Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1927-02-03
On Eastchester
Road
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BY JANE OSBORN

- the cuFDSlODe cdTeIuiiy uFcW up
her emergency brake and alighted
from her car.
"Will you tell me how to get to
Eastchester?" she asked white
haired. stoop-shOuldered old man who
looked as if he must be native.
The old man, looking at her and her
car explained that since the East
chester road was being Fepaved 1t was
necessary for motorists to take de-
tour.
tour" said the girl almost tearfully.
Il was in this very spot an hour ago
and followed the detour and kept
going for an hour as fast as l could
and here | am. back here again"
The old man chuckled and looked
aPproyingly at the girl. Then under
Ills breath, though there was no one
listening or even looking, he told the
girl that she might take the East
chester road. TO be sure, it wasn't
open to the public. Still, folks who
lived on the FaStchester road had TO
use it, and though she might meet a
steam roller or stone mixer she could
get through. They'll think you are
going to see some one that lives on the
road" he said.
might mention the RockwellS," said
the old man, mentioning the most dis
tingushed family in Tie entire county,
whose estate lay along the EaStchester
road. He chuckled again, partly at
the smartness OF the girl.
SO Catherine Terry drove on. She
found the road smooth as glass and
easy motoring when she kept her eyes
off the deep ditch on either side.
Two or three miles along the road
she met steam digger coming along
like some deliberate prehistoric mon
Ster-slowly, slowly bearing dewn up
on her. man walking beside the
digger hailed her roughly. Catherine
stopped her car and afighted. Don't
you know this road is closed?" he
asked.
But l came to see friends living on
the road" said the girl with forced
smile and feeling like dreadful
culprft.
"Who?" scof'ed the man.
"The Rocllwells," said the girl grow
ing confident.
A high-powered car had drawn up
behind her and, seeing the alteration,
the driver got out Of his car.
The man walking beside the digger
showed his Difference to the young
newcomer. "Here's lady says she
came along of this road because she
was friend of your folks. Says she
knows the Rockwells." Then to the
girl he said: "This is MIR. Rockwell,
and waited for developments.
"How do you do, Mr.. Rockwell"
said the girl 81 thought I'd drop in
and see your mother"
"Yes, my aunt would be charmed
to see you," corrected the young man.
1.-THE fact is, we. expeeattes;1i1-you peeeats1 you-you
are coming~f9 luncheon, you know"
And the two cars drove ON.
A mile farther on and Tom ROCK:
wells car stopped and he motioned
for the girl when her tagging car
drew near to stop also. She stopped
She said "Thank you," and that she
would go along. You were very
good to see me through my little de-
ception. A man at the village told
me your name."
But you're coming t. luncheon
said the young man. you'll have TO
see the game through now-that Dig
ger man might see you hadn't stopped.
He's doubtless taken your license
So with great fear Of all possible
and impossible motor laws, Catherine
fol owed her leader through an I'M
posing stone entrance past impress
sive lawns and groves to quite the
most magnificent house she had ever
entered.
81 must introduce you to my aunt, :"
said Tom Rockwell. Your name
catherine Terry" she said, and
then, sit seems dreadful to be here
but l don't knew what else to do
You have taken an unfair advantage"
And so it might have seemed
Catherine Terry, who had so recently
acquired her car and her license, had
determined to spend all her weekend
holidays on glorious excursions in her
new car-to forget the dreary round
of the schoOlroom. But one or Two
foolish little harmless accidents had
put all her friends in mood to de-
cline her generous invitations to ac
company her They would wait until
she had proved herself surer driver.
So she had started off alone-warned,
to be sure, of the possible unpleasant
ness that might come to young ana
pretty woman motor-tourmg by her
self. Tom Rockwell had CHANGED to
see her as she ate her solitary dinner
in another town the night before. Ad'
miring her sincerely, he had hoped to
waive the formalities Of an introduc.
ton and come to know her. His eager
ness Catherine had taken for manner
less Intrusion and she had made II
perfectly apparent when she drove OH,
head in air, that she had taken his
advances as insults. And here she
was, through her own witlessness,
having to accept his hospitality. But
the presence Of the aunt, who came
downstairs to receive her, smoOthed
away any difficulty, and when Cath
crime drove off in the late afternoon
Tom led the way TO make explanations
TO the men who were repairing East
chester road.
A wear later when Catherine came
to be mistress of the Rockwell es-
tate on Eastchester road no one smiled
more contentedly than the old man