The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-04-09
CHECKERBERRIES
by RUBY DOUGLAS.
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10 IsgI. by Mcclure Newspaper syAdioalso
Olive MacFariand had succeeded In |
eludins the other members OF the
party with whom she had inOtored up |
the Mohawk trail and into the old
Vermont town In which they had de-
cldcd TO spend few days. Size had
stolen out OF her room early In the
morning, begged the old cook tn the
kitchen of the tea-house In which they
were staying, q cup OF cofee and =
sandwich an extra bite to take
in her pocket, and had escaped across
the river alone, on foot, into New
hampshire
She was so tired Os the small talk
| of the others. She wanted to lie alone
to enjoy the wonders and the beauty
| OF the Vermont and New Hampshire
! hills.
Enjoying every moment OF the
| morning, she had climbed up, up the
| narrow trail and not encountered n
human soul. She had sung aloud, she
had gathered bucberrics, she had Snt
down on the soft, tuftCd soil Of pine
needles. Her every nerve was. alive;
she was happy--alrnost,
At last she sat down beneath three
friendly white birch trees and I'm
wrapped her meaSer lunch. How Of
ten. back In her school days. she had
sat beneath birch trees and eaten her
midday meal together with the girls
In her botany class and--lhc teacher.
| George Darling had inught botany.
among other branches, In the prepare.
tory school In the Middle West IN
which Olive had heen sent before en-
terlng college. Every girl In the class
had fanced herself in love with the
biz. handsome, kindly professor, hut
he treated them all alike. as little
girls. and was Interested IN teaching
them Of all the growing thugs,
Olive had always been student OF
nature, and perhaps in her George
Darling found particularly com.
paniOnablc mind. At least, olive felt
that he liked her, though she dared
: not believe that he thought Of her in
any way save us Il pupil among the
others.
Today, as she sat dreaming Of him
{ for In perspective lie had grown
more truly to be her ideal man-hcr
eye caught leaf growing near by
' that seemed 10 rCcalI memories of
, him. She reached out TO pick the lit
lie cluster of shiny green leaves and
found the white berries, once So IA
millnr 10 her, growing on the stem.
"CheckerberrieS ~ she cried aloud
II have not gathered any for years"
, 81 wonder II he would remember
me Tiff should send him spcci.
4 men and ask him for n description ot
1 IT." she soliloqulZed.
She stopped at the postonice or
her way back Ia Join the others that
4 night and when her friends scoldet
her roundly for having taken the lone
~ trail alone, she did not seem tC
mind.
at was wonderful I" she told them
\ "You are mad" they said.
\ "And perhaps ! am she admitted
amhiguously.
( II took only time for a return posi-
to reach her before Olive hnd let
ter In hand once familiar TO her.
Dear Olive" 1t ran, 81 taste no
only the wlntergrecns as | bite Int
4 the little cluster of leaves you havI
4 sent me from your mountains. | Senst
& our romance, dear, In their fragrance
N have been wondering, day after day
II you would ever recall me. Whel
you were In school, l dared not le
y you know loved you; Il would no
n have been fair to you. ! wanted yOl
20 see the world, know other men, be
+ fore asking you TO join your beantifu
young life 10 my old, mOth-eaten, cob
webby existence. But--thfs little clus
ter of leaves brings you back 40 polp
nantly 10 my life that must tell yo
Of my love. Have you remembered
Do you care? May come and tel
your"
There was more hut Olive cOul
read Il with difficulty. Her heart wa
full 70 overlooking.
When she, wrote to him again.
was 10 tell him where he might I'm
her on her return to town.
She wore aSflttle cluster Of checker
berries on her coat and he pulled
pressed leaf from his pocket whe
they met.
"Such little thing on which {
hang our romance, DEAR" he said.
'Little-yes, George, but the fri
GRANGE Of II win permeate the who
sweet distance into which You and.
are IN walk tOpethPr VIII II mi ~