Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-05-22

that was the end OF their romance
he did not even write TO her. bu
when q little later he went to Burton
town TO work he was hlied one mo
ment with the fear that he might see
her BY chance and then with regret
that he did not. But to have her see
him sitting there In the cobbIer's car.
pet slippers was sgonizing. Then
came the light. She too had her shoes
repaired while she waited. Then she
was blufiing, too. No doubt she too
had been spending her extravagant two
weeks vacation the same way that
he had. That was only a possibility,
still II gave Nathaniel courage and he
Peered out Of the side Of his mag
azine.
But Ruth, though she peered over
at him when he was not looking, re-
fused to permit her eyes to meet his
This Nathaniel felt sure was because
she had felt offended because he new
er had written TO her. Well, that was
but natural, especially If she had real.
ly cared for him. So when his shoes
were repaired he put them on and
left the shop and Ruth. determined
to write to her that very evening ask
ing permission to come at once TO see
her.
1t might be even that she worked
as stenographer or something In his
plant" Perhaps she was daily under
the same roof. For there were thou
sands of employees there whom he
did not know.
He walked along convincing himself
that this was true until after walking
toward his lodging house for two or
three blocks he felt distinctly con-
scious that someone was following a
few PAGES behind him. He glanced
over his shoulder, saw it was Ruth
and then turned abruptly about and
faced her.
Hello. Ruth he said, and Ruth,
though somewhat surprised said
Hello Nathaniel" just as they had
greeted each other on the beach during
those wonderful two weeks of vaca-
ton.
IT followed you" said Ruth, "be-
cause l realized that you must live in
Burtontown now and at least wanted
to know where. did not think you
would turn and catch me-"
Nov you know" said Nathaniel
eager first of all to explain himself,
"you know why didn't write to you
I thought you had all sorts of money,
you know, and-well, had put up a
bluff there at the shore, and I knew
a poor fellow like me couldn't marry
you because you see I thought you
had all sorts of money"
Marry YOU" echoed Ruth with a
funny little grimace. So you wanted |
to marry me2''
wanted to-" argued Nathaniel, "you
know did. Only of course when l
was thinking you had all sorts Of mon
ey | couldn't think of it. Really it
never occurred to me till I saw you
there getting your shoes heeled that |
YOU could possibly be anything but
lwfully rich. Pretty good joke all
around Ell? / suppose you took me
or young bondholder, too"
would 1t make so much difference?"
altered Ruth as they walked on
through the main street of Burtontown.
You see-well. father owns the ma
ority stock of the plant, and-well.
IN his only daughter, but he has told
ne | could marry just whoever I
LEASED so long as loved him."
"He married for love, and he wants
ne to, too. And truly love you, Nat,
ear. When | saw you this morning I
ust left the car and told the chauffeur
. go back home, and I trailed you to
ne shoe shop and got the strings just !
. be sure it was you. And I was e
fraid you'd feel silly and self-con-
cious sitting there In the old slippers,
, ] made an excuse to sit there too c
/ the other slippers so you wouldn't d
lind. And it was so funny / just s
anted to laugh out loud. And you
ouldn't speak to me, so then I got :.
little peeved at first, and then n
fought maybe 1t was because you
ere so fused so decided I wouldn't Il
,eak to you, either-so as to spare
'ur embarrassment. But I followed g
~ as soon as / could get my shoes 4.
i" = =
And It was remarkable how readily
ter that Nathaniel's rare ability was
at the plant. His salary
ok sudden leap upward, and moth al
and the girls down state never 81
essed that Ruth had anything to do
tn it.
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