Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-10-08
sTHE STRANGE GlRLt
BY MILDRED WHITE.

| Copyright 1920 Western Newspaper Union)
The women guests were chatting on
| the veranda of Claremont house as the
strange girl approached.
"The Strange Girl" is the name they
gave the little creature, gossiping
among themselves concerning the af-
fairs of folks who patronizeG this
exclusive Woodside inn. Nan hum
ming softly, and unmoved if aware of
their hostility, changed her intention
of passing among them and made her
way in her checked Bingham frock to
rear door. She carried a hamper in
her arms and waved aside n friendly
attendant who would have relieved her
of the burden. Mrs. Van Vourt leaned
excitedly toward her neighbor
st is my opinion" she said, that
the girl is working out her board
here-a rural relative or something of
the sort of Manager Hastings, else why
should she be allowed to eat at the
guest tables in the great dining room?
II will tell you something" she said.
This morning as | went out early to
the garage with my husband-we were
going away in his car-there, back in
the barnyard, was your strange girl in
her short Bingham dress, feeding the
chickens"
"Really!' Mrs. Van VOurt exclaimed.
"Chickens ~ laughed Madame Rensaler.
II must go and tell Homer" Miss Van
Vourt said gleefully, and was off. A
tall man, who had been silently smok-
ing a cigar around the bend of the We
randa, arose wrathfully. How they
picked her to pieces, the gentle, shy
creature who slipped in and out
through all their display so unobtru-
sively.
Tends to her own darned little bust
ness, if it is feeding chickens" he NUT
tered and strobe hastily past the rock
ing chairs and across the lawn.
such an interesting personality !"
Mrs. Van Vourt whispered as he
passed; decidedly western, of course,
but picturesque"
It's his money, my dear, that is pic
turesque," Madame Rensaler dryly re-
marked. They say this Jim Brent
has made his millions"
The westerner reached the barn
yard as the strange girl, Nan, was
bending over two white hens hungrily
engaged in dispOsing of their dinner.
She had lOOSened the tight-pinned
braids from her head, and they fell re-
belliously waving, red gold, to her
Sct
up at him.
Say" Jim Brent said awkwardly,
'let me do that for you while you go
in and get on that white dress for din
ner. The BELLS going to ring in a min
ute"
The girl smiled.
"Why, that's nice of you" she said.
"but | can't trust Biddie's feeding, or
Jerry's, to another person. You see
she caressed the white fowls-"they
are about all l have to love. brought
them with me-"
Brought them" gasped Jim; from
your home farm?
Nan arose, Strengthening her ging
ham skirts.
81 haven't any home or folks" she
said WiStfully
He waited later until the strange
girl was properly seated at her own
place in the great dining room. Then
jim Brent crossed the floor and paused
with a bow of Difference before her.
81 wonder" he asked, "if you'd let
me sit here with you. l am lonely and
l reckon you are. They"-he motioned
toward the fashionable assembled
throng-"they don't fit, some way.
Hastings will tell you that l am all
right"
And | WISH" Jim Brent was saying
to Nan the following morning, that
you'd let me carry your hamper for
you to-wherever you are going.
Wherever you go every day you work
too hard. You looked white and tired
yesterday when you returned, and
your gingham dress was all torn
"Nan-little girl"-big Jim gulped-"I
wish you'd stop it all and come away
with me. love you, Nan"
The strange girl lifted a responsive
white hen into the hamper. Then she
closed its straw lid.
Jim" she said quietly, "yCu may
carry the hamper today, if you like
and come with me-
Recklessly she unpinned the bright
braids from about her head and let
them fall to her waist. as together the
two crossed the Claremont lawn.
did you ever!" cried Mrs Van
vourt. Actually going marketing
with her." Madame Rensaer said.
II am taking you" Nan told the
westerner as they walked, ito our
moving picture camp Just over the
ridge. We are doing dear farm pic
ture there, Jim. | am 'Mollie of Mill
Valley and an old white hen is about
the only friend have-that is, ut first.
| blossom out wonderfully toward the
end of the play. The billboards say
that here l am Nanette Willis at her
hest "