Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1921-01-07
The Gift
Supreme
BY JESSIE E. sHERWIN


been donated to Corydon By its school
children and worked for and saved
for by those patriotic subscribers, was
Haunting gayly in the breeze and
there was certain holiday aspect to
affairs In general. In the little public
square the town band Of six pieces
was playing on an elevated platform.
There were gathered the principal To-
cal officers and half the population of
the district grouped about them.
"What is the occasion of the gather
ing?" inquired stranger on the steps
of the hotel facing the pleasure
grounds.
"Elmer Rolfe, one of our best citi-
zens, built up Corydon to what 1t is,
was hero in the war and is going
away. They have presented him with
a handsome watch and chain and a
credentlal as to his usefulness in this
community that will carry him any
where"
Must amount to something to have
a whole town turn out to do him hon.
or. Politician? Wealthy"
Neither. He Is a modest, purely
human being, who came here an igno-
rant farm boy ten years ago. He serv-
ed at the hardest kind Of labor until
he was twenty-five. Then he had
saved up a little money and took spell
of rest and study Just over the hill
is a little schoolhouse. The teacher,
Miss Dorothy Walters, was only sew
enteen when Elmer eight years her
senior, applied for admission as a
scholar"
1.-THE big boy Of the school, eh3"
"Just about that. He had to begin
Mt the bottom. It was the alphabet,
then the primer, and so on and up.
He became the beloved Of every child
In the place with his hearty, good
natured ways. After two terms Miss
Walters marked out course Of home
study for him that finished him off an
intelligent, well posted man in all the
elements Of q practical education"
"And theni
"He loved the town, the people, the
environment that had enabled him to
make q man of himself His one Inn
pulse was a desire to make the COM
munity better for their care Of him.
Elmer had an aptitude for construc-
ton. The town board got the Idea
Of employing manager. They Sc
lected him. Electric lights, traction,
the telephone, new water and sewage
system-he worked out all these prob
lens as sldllfully and far more eco
nomlcally than professional engineer
would have done. When the war
came he was among the first to vol
unteer. Since his return he has fin
ished up the last of his public utility
work and has been offered fine posi-
ton in a sprouting Idaho town"
1t was wonderful day for Elmer
Rolfe and his heart was full. Outside
Of the one great gift there were a
score of minor ones. A motherly old
lady had brought him two sweaters,
knitted by herself, ito keep him warm
out in the wilds"
As the functions we're over and he
got somewhat to himself, Elmer Rolfe
looked all about as IL searching for
some particular person. Disappoint-
ment clouded his earnest, open face.
Then Il frightened as he noticed an
old lady making toward him. She
was the woman ut whose home DOrO-
thy Walters, the school teacher had
boarded for years.
al - chn fold
him. "She asked me to bring this to
you--only a copy of the book of poems
you always liked. She bids you God
speed and hopes you will write to her."
"oh, must see Dorothy before ]
CO." he declared "Do you think !
could lenve Corydon without thank
ing the one person who gave me edu-
cation, courage, and hope"
He spoke the last word sadly. The
keen-eyed old lady caught the inflec.
ton Of his tones and the emotion his
eyes displayed.
"Hope-for what, ElmerT she said
yearningly, as IL she had been his own
mother.
"Oh, that applies to vain dream Of
years agone," replied Elmer with nf-
fected lightness. II never realized
how grim and grizzled and old was
until l came back from the war and
saw she was as fresh and sweet as
when n young girl. You sec"
He stammered; he flushed. The old
lady cnught his arm. "Ohp she
spoke, "if I guess right, If you mean
that you are hiding from Dorothy
n love you feel for her"
"Just that. But what thenf"
go and tell her. Do you know why
she is Ill, why she shrinks from meet
Ing your It is because she is sick at
heart at the thought Of your going
away"
A great JOY came into the face Of
Elmer Rolfe. His eyes turned down
the thoroughfare, at the end Of which
he could see, notwithstanding the dis
lance, the little hill schoolhouse that
was so dear to him.
"she has dreamed Of that far coun-
try, where you are going, and has
onged to join you. Blessed orphans
the two Of you. Do you not see that
you were made for one another2 oh,
Elmer If you love Dorothy, do not
leave behind You the most precious
gift In the universe, the love Of the
sweetest girl in all the world. Dor
othy Is in the hammock on the porch,
wearing her poor heart away. Go
and make her happy"
And when Elmer Rolfe delayed his
departure and month later took the
train for his new home, It was amid
n shower Of white, gllstening rice and
a radlant-faced bride Mt his side.