he disarmed MIN
6eif for Sally saw the shape Of the re-
acayf his. coat pocket, and while his
arms were extended she had quick as
lightning removed the gun, and. Sid
hacked Inside the door and barrtcaded
Il Eiter him. as she motloned him to
Well you tiger cat, grinned
Hud IA spite OF himself as he faced his
own gun and Sally's angry eyes that
cleaned as steel blue as the barrel OF
:sSVheh did hit come fum?'' point.
ing to the wrecked rocker.
was mine! =. painted Sally the dry
s0bs splitting her throat. Il earned
ne money myself showing strangers
where the mountain orked- flowers
gfpA II was for my own house 3
Now, don't low any woman OF
mine IS goin' to set dawdlinS Nm a rock.
ii cheer, watchin the trains go by
shell hey sumpin' else to do"
Go and tell her so, Bud Hickman.
mn not be me. Git!' And Sally lev
eled the gun at him.
Oh us 1Iickmans has tanned tiger
isere$ your time. Sally darlin' an
0df 1aa,s on my side..~ And Bud
d toward Sid's horse, but Sally's
tf3fnnA MI I, fu,te, . Ma, etSl.4 esi,nt