The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-10-29

L highway pretty hard going on the
town wasn't still the old dirt road he
remembered when, at eighteen, he had
run away from home. New, at thirty
six, he was coming home again. His
father had died the ignoble death Of
drunkard. His mother, too, had
died; but she had died in the city
with him, for he had sent for her
after his fathers death. None of his
family remained in town; but he had,
nevertheless, a desire to see the old
place, and, the many friends he had
once had there.
When he came into town, carrying
a small, dilapidated bag containing
the few things he had brought with
him, he made straight for the place
where once had stood the town pump.
Now there was an ornate cement con-
traption where the pump had stood.
No longer the old wooden pump, with
its large, cool dipper; but just thin
jet of water coming up from pipe.
Paul put his mouth over it and drank
long and deeply. While he was drink
ing man walked up and clapped
hand on his shoulder:
ION your way, bum," the stranger
said. I'm the sheriff; we don't al
low you Dos to hang around town."
Paul looked up at the man.
you're a stranger to me- he said
pleasantly. my names Paul Martin.
was born and reared here. l know I
look like bum; but I've got few
dollars to put me up decently at
cheap hotel for a few days; so you
can't really pick me up for vagrancy."
"You by any chance Duffy Martins
SOM" the sheriff wanted to know.
"Yep. Duffy Martin was my father"
Paul told him. The sheriff shook his
head sadly.
"Well, considerin' you had paw
like that 1 guess it amt your fault
you're on the bum. You can stay.
You can get a room at the Waller
house for a dollar a day, and meals
there is pretty cheap. I'll look around
and see if I can find you job.
Don't do that-though thanks just
the same" Paul told him. "Tll only be
few days in town."
Despite his very poor looking clothes,
girls on Main street turned to stare
after Paul and giggle, for he was erect
and his strong masculine figure was
symmetrical, just as he was extremely
good looking of face.
At the drug store Paul decided to
get a glass of something cool to drink;
the water from the town pump had
not drowned his thirst or stopped the
aching in his parched throat. In the
store a grave, beautiful, slim girl
waited upon him.
"You look familiar" Paul told her.
Il used to live here years ago; tell me,
what's your name?"
marion Kinsey," she told him.
"What!" Paul exploded. "Not little
Marion Kinsey who used to hang
around when 1 called on your sister
Martha, so I'd have to bride you with
a nickel for soda to get rid Of you.
Why, you were only kid then; that's
nineteen years ago. You must be about
twenty-five now"
"Twenty-six," she corrected him.
"You're not Paul Martin. are you!"
"None other than," Paul grinned.
She looked sadly at his bedraggled
clothing.
Martha married and went away"
she informed him.
Eyes, so 1 heard" Paul answered.
"What time are you off, Marion?" he
asked. Couldn't you and I take
walk around town together? You
could show me the old landmarks I've
forgotten" She looked obviously at
his clothing and he was sure that she
was going to refuse. But to his amaze
ment she said: "I'd be glad to-"
That afternoons walk was the be-
ginning. There were other walks But
Marion was the only one in town who
was even civil to Paul. The rest Of
his old acquaintance, when they were
introduced and remembered him, gave
him the cold shoulder. The success"
bug was on the old town Ikea plague,
and anything that savored of unsuc-
cess was anathema to them. 1t was
on a hill back of town one afternoon
that Paul proposed to Marion.
you're the loveliest thing God ever
made" he told her; land I want you
to come away from this dreadful mar
row little town with me. I love you
I'll always love you and want to make
you happy, if you'll trust me-"
II love you and do trust you" she
told him gravely. 'I'll help you to get
along better than you have; we'll both
work until you get on your feet. Wen
have to marry secretly and leave town
at once because my folks have forbid
den me even to see you"
s1< But they did not marry secretly or
leave tuwn siurFindlv. They had the
biggest church wedding ever known in
town; and Paul's former acquaint-
ances all came, though they looked
pretty sheepish, after reading in the
local paper the fact that Paul Martin,
millionaire air transportation magnate,
had chosen to visit his old home town
disguised as a tramp; instead of, in
the usual manner, blowing in as a
wealthy returned local son-so that he