The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-22
The DAILY
STORY
THE OLD, OLD TRIAL
I BY .CLARIssA MACKIE.

From the highway, "a trail
wound through the wooded slopes
\ to "a clearing where small house
5Sshone silver-gray in the sunshine.
Inside the house it was cool and
pleasant, with long shadows on
8 the painted floors and the fragz
rant cleanliness of a well keJ0
home.
Within the house it was still.
save for the sounds that dr1fted
lin through the open windows
the rustling of leaves, the musical
fall OF cascades, and the song of
the solitary vireo.
You will leave all this-and
Eo5away?" qestioned the man In
an empty voice.
The woman nodded, spreading
@out the letter with graceful. sun.
drowned fingers; Just think of
lit, Van! A school teacher for
& years-and now the chance of a
Lifetime all Of Uncle Peters
mon CLOTHES - music
world-Oh, Fan-don't
you understand? 2" The beating of
wings against the bars-the cry
for pleasure and freedom.
picked UP his hat and faced
her, a young giant in stature, TAX
ing in her tender beauty with
I'd azed blue eyes. He was only a
forester, and she had taught
B school for the mountain children
were to have been mar
eried sin June-now-the tempta-
X ton of the letter-the sudden in
s heritance2 had made her realize
how. impossible the life with him
would be.
y -are-going? he asked
slowly.
she nodded. "If I do not
viii receive only paltry ten
thousand dollars!
n He wanted to smile-a ''paltry
ten thousand dollars''-and up to
now, ten dollars meant much to
" her! He did not smile-he pitied
d her and turned away. HGood-by
and good luck he said, as he
stepped outside, and without any
other farewell he was gone-and
y she was SO absorbed in her cal
58culation that she did not know he
had gone. She was listening for
the sound of the stage drivers
horn. AT last she heard it wind
ing down the slopes-a call to
freedom!
The big touring car left the
& highway and seemed to plunge
Into the green tunnel of wood
road.
els this road?' shrieked Hal
Gle Russell from the tonneau.
Her husband bent over the
y steering wheel, turned his head q
little, yesterday it was a noun
tain trail-today it is passable-
tomorrow, it will be section of
b the ranscontinental highway"
Absurd!"
t.My dear, you, have said that
f before, Latimer, when you and
Eleanor are married, beware of
acting absurdly.''
La timer laughed fatty Good
enough he said in his meanin g
4 less way. Hear that, Eleanor
he turned to Mrs. Russel's COM
panion, fair, dreamy-eyed girl.
who watched the trail with visit
\ full eyes.
She shrugged indiTerently.
Finny, what mistake it is for
people to leave their own pleasant
woodland trails and venture into
the highways-the quiet. green
\ places are best, after ALL
! My dear girl" he Gasped, "do
4 you mean you would go back to
your schoolhouSe in the woods
A lose yourself in the tall tim ber-''
81 would indeed!" she cried
II passionate1y;s 81 hate the fashion
able world l have taken by storm
have tried It out for FIVE years
and my heart is not in it her
voice faltered.
5s..Y Your heart believed-K
battered myself that 4 had your
& cart" grunted Latimer.
She flung out a jeweled hand.
sstasM y heart is here! 1 left it in
these woods she suddenly
smiled. James. please stop the
n carI am going back-home-
forgive me F'inny-Hallie, you
have all been so good to me-but
s5$-7-s must go!" The car stopped,
she gnpped their hands warmly
and vanished up the narrow trail.
they followed her, I'M
able TO guess her prank at the mo-
fnent
III 8 old trail threaded the lars-
est trees, plunged under an arbor
OF catbtiar and wnodbine and end
ed in a p1antationS-ofy young frs.
Beyond the frs was a clearing ami
cottage shining In the sun. There
yasfe clear, cur ain 5 at the win
csssszsza en- played sonesShe