The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-07-30
The Girl Who Was
Followed
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD
US' 1921, by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

W. 1871 ny Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
Nothing will pail much sooner than
washing dishes SO Emily Curtis
thought as she viewed the topping pile
stacked beside the sink.
Iackling them half-heartedly, she
let her gaze wander through the open
WINDOWS across the meadows, sweet
with rlpened grain. Mellow October
sunshine filtered through the apple
laden trees of the orchard, and the va
.rant wind brought to her ears the
dull chop-chop of the, silo.
| But Emily had neither eyes nor ears
| Tor the sights and sounds of the farm.
1 She had had enough of farms.
| Pausing in the act of lifting the
| dishes from their bath of suds into the
I drainer, she dried her hands on the
| roller towel. and from her blouse took
a crumpled letter which had been
! brought by the rural mail carrier that
7 very morning. She had not showed it
| TO John. John had never approved of
Maisie.
Only one paragraph in it was really
important to Emily. The rest was
/ froth in Maisies best style
You ought to be here with your
voice like a bird"-the note read
"Old Gunter needs more girls. It's
easy work, and you could bunk with
me. I've been trying to get somebody.
1t cuts room rent in half"
What good did a voice like a bird do
one on a farm, thought Emily bitterly.
You ruined it shouting your head off
to the men that dinner was ready, or
calling to John that the wood box need
ed filling. Singing Sunday ,venings in
the church choir where there were six
altos for every soprano was only tor
ment. If only she had the courage of
a kitten?
Vague thoughts of rebellion were
stirring within her, but the dull round
of household tasks claimed her, crowd
ing in on her discomfort.
The next morning, Emily stood pin
ming her summer hat on her trim little
head. 1t was the day for the weekly
drive to jamestown to do her market
ing and meager shopping. She always
looked forward to it.
But when John entered, to her sur
prise he was in his old farm clothes.
Emily" he began, hesitatingly, "I'm
sorry, but / can't get off this morning.
That last hand l hired went out on q
spree last night and hasn't shown up.
There's no need for you to give up
going though! Jim can drive you as
well as l." Jim was the boy they had
taken from the county orphan asylum
to do the thousand and one things
about the place that did not require
mans strength. And here" he
plunged his hand into his pocket and
brought out a wrinkled bill. per
haps this will help make up for your
disappointment" he said awkwardly
Its a little extra l had come in."
During the long drive Emily nursed
her anger at John for spelling her fun
as she put 1t to herself.
A few minutes later Emily sent the
bewildered Jim home, bearing note
to her husband which she had scrawled
hastily on the back of her grocery list
Dear John:
I'm sorry, but I'm sick of farm
life. I'm taking chance / had
to go to the city. Don't think too
badly of me. EMILY.
She herself walked to the small
suburban station and waited for the
express.
1nf tn MI Nv 1r,n Tr,<
dingy-papered bedroom, Emily sat at {,
bare, uneven legged table, and dumped
out the contents Of her pocketbook
No, there was not very much there
Certainly not enough to carry her long
If old Gunter put into execution hi!
week. There was nothing the matter
with her voice, he had declared frank
, ly, and she got by with the dancing
, but she hadn't the go" the pep
he wanted in his bunch of girls.
AS Emily pOndered the future, de
head, the door swung open and Maisi'
, burst in, very breezy and alive.
I'm sorry, Emily" she said, "bu
Tn going to give up my share of tn
room. I've got chance to go in witt
"a lot of girls uptown, and"
That's all right" said Emily weari
: ". She had suspected for some tim
: that Maisie's desire for her presence II
7 the city had been actuated solely b,
l Maisie's need for some one to help GU
: with the rent. One thing more or les
: to bother did not make much differ
: ence.
For Emily had something else t,
: worry over besides losing her room
: mate or her job. She was losing he
) confidence in her ability to look out TO
: herself.
: For a week now she had been fol
lowed when she left the restaurant q
! midnight, followed by a slouchine
> stoop- shouldered individual, In
y shapeless hat and worn overcoat pulle,
! up about his ears.
+ Emily had expected to run into al