Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-07-31
Eleventh HourP Pete
+
By lola FORESTER
By zoLA FORESTER

They had called him eleventh Hour
Pete" at home long before he had ever
gone into training camps all through
nus ielsurely boyhood days and later
through his teens when he helped his
rather at the old sawmill on the side
of Rocky Knob.
"Randy's purity slow going" old Hal
sey would say, watching his over
grown, lanky son toss slabs out the
side door to the big pile on the sloping
hlllslde. But he's as steady as the
river. 1t goes down and it amt good
Tor nothin' half the year, but when it
does start off it makes up for lost
time"
q other boys at school had nick
named him Eleventh Hour Pete" as
soon as they discovered his propensity
Tor landing right at the last minute.
Just before the bell rang at nine.
Randy's bare feet would get over the
doorsill OF the entry. Just a minute
DeIore the teacher was ready to mark
MIN down a failure, he would spell the
"oru right, and as Elya laughingly
SAID, Just when a girl thought he
didn't have nerve enough to kiss q raq
oaby, he'd grab you around the neck
ana KISS you rougher than any Of the
otner boys" And ElvaN was somewhat
OF a judge when it came to methods.
even at twelve.
Reckon you'll marry Elyiry Wilson
some day, won't you, Randy?" his
mother would ask tentatively, and
Randy'd look s~elf-conscious and dodge
Tue direct issue with q smile. But All
the years at home Elva had led his
fancy by a golden cord. Just the sight
OF her dancing ahead along the conn
Try road was enough. Her hair was
req, not bright carrotyl red, but a shiny
sort of chestnut, and it hung in long.
thin, home-tended curls below her
waist. Then her eyes were hazel. CATS
eyes, the other girls called them, and
there was a provocative lift to her M
per lip that started ever Randy's slow
blood to moving faster.
Yet he enlisted without asking her
TO marry him, and went overseas with
everybody at the Knob p~rophesying
CIV would marry somebody else while
ne wa gone, and asking why o n
earth he hadn't taken her, when she
was willing.
"Of course I'd marry Randy" she
said fatty and proudly, when thew
leased her about him. "Why NOT?
He's the only fellow on the mountain
with any good looks or nerve"
Didn't have nerve enough to ask
you, Just the same" Tuck Phillips
chuckled.
He had nerve enough not to.
didn't he7 Randy isn't the sort to
marry a girl so as to give her an
and then run the chance
OF leaving her a widow" Elva's big
were bright with anger. "And. !
say. Tuck, just because you're over
age is no reason why you can't en-
list. They're taking them in the ma
r1nes, you know, bigger and older
than you are.".
Two years later Tuck drove down :
70 the county seat after a marriage :
llcense No news had come from !
Randy after the first year, and he had
been reported missing after the big
spring drive. When the troops began
coming home, Elva watched every day
or news of him, but the days passed. :
Ind months until Tuck found her in q !
1red, helpless mood one day. Her !
.ather had had q stroke after one of :
lis $ election fights. Election on :
tocky Knob was something more than I
mere form of government. It was :
ne n day in the year when custom :
Llmost commanded all loyal citizens I
o uphold their personal principles !
nd prejudices against all corners. and :
ne Judge was famous for his election :
Its. a
But this day they had carried him =
ack up the mountain a quiet. limp :,
Id figure, and Elva had cared for !.
Inn. Tuck came daily. In his way =
e was gentle and tactful. and the :.
ldge liked him. There were three =
neu anu oone Ouu acres OF and
} look after, and all the timber be-
des.
I'm gone by, Elva," he said. eBet- -
get a man you can trust to look e.
ter things. Tuck's right next to us. y,
he's been q good neighbor. / give -
y consent right now" a.
"But Randy may come back" 10
He, amt never had the gumptlon los
ask you, has he? Amt you got any ali
ide at all for a girl that don't have of
pick up with the first one that "cl
mes along?" In,
Elva had WINGED. and when Tuck tul
ked her again that night, she had de,
dded YEARLY. do,
'Only just n thing, Tuck" she tim
ded with q flash Of her old spirit. tho
think ! ought to tell you this. There
1T any man on earth ever can be
me what Randy was" 7
Well, guess I don't have to worry Nv
that. He amt on earth.n he bec