The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-14

tsiel.ie o. e brook on the othr
Tide she wasn't ~ Old maid ans
longer but Just giti sitting It
the roadside hnmming over and
over q few lines wi. cI began:
"oh; The Raggie-T aggie GypsieA.
She slipped off her shoes and
stockings and buried her toes in
the dewy grass. Then she heard
footsteps beating along the road.
II she shrank back here in the
shadow and scarcely breathed he
might not see her. But he did.
He stopped short and whistled and
then laughed. $50. Polly, you
thought you could hide from me?
+ ~ MIN not Polly she ans
wered.
He peered down at hsr clo!Gr
and then both Of them started
back. The last time he had seen
her was in Mrs. Tupp.ts parlor
and the last time she had seen
him his broad back was dIsap-
pearing down the stops OF the
brownstone house as she looked
wistfully from between the Not
ttngham curtains.
He glanced down at her in sur.
prise; little w!sps OF her hair blew
about her cheeks and her bare
white arms clasped her knees.
why, Susan Lawrence, how
you've changedI" he exclaimed.
trying to reconcile this picture
with the prim girl in stiff blouse
and sitter manner he had seen
last.
"And how you've changed Petite
Harris! she gIbed. "With 2
milk PAL on ono arm and"
And you want 10 be off with
the raGgle-taEsle gypsies, dn
your" he chucklcd.
sqsy stood up suddenly. poised
on bare feet md clutching her
shoes in one hand she made a 1T.
tie break down the road: il was
starlight: there war something
provocative IN the way she laugh
ed back over her shoulder. apj
Pete Harris forgot everything bu:
that she was a fleet white thing
Who was teasing him. He set his
milk pail down, and In a few
strides he had caught her AMI
looking down into her mockiag
faca he said sternly: al came into
the city to see you. and when yol
sat across tho room from mo l
couldn't talk TO you, and the way
you had-so stiff and cityfied-bat
me off, never dared 20 again
Suyt"
Then very suddenly he leaned
down and kissed her.
She broke away from his arms
and this time sho did not take .
few fleet steps, but she rap
breathless. with humping heart.
through the meadow grass that GU.
her feet. stumbled INTO rabbit
hole. was up again with a sob.
bling breath and down the back
road to Aunt Mamoe white cot
tage. The screen door snappeJ
behind her. and she reached tho
white fastness Of her room. still
unseen.
She, susy Lawrence, had been
kissed under the stars by a niap
she hadn't seen for year, She
know all Of a sudden why she hat.
come back to the village. It was
not the green nedgcrows nor thu
daisy fields. It was not the white
stars nor the meadow-sweet but
Just Petie Harris. with his brown
skin and his clear eyes and his
great voice and strong arms. And
be had kissed her under the stars!
She did not sleep well that night,
and when at dawn she tossed at
last into oblivion. a tiny teasing
thought came to the door Of her
mind. Why had he said, $50 Polly,
you thought you could hide from
me?"
susy waited for him all next
morning, but he did not come: In
the late Afternoon she packed he-
bag and decided to 20 back to the
city at once.
She was saying good-by to Aunt
Name rs a tall figure pushed open
the gate.
Going susy3 III carry your
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