Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-12-14
Cupid in a
Caravan
BY RUBY DOUGLAS

"Mother-was there ever any gypsy
blood in our familyT"
Jane Eddy asked the question quite
out of summer sky.
mo, my dear, never. Your father
was pure New Highlander and am
Scotch as far back as we can trace.
Why do you askT
Jane stretched restlessly In her
porch chair. "Oh, sometimes feel as
If had an inheritance of wander
Ing instinct. I've always wanted to
live in tent that would fold up when
ever l felt weary of the place in
which 1t was pitched. You must know
that, mother, even with your lack Of
understanding of your only daughters
temperament"
Mrs. Eddy looked patiently wor-
ried. You have been a restless child,
Jane. And as l remember 1t, you did
play tent with every bit Of old potato
sack you could borrow from the barn.
But why should you be restless now?
You have everything"
Don't begin to tell me what have,
mother-please," interrupted Jane
none too respectfully. II know all that
l have, but it isn't what 1 want"
Her mother shook her head and con-
tinued to knit and rock.
Jane, listening to the clicking of the
needles and the rhythmic rocking on
the boards, could stand it no longer.
She ran down the steps and out
across the garden like a wild child.
Mrs. Eddy looked over her glasses
at her daughters receding figure,
shook her head again and continued
knitting.
Jane has always declared that at
that moment she literally ran head
long into her destiny. What she called
her destiny happened to be travelling
marionette company that was stop
ping in front Of the gate at the very
moment that Jane reached 1t to go
she knew not where.
Gould we perhaps camp for the
night on some Of your land?" asked
very well spoken young woman of
Jane as she stood, breathless, just
within the gateway.
"Why-certainly. OF course, you
may" she said, her face lighting up
at the prospect of such close proxim-
ity TO real adventures.
Within the next hour as she helped
the party of three, two girls with the
brother Of one, to park their car. I'M
fasten the trailer and set I'D their
camp for the night, Jane learned
much that gave her hope Of her own
nomadic dreams.
Inc little company was travelling
through New England for the summer
months, giving marionette shows for
children. They had written the play,
made the puppets, the miniature stage,
It's settings-everything, and they had
conceived this way Of making sum-
mer's income. They had met with
success and were pleasing the village
people with their artistic performance
Jane was loath to leave the party,
put when the man had set up the
camp and the girls had begun to get
ready the evening meal, Jane felt that
she might be an intruder. She would
have liked nothing better than to have
remained with them.
After the frugal family meal with
her mother and father she felt as il
she could not stand the confinement
and dizziness Of the home a moment
longer. She longed to be out with the
campers in their caravan home.
She was sitting with her nose glued
to the window pane that let in the
moonlight when she saw the man of
the party approaching the house.
Jane rushed to the porch.
"One of the girls has caught cold
and tonight she seems trife uncom-
Portable. / wonder If you could let
US have some mustard so that we
might give her an old-fashioned cold
cure2" asked the young man, his cap
in his hand, one foot on the steps.
why, we could do more than that,
I'm sure. Let her come in and spend
the night. Mother will be glad to give
her care" said Jane.
1t was only a short time until Jane
had persuaded her parents to let the
young woman use the guest chamber,
and they were soon bringing her in.
1T isn't that I'm ILL.," she explained,
but II this cold gets q hold on me we
won't fill our engagements this week
In the other towns, and we are all
booked up. / hate to be such a bad
sport" she apologlzed, as she took the
big, spotless bedroom and looked at
the real bed with delight in her weary
eyes.
Morning found the cold well under
way. The girl was not as accustomed
to outdoor living as her companions
and she had overdone the roughing.
Couldn't you stay here, perhaps
for few days?' asked Mrs. Eddy as
she saw the girls condition next
morning. "You are more than well
come"
"But-Pm needed to operate the
puppets" she replied. "Tm not so i'm
portant as Elizabeth and Ted-they
wrote the play and made the whole
thing. They're brother and sister and
awfully clever"
An idea flashed through James head.
| Couldn't l perhaps"
'Why. of course you could. could
teach you in an instant if your parents
would let you come on with us for a
day or two till Peggy bucks up"
Ted Winters fairly beamed at tn,
prospect of teaching this pretty lltH
New England Jane to operate his che,
ished marionettes.
His sister, too. saw the possibilitie,.
and her dropping spirits were revived