Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-03-16
MAVIS WAS
CAUGHT IN
THE COILS
(0 by D. J. waIsh.)


to the rough boards of the
station platform. All about the little
Piedmont town rose the mountains to
which she was fleeing for her vaca.
ton. Surely she would find the per
fect quiet her tangled nerves de.
manded.
She was surprised to see that some
one besides herself had alighted at
oconee-a well-dressed young man
with tired look in his eyes. As she
advanced toward the mountaineer
whom she recognized as her host her
fellow passenger followed her.
Il reckon We two be the ones | come
to fotch," the mountaineer drawled as
he bit Off quid Of tobacco. "Them
two chairs in the wagon is fer 20.
Well be a movln' now"
A few moments later Mavis found
herself sitting on a low pine chair By
the side Of young man who smiled
into her face inQuirlngly.
"Pm going to Dave Slater's for my
vacation the stranger informed
above the clatter of the wagon. Saw
the place last summer when l was
fishing near here. Thought I'd come
for a rest-far from the madding
crowd, as 1t WERE"
Mavis laughed, her serious young
face dlmpllng pleasantly, There was
haunting familiarity about the fel.
lows well-modulated voice which had
for Mavis some unaccountable, dis
agreeable association.
'That's funny" she said, 81 camped
near here myself last fall, and when
couldn't stand noise another mo
ment l wrote Mrs Slater and asked
If she'd take me for my vacation"
81 call this luck" the young man
countered. my names Richard King.
do whistle, sing or play any kind OF
musical instrument.
"I'm Mavis Paula gray mouse OF
person." the girl replied.
mot gray" Richard contradIcted
"pink and white, Of the sort kept as
pets"
So humping over the mountain
roads the man and girl talked of this
and that and planned excursions
which implied mutual sharing.
That evening after mountain sup.
per which either because Of intrinsic
merit or the tonic of mountain air
had seemed to Mavls very good, Rich
ard King suggested a walk to ar
eminence from which there was Q
particularly good view Of the sunset
Seated on rock which seemed tC
Mavls exactly on the top of the world
the girl looked beyond the panorama
of valleys, hills and winding river
threading toward the sky where edges
Of gold Innings peeped from rosy
clouds.
at Is quiet" she said in perfect
contentment. $50 glcriously different
from home"
"What brand of noise disturbed you
mOst?" Richard inquired.
''The radio in particular" Mavis
shuddered as she spoke, and because
she pressed her finger tips against her
eyes she did not see the frown that
for moment creased her compan.
ions smooth forehead and was then
lost In an irOnical little smile.
"The family thinks I'm not loyal
because don't go around praislng the
thing. It Is the product of my broth
Toms mechanical ingenulty-as.
sembled from parts to be found in the
dOllar-limit store. Ever since high
school days I've tried to make the llv-
ing room Of ours pretty place In
which to entertain friends. Just as I
had succeeded, the family permitted
Tom to stretch wires all over the
ceiling, to expose indecently upon the
table and floor a thing Of coils, bat.
teries and unsIghtly tubes"
Richard King laughed more In sym.
pathy than in derlslon, and Mavis.
with lip caught between her teeth,
studied him and wondered why she
kept feeling that he had played In her
past an undesirable part Surely she
liked his easy going friendship. his
thin, thoughtful face and the blue eyes
that could look at one with such
steady earnestness.
$50 it's the looks OF the instrument
you mind2" Richard asked.
mo, the sounds are even more tor.
turous. It screeches like the mid
night brawl, like chorus OF ROSTERS
at sunrise; It growls like an army Of
mad dogs; It butchers every opera
tears vlOlins to shreds. In another
month It would have reduced me to
state Of gibbering idlocy."
"Why don't you go away and leave
the family to Its fiendish enjoyment"
Richard asked, and this time Mavis
saw the smile in his eyes
II went to the movies until day
light hurt my eyes. walked the
streets until wore out all my shoes
| tried to read upstairs, but walls
don't exclude noises Of the sort those
well-named loud speakers emit wher
connected with Toms alleged radio
Now Richard was laughing outright
"Since you and I are both fed up on
noise we ought TO be sOlace for each
other during this hiatus"
AS the days passed MavIs grew TO
believe that Richard King was quite
right. While they took long walks
over the hills, swan In the old mill
pond, hshe6 In clear mountain streams
or just sat on the pleasant vernnda
there was In Richards voice such
soothing qualify that Mnvis entirely
forgot the first unpleasant assOcla
lions that voice had suggested
II was on the night before Rich