Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-09-15
At the Lands
End
Ey JUSTIN WENTWOOD

"'"'"9 StftlS 10 own l.undS End, no
body goes there
Eiihu Reed set his lobster pots and
carried his catch across the bay to the
nearest market. His father had lived
there. too. Lands End was home to
mans. 1t should have been to June. a
sulien. discontinued girl who had al
t"rnate moods OF JOY and laughter
fumes not one Of u.s." said the pur-
tuguese sQuntters. "YOu can see it in
her face"
What she was no one knew. She
had been washed up from a wreck, 20
years before, babe, mirac,llously
breathing. All the rest of the pussen-
gers had gone down when the ship,
ripped by the Needle, sank to the bot.
tom Of Deep Hole.
Elihu Reed adopted her. His wife
cared for her until she died. Then
the girl stayed with her adopted fa-
thrr cooked for him. kept house. I.lihu
w;IS not Il tyrant, just somber. re-
ligicuS man with the elemental
strength and gloom of the sea in his
soul. He never understood June.
What dyou want to go away FORE"
he would demand when the girl was
tnsiSient. ITS good enough for me-
II ought To he good enough. for you.
Haven't l brought you up rs my own
gal?"
Il can't stand for it here" June
muttered. II want to see the city. !
want little fun
1t was the cry Of youth. Elihu
took counsel Of a neishbor.
Shell be ready to settle down
when love comes along" he said.
Ihey're all alike at that age"
Love came where no one would have
looked for 1t. in the person Of Tom
Santley. the neighbours son. a melan-
choly, retrospective boy who played
the fiddle 'drearily along the dunes.
had ambitions which every one could
see were destined never to be realized.
1t was propinquty, perhaps, Il chance
word or two, a kiss, an embrace-they
were engaged.
II don't see what she can see in
Tom Santley." the ncghbors said.
Il can't see how she can bullyras
him that way, or why he stands for
it,"
The bitterness of their quarre!s
spread through Lands End. She
gibed Mt him, flouted him. and still
they remained engaged. They were
to be married in the summer. Tom
was reclaiming land, running up a
cottage. And they seemed at mortal
strife. What would it be after mar
riage?
One day an astonishing rumor ran
through the community. Elihu had
received letter from the American
consul at Padua. or Pavia. or Flor
ence, or one Of those Outlandish places.
June'S purentage had been traced. 1t
happened through q man who was
spending the summer at Lands End
the year before, an artist who painted
knew Italy. and had seen the Italian
name written inside one of June's
baby garments.
June belonged to a wealthy family
ut Padnn, or Milan, or Genoa. They
were ennobled, too. They had lost a
grandchiId. years before, in a wreck,
while the father and mother were pro.
ceeding to Washington. where the man
had diplomatic appointment. That
was how the story ran.
Elihu stood perplexed, holding the
let's s.. AT first he did not know
whether to tell June or not. He loved
the girl in his own fashion, and he
dreaded letting her go to foreign
countries. Ellhu did not trust foreign.
ers; they ran at you with knives, poi
soned you. ate snails. frogs legs and
mice, and were generally queer
He decided 1t was her right to know.
There y are. June. my gal" he said,
fiingng the letter down on the table
Now you can do what you've long
had mind to do. You've always
kicked against the pricks in Lands
End. Go and take whatevers com
ing to YOU
June read the letter, white Of face.
tense Tipped. Then Toms flute was
heard and she shuddercd Tom wik
coming in.
Don't let him know whispered
June.
Il guess he'll have to know" said
ElihU.
"I-Im not going" said June. e.
only wanted the right to go. If I
chose--n0t to go. | love Lands
End"
Tom came in, looking uncertainty
Mt his betrothcd; he feared her tenn
per. June flung the letter into the
stove.
Hello, Tom 7" she said kissing
him.
Just that. But the look In her
eyes told him that the past was dead
and forgotten. With arms linked they
left the cottage and paraded across
the dunes toward the sea.
swell, I'm swished," said Elihu
"June always was queer. It's that