Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-03-08
THE STAR
BY AGNES q. BRoaAM
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copyrsht. 1879. Western Newspaper Union.
Far out at the lonely crossroads
huddled the little school house. Now
with the dark sky above 1t lay like
blot on the snow, and inside the
school house. placing the last avail
able bit Vt wood In the box stove,
Hhea still hopefully waited. She had
not gone home after school with her
released pupils, for there was to have
been a meeting Of the school board
that evening, here in the tiny assembly
room.
Rhea's presence was desired, so she
had brought her supper, folded in enc
OF Mrs. Brownlng's neat napkins, and
eaten It, meditatively, seated before
her teachers desk. Mrs. Browning
was the village mother, with whom
Rhea found board, and Mrs. Brown
ing's two growing sons were the girls
comfort and protection,
It was to Jacks thoughtfulness that
she was indebted for the orderly pile
OF logs out in the auto shed. Jim
had himself filed tho oil lamp be-
fore departing. But as Rhea waited
alone the snow which had been fall
Ing softly all day changed suddenly
Into fierce blowing bli1sard, 30 that
travel for the time would be danger
ous. Jack had intended to drive the
fitvver over for her after board mset.
Ing, but Rhea, pesr1ng through the
snow blurred window. wondered.
troubled II he might bo able to mako
Il.
: Twilight descended into darkness.
The members Of the school board,
doubtless discouraged By the weather,
failed to arrive.
The last bit Of wood In the stove
burned cheerily. gratefully. But Il
was the last that Jack had brought
in, She put her cloak around her,
{ and made her way with difficulty.
even that short distance-to the shed.
Then Rhea paused In dismay, for there
was not one log among the many piled
there. that ahe could possibly carry,
In her frailness. Jack had been so
Nsure that the men would be there to
assist her by the time tho log would
be needed.
Breathless. little frightened, Rhsa
fought her way back through the
cutting winds.
Sitting before the rapidly freezing
window, Rhea looked back over tho
years Of her own saddened girlhood.
The mother, tender, unselflsh and
adoring always; yet a mother In
J valided, needing constantly her own
youthful care. YOUTH Rhea sighed
over the word. Youth had passed hee
by, leaving none OF IT'S pleasurec
Then ss she looked through the win
dow Rhea saw the star; unearthed
bright It cleaned through tho clear et
the glass. alone It semed, Sign OF
promise In the lull OF storm. The qih
smiled. and new II was not waa
smile, but enc Of warm courage.
MY star Of premise" she said
She went o~er 10 the ereaky organ,
and turned its rfekety stool. Thsn In
the empty Scssn Rhea played a happy
song. At the lonely sFessread, an eA-
1sctlng automobile abruptly gave a3
It's struggle with the snow. Whils tha
driver, Muttsring invectivas against
reads and weather IA general, ciisbod
ShiverinHy from The cars seat--and
heard the say notes Of an organ. h
did not fully realize that It was an
organ, h,s hrst realisation being
merely that shelter was near. The
/ snow had banked itseaf against tho
schoolhouss windows. doing Its best
to conceal tha feeble light within.
But Paul DanveSs found his way to
the schoolhouse door, and pounded