The Press., 1920-01-15
Happiness Alley
 ~@ By OTILLIA FRANCES PFEIFFER

3s~~<>~~~ee~~>>~>~ ~>~~>~.>~~>>>~>>~>-4 Copyright. 1919. by the Western News
 paper Union.)
 A peculiarly placid and uneventful Hfe had Airline Merritt led Her mother had died when she was twelve and for six years the daughter had passed most of her time at a select boarding school
 All that time Airline never returned to the home where she was born. Four times a year her father spent day at the school, brought her many pres. ents and supplied her liberally with referred to the old home in the city and expressed longing desire to spend her vacation there.
 "You will soon be eighteen" said her father, "and then you shall come home for good to keep house for me-" and at his last visit he had added: "YOu won't know the old place, Airline. My means have continued modest, but l have managed to save enough to ren- ovate house and grounds and it will be snug nest. Happiness Alley as they call the little blind end block; it has only ten houses it's entire length, but each one is occupied by some old time family residents"
 Happiness Alley,'" repeated Ar line dreamily. "What charming name! Why do they call it that, papa?"
 "It is really Gresham court, of course," responded MT. Merritt, "the little spot right in the heart of the city and yet quiet and vernal as some country lane. You see, our neighhors and myself started in trade on the business street nearby when it was far from being built up, and settled in Gresham court for our hOmeS We have been closely connected. both as to business and socially, and a little community of genial, humble store keepers have led peaceful, happy lives, with no ambition toward splurge and show"
 It was a golden day in the expert ence of Airline when she left school for home. She went into raptureS over the broad porched cottage looking out upon a lovely garden, all fenced in and at it's rear a high brick wall shutting out the rear of the business buildings fronting on the next street. An old woman servant relieved Airline of all household drudgery, the neighbors greeted her warmly. Plain, practical people, the denizens of Happiness Al ley were sincere, unpretentiOus and entirely apart from show or glitter. Their clean, even lives shut out all eXtravagance and folly, and Happiness Alley was not misnOmer.
 Unexpectedly Mir. Merritt sickened and died and Airline was left alone. It was her first real sorrow, and the kindly sympathy of the neighbors bound her more closely to them.a and to her home. She settled resignedly into the groove of a calm, even life. She grew sedate, instead of gloomy.
 A bench under great Towering tree Overhanging the rear wall became favOrite spot with Airline. One evening she looked up as there was a rustling in the tree overhead. She started to her feet as she made out a figure, lldHSlHS Ol lllc lOI Ol lue wall dIlu clutching at a swaying branch.
 It broke with the adventurer and he fell in a senseless heap almost at Arlines feet She could not repress scream. From the little two room cot tage where he had his living quarters the old gardener came hurrying to the spot The intruder was young man dressed in neglectful attire and his pale face suggested the invalid or con- valescent Old Hugh carried him to the cottage and placed him on his bed.
 "He is not hurt by his fall, only stunned" he said. Tt looks to me as if he was getting away from some body Shall we call the pOlce?'
 "Oh, no! NO!" responded Airline quickly, interested strangely in the in, truder-"at least not until we learn his story. You will undertake his care Hugh?"
 "Surely, if 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 con- passionate soul was moved to new kindly sympathy.
 He was Sidney Marsh, he told Airline, and for over year the subject of peril and prosecution at the hands of schemerS who had Swindled his father out of his rights in corpora tion of which the latter, now dead, had been an official. In order to ter rOrZe Sidney their emissaries had as saulted him, had once kidnapped him and held him a captive for months, and everything now depended on the young man finding a safe seclusion until the day of trial, a few weeks ahead. They had located him the day of his fall from the tree, and in es- caping Sidney had sealed the wall and met with his present friends.
 And loyal, helpful friends they proved, old Hugh and the housekeeper as well as Airline. Interest and sympathy aroused new emotions in that tender. innocent heart and Sidney seemed to wander in a lonely paradise, safe and secure from the troubles and dangers that had made of him a persecuted refugee.
 It was a glad day for him when he appeared in court, sustained his claim and secured a verdict against the plot ters which made of him rich man.
 q lay it all at your feet, dear One," he told Airline, "and my life's devotion with it One favor I crave: that we remain in this Eden always, amid the peace, and loveliness. and content ment of Happiness Alley"