The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-12-26

warmers that Grandma Nelson had
thrust upon her. These wrist-warm-
ers had been an expression of the
way the whole neighborhood felt at
losing Margie from its midst.
1t was a bitter morning upon which
the girl was leaving home for the
first time in her eighteen years. She
had to pick her way along the muddy
road The wind clattered the naked
boughs overhead. 1t seemed a long
way to the station.
Round a turn she came upon a car
over which man was working. He
lifted friendly face.
$50 you're really going, Margie?"
he said. 81 never thought you would
myself"
IF I'm going to be anything or any
body I've got to get out into the
world" Marge replied.
"S'pose that's right. Margie." Mr.,
Whitcomb studied the offending spark
plug in his hand. still, this is a
pretty good old place to live in. Your
friends are here, Margie; don't you
forget that What started you off
anyway, Mar@ie:"
clean Potter wrote me to come on
and she'd fimd me a place to work
so that's it! Jean Potter, Ell? If
l could get this car started I'd take
you to the station Margie, but the
thing has baked bad. If it was a
boss now I'd bui!d a fire under it"
Mr. Whtcomh's face puckered with
humor but car he shook his
head.
Margie went on down the road, car
ryng the heavy suitcase I'm a reg
ular baWl Baby she thought 1T
was all could do to keep from crying
before Mr.. Whitcomb. l hate partngs.
Tn fed up on them. Jean Potter
didn't make such a fuss the morning
she went away. helped carry her
suitcase to tie station. She strobe
along, chin up, laughing at everything,
l wish l were like her.
Truth was, Margies heart was back
in the white house under the tama-
racks where she had left her father
and mother and her OLD dog ZIp' ana
her saddle pony, Buster and all the
uear I"iil'IL"r t'.'liSN 'I'"' H"u S"'is
ne" nel up u 'ii'9 punt i'u, i,o" "
suuueH sue was ies''eSs anu uI9IoIi-
leii'eu' sue '''o'7ii' sue "'''''Iu ~
e"lh more inoitS money loi INNS
tliey nau never oeel "pLe ~ "i'o' !"
iIG NIlllG llOuSt ullNltI inc jflIilsll az NSs
one Thought :, 'oo' sue N'I'eu - ~,
away lioiii o''',i ne " ''''.o'i' "l'0 '''l'
oeeh III loNe VIII, "V' s'liC1 ne "''"
nei u sIiiooi "l 'i!s s'eO' oii''.''S , "''9
u'"i "oF' ""' II 'i''', -o' - ~
1t "ou'u Jus. NC .e - ''le w
Gun! happy me ol tiIell p'Ien'S' 10
Inrnis' Ho his" sPo'S' no oioSe cans
"hIch IeaFe one 50 s'"u u oe ''ii'
"ller""ru'
Ioot-toot-loot announcer car
MarsIe steppeu as!ue' hel ciieeNs
rn"niils: Inc nlu 1- usleu ,ou' ,lls
car ullNeli ny p'o"N' soou-'0oN'''s
young man s'oppeu Oesiue "e.'
1 went up 10 your mousse ai'eI you
Dut you We're gone CharIIe s ',I
ster1IE' h"' ulu you run ava! me
that Tor! You kne" l was coming
81 didn't mind walking" stammered
Margie, caught in her effort to escape
lanother and the hardest parting OF
all.
Give me that suitcase. Now you
get in here beside me- BE careful OF
that fender. You don't want to carry
any Shinhopple mud away on your
pretty new clothes"
Margie sat silent as Charlie drove
with great gathering of chains
through the mud.
you'll never miss us back here,
Margie," he said. you and Jean will
have fine times together in town.
sometimes, you knOW-IVe felt Ia
like to quit this place and go away
myself, just to see what | could do"
ooh, you couldn't leave here" Mar
gle said earnestly. You'd be miser-
able out of your-your habitat"
"Habitat! What about your habi-
tat?" cried Charlie. you're going,
aren't you? With never look be-
hindu
"It's different with me-" Margie pro-
tested. you're a man. You're earn
ing hig money inst at what you're do
ing. You've taken correspondence
courses. vou've read lots of books on