Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-12-05
Happiness
Alley
@@
BY CTlLLIA FRANCES
PFEIEFER
&c ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ,
>~S''''s1'. 1913. eT tho wos.er, :.
paper Cnion.) "e"s

''.'' '''" "neA she wnS twelve and Co.,
SIX years ti!e daughter had ,,, '"'
m"St OF he: time ut II select ho,m,,.
school. '''"h;
All that time Airline never rc.rr,.,
% III" nome where She was born r,,..1
times Il year her father spcpt :. =,
at The school. brought her MANI , H
cniS and supplied her liherolIy n.,,'
spending money. At each visi, ,r,;.
reirrred to the old home in Tho 49,.
ana expressed 4 longing dcsir. -
spend her vacation there "
You VIII soon he eighteen. <,,,
her '"'h"r. land thY YOU shall c,,,,'
home for good TO keep house for r.,
ana at his last visit he had .,,,,,.
You wont know the old place ,,,..,
MY means have continued modes, &c.,.
nave managed 70 save enough ,o r,,
ova'c house and grounds ana i, ,,.;,,
De " snug nest. Happiness Alley, =.
they call the little blind end block T.,
mas only ten houses It's entire lc,.,,h
out each one is occupied by some or,
time family residents" WV
Happiness Alley" repeated A.
line drramily. What a chormi,,
name. Why do they call it fin,
papa" '''
1T Is really Gresham court q,
course" responded Mr.. Merritt ",,,
little spot right in the heart Of r,,
city and yet quiet and ycrnal os Sow,
country lane. You see, our ncipbho-s
and myself started I'm trade On ,,,
business street nearby when il w,.
Tar from being bWilt up, and sc,i,cd
IN Gresham court for our homes W.,
oaVe hc"n closely connected. both ~
l" business and socially, and 4 ut,,
community of genial. humble Stor,.
Keepers have led peaceful, nanny 1.-Two.
with no ambition toward splur-c ,,1
show"
1t was Il golden day in the cyncri.
ence of Airline when she IcIt sch,o,
for home. She Went into rapturcs over
the broad porched cottage looking nur
upon lovely garden, all fenced in anil
ut its rear Il high brick wall shu;rjr,
out the rear Of the business buildao,
fronting Oh the next street. An old
woman servant relieved Airline of MI
household drudgery, the nei.hbors
greeted her warmly. Plain. pmctira,
people, the denizcns Of Happiness Al
ley were sincere, unpretcn,inuS and
entirely apart from show or glitter
Their clean, even lives shu. out NIL
.eNtrhvagancc and folly. and Happiness
Alley was not misnomer.
Unexpectedly Mr.. Merritt Sickcnri
and died and Airline was left alone. II
was her first real sorrow. and the
kindly sympathy OF the nei.hbors
bound her more closely TO them and 10
her home. She settled rcSignelly into
the groove Of a calm. even life She
grew sedate. instead Of gloomy.
A bench under 4 great towering tree
overhanging the rear wall became
favOrite spot with Airline One evening
she looked UP as there WAS rustling
In the tree overhead. She started to
her feet as she made ont figure.
hanging on the top OF the wall and
clutching at swaying branch.
1t broke with the adventurer and
he fell in senseiess heap almost ut
Arline's feet. She could not repress
scream. From the little two room cot
tage where lie had his living quarters
the old gardener came hurrying to the
spot. The intruder was young man
dressed in neglected. attire and his
pale face suggested the invalid or con-
cottage and placed him on his bed.
"He Is not hurt by his fall. only
stunned" he said. 1T looks to me ~
If he was getting away from some-
body. Shall we call the police"
"Oh. no! No." responded Airline
quickly, Interested strangely IN the III
truder-"at least not until we learn
his story. You will undertake his care,
Hush:"
Surely. IL you say so. Miss
replied the old gardener and The next
day, able to sit up but still looking
weak and troubled. the young man
told Airline of himself and her com
passionate soul was moved to new
kindly sympathy.
He was Sidney Marsh. he tpih
Airline. and for over year the subject
Of peril and prosecution at the hanIS
Of SchcmerS who had swindleI us
father out Of his rights in Il corpora
ton Of which the latter, now dealt
had been an official. In order 10 ter
rorize Sidney their clnissnries had as
saulted him, had once kidnapped
him and held him a captive for months
and everything now dpDendpd on the
young man finding safe seclnS'oh
until the day of trial, a few wcrSS
ahead. They had located him the day
Of his full from the tree. ana in Is.
Gaping Sidney bad scaled the wall anu
met with his present friends.
And loyal, helpful friends they proved
old Hugh and the ilousekecper aH
well as Airline. Interest and sympathy
aroused new emotions in that tender
4.