Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-05-31

!; Charge of the Light
: Brigade" ;
&-S
|. BY HELEN r. BARTON
@***********************
(Copyrlght.l

0V SEE, SIS unused the somewhat
famous Ralph Curtis, 81 come up
here to hibernate with you only when
the city and my profession become
too mu h for my feeble intellect" And
Ralph blew smoke rings of costly i'm
ported pipe tobacco toward the cob
webby rafters of Rusty Curtis barn
as she called the vast old wooden
structure that she had inherited from
her grandmother some ten years be-
fore.
"Well SLIM" challenged Rusty,
"why disparage, then? If it's haven
Of refuge when matrlmony, patrimony
and allmony become too much of
burden"
"Hey! Hey! Nobody said anything
about alImony," interposed the genial
cartoonlst. but just the same,
can't even rustlcate with you, Sis, un-
less you indulge In n few modern con-
veniences. And you know quite well
that I'll go fifty-fifty with you"
SO that was what started the charge
OF the light brigade, as Rusty humOr-
ously described the small army Of
electricians who, after Sims tenn
porary return to New York, invaded
her mountain retreat.
But for once, the spring of the New
England mountains was disturbed by
other than Zhym splashing noislly
down the brook pursuing bold trout,
the plalntlve rebuke of q hOot-owl, or
the whispering magic Of whlp-poOr-
will. The silence OF years OF vast
solitude was broken by the ring Of
axes as trees were cut, poles set and
wires strung from the main power
line two miles below the "Barn" up
the steep, winding mountain trail-road.
And a gang of rOlllcklng, merry, care
free electricians sang, whistled,
laughed and joked rs they advanced
steadily through the cain mountain,
Plumbers were at work piping
mountain spring down to the barn and
a shower bath and running water
were installed, awaiting only the nee
essary electricity to run the motors
and supply the 'power."
The third week that the electricians
were at work, Rusty began to worry
bit over expenses. She had figured
the Job to last ten days at the most,
and here were almost twenty-five
days gone already! And broachlng
her fears to the tall, br0nZed boss" Of
the gang, Rusty bent her troubled
gaze down the serene, quiet valley.
zone man and helper could fin
ish ma'am;" briefly answered the stall
wart boss.
"Oh, If you'd only told me" gasped
Rusty. 81 was just wondering II the
bill was going to be too dreadfuly
Hight" And the girl compelled her
eyes to meet those of the youthful
boss, and she was startled by the dis
cOvery that never before had she seen
eyes so blue.
81 could find out, ma'am; how much
were you figuring on"
swell not too dreadfully much !;
l haven't such large bank account.
This business OF finding and keeping
health isn't exactly Job for starry
ing OrphanY'
"Are you" inquired the boss softly,
gazing down Mt her down-bent rusty
head with strange sOftness In his
blue eyes, "a starving orphan, ma'amf"
Don't" gasped Rusty, fighting an
almost uncomfortable desire to laugh,
"ever call me maam again My name
Is Miss Curtis"
Evasion Is feminine word in
French :" drawled the irrepres-
slble boss softly, delIghtIng In the
swift color that flooded the girls
face.
"Oh no; I'm not starving, and I
have one brother Does that answer,
your question satisfactorily" bantered
Rusty mlschIevously.
Next day, Rusty received her bill
from the light company, and II was
signed by the late presidents own
son, Howard ID. Hunt. Tn dlsmay, the
girl hastened out TO the line where
the rangy young boss" was busy do
Ing the hnlshlng-up process OF con-
Meeting the barn with the power line
DtlOIt luIHlliE VII iHe pUWtI.
"There must be some mistake. DO
you know who this Mr.. Hunt LISP" be-
gan Rusty with worried eyes fixed
upon the bill rendered for a mere hun
dred dollars. "There were ten men
working three weeks, and two men
eleven days-and I'm sure this Mr..
Hunt has made a mistaken
Dawson carefully shipped n bit Of
loose wire and exercised an unusual
amount Of attention on the tapping of
Joined wire before he began to
descend the pole slowly and carefully.
Rusty watched his decent with un.
felgned admiration, although she did
not think he was aware Of her scru-
tiny.
"What makes you think this Hunt
chap Is In error" demanded Dawson
with twinkling eyes.
Common sense would tell anyone
that the bill should be more than
thatw began Rusty when the other
helper called: "Oh Mr.. Hunt, o. X.
on that number three wire"
Rusty turned accusing eyes upon
her benefactor; eyes mlsted over as
she realized In flash the whole stu
alton.
81 don't need to explain, do ], Rus
tyr he asked, studying her with eyes
that told eloquently the oldest story
In all the world
"No-you neednt-HOward she
whispered as he gathered her close
into his bronzed young arms, and the
observing "helper" hastily withdrew
to await more oppOrtune moment in
which to Interview his boss on number
three wire
RITRTON n MOVIE