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Show SOUTH CACHE COURIER I i Twenty-fivyears have elapsed since the disappearance ot Richard McFarlane In World War I and his wife, Julia, Is beset with fresh worries as the children she has raised with the aid of her father-in-laJohn I. McFarlane, become Involved in World War U. Rlc has washed out of the air corps while Jill falls hopelessly in love with Lieut. Spang Gordon. Jill and Spang go to a dance and when Spang doesnt profess his love for her, Jill Is hurt. He does tell her, however, that Rlc Is paying attention to a divorcee of questionable character. Jill determines to go to camp to see her brother and also to talk to Spang again. She tells Julia her plans. e CHAPTER VI I think its a beautiful idea. Dave was in love with you when you were seventeen, he told me so. Grandfathers old, and Im not going to be around forever I hope. Though you may have me on your hands. Maybe Ill be one of those bright spinsters who fade reluctantly and get horsy, with tanned-leathhides and lean hands that grab for highball glasses. Or I might turn coy and wear pastel-coloreclothes too young for me, and make up tales about my lover who died in the great war. Could be. Dont be disgusting, Jill! Julia spoke crisply, as she went out. Julia went to her room and closed the door. Though the working outfit she wore was soiled and dusty, she sat down on the edge of her prim, white bed. Jills abrupt remark, flung in her face as ruthlessly as a dash of cold water, had set stirring within her that current of rebellion that she had fought so long and conquered up to now. Why couldnt she grow old? Old and cold and patient, with no dampened fire flaring to trouble her at unexpected moments, no dreams to drift like sunkindled clouds across her dull horizon? What a relief to be old, so that she would, never again have to know this aching lack, this hunger within herself for a little understanding, a little tenderness! Richard was dead, and yet he would not die. Something of him stayed alive, to tease and haunt her, as he had tortured her when her love for him had made her abject and naive and too pitifully vulnerable. For years John I. had been nagging at her to have Richard declared legally dead. So many things were involved, he argued. The title to the property, her childrens inheritance, everything she had worked so long and so hard to attain. What money John I. had, Julia knew, was willed to Jill. He had always been a little impatient with Ric, dubious about him. Money ruined the McFarlane men, he declared, softened and spoiled them. Only work could save them. Because she, knew how John I. felt, Julia had been a bit more generous with her son, foolishly generous, no doubt, but her lenience had eased some grimness in her, the unforgiving thing she had not been able to conquer. The war, the air corps, had been right for Ric, she was certain. The farm had always irked him, but his desire for speed, his audacious spirit, his arrogant recklessness 'WSuid be appeased by combat. She had put her maternal apprehensions down and forced herself not to worry. Ric had to do this thing, it meant salvation for him. And then for some reason unexplained because a desperately efficient army machine never bothers with explanations Ric had failed his examinations (for the cadet corps. The punk! Jiff had been scornHe slid through college on ful. his ear, and he expected to get by a military board the same way. Hell be a Joe gunner or a grease monkey now. er d Haunting Memories Of Richard But Rics luck had held, the same luck that had. been with him when he talked himself out of jams at school, when he slid free of speeding charges, when he wangled extra money from his fuming' grandfather. He had got an assignment to officers school. Hell flunk it, youll see, Jill said. But Julia had held to hope because she was Rics mother. Ric was her deep heart, Ric was the man in her life. But never from her handsome, insolent son had she had consideration or tenderness. To old John L she was a partner, adequate, standing on her own feet, wise. But to Dave Patterson she was a woman. Leaning her burning cheeks in firm palms, Julia wondered if she had depended on Dave too much. He had been the one person to whom she owed no resfonsibility other than the gladly given gift of kindness and comradeship he had been a rock on which at times her weariness bad rested. She had been And fooling herself, of course. now Jills sharp young ruthlessness had torn all her carefully arranged pfetenses to shreds. She had known for a long time that Daves feeling for her was mors than friendliness. She ha pushed the knowledge away, she voice sounding just a trifle impahad refused to acknowledge it, even tient. to herself. She had tried to hold Hello, Jiff. I wasnt expecting him off, yet keep him, too. She you down. Mother with you? knew now how unfair she had been. No, Dooley didnt come. How Somehow, she had to make it up are you? Can you get off to have to Dave. That she could love him dinner with me tonight, Ric? Ric hesitated for a breath. "Not in return was something this rigid thing in her heart would not permit sure, he said then. Theyve been her to consider. She had frozen mighty tight with passes lately. Ill herself into a mold so long ago. She see what I can do and call you could not alter the form of what later. I thought you always had a B she must be to herself, but with that sureness came an overwhelmpass into town. ing loneliness. She had dedicated Theyve canceled a lot of passes herself to a memory, to a ghost, in our squadron.' I might be able and it was like being chained to an to wangle one. Stick around the unanswering tomb. The dreadful telephone, and Ill let you know." Tell them your only sister came part was that there was always that secret feeling of menace about miles to have a look at you. You that tomb. arent being shipped out, are you, Im a fool! she said aloud, Ric? No orders yet Nothing but rusharply, snatching her hands down mors. Mother all right? and jerking her body erect. She doused her face with cold waOh, yes, everything is fine. Try ter, gave her hair a few disciplining to get in, will you? I came a long strokes with a brush. She had to way to see you. take the truck and go out and check Ill do my best, Jill, but this is the corn yield with John I. the army, you know. Love she twisted her mouth as Jill hung up with some irritation. she thought of it! There was no Now she must wait till she heard time for love. And no dignity from Ric before she called Spang. She tried to summon a gay assurance as she made herself pretty before the mirror, but her heart was shivering and she decided that if Spang brushed her off casually this time she would go back to the farm and devote herself to pigs forever. An hour passed before Ric telephoned again. Sorry, Jill, no soap. Tough luck for both of us. Could you see me at the gate after five, if I came out in a taxi, Ric? Cant even do that. Im stuck on a detail tonight. Sorry I didnt know you were coming down, or I would have tried to make a swap of some kind. Let me know a week in advance next time, will you? And give Mother my love. Ill try to write next week. Been busy as the devil. All right, Ric. Sorry. Good-bProbably he had had his pass canceled for some reason that he didnt want to tell her. But now Ric was definitely out of it, and she was free to spend the week-en- d as she pleased. So she put in another call for the field and asked to speak to Lieutenant Spencer Gordon, only to be told that the lieutenant had signed off the post and gone to town. Well, if he was in town there was a chance that she might meet him, "So nice to see yon again. Spang. so she touched up her make-u- p and gave her hat the right tilt and went about it for a woman past forty, a downstairs. For all her reckless rewoman who had spent herself for marks to her mother, she had allove once and got only a promisways despised girls who ran after men and were easy to get and sory note for recompense. That it had been only the fevered therefore vulnerable, but this was passion of a girl, that this other different. She wasnt going to hurl ache in her heart was real and livherself at Spangs head. She was ing, she would not admit, even to going to be lightly indifferent, herself. But Dave must not be hurt. though heaven knew it wouldnt be He had loved another woman once, easy, keeping a cool head while her been married to her for a brief heart was burning like a mad bontime, but she knew that that old love fire! was now only something frail and Spang was nowhere about when sweet to Dave, a fragrance like that she went down, but she knew that of) a pressed flower, a wreath laid this small and continually crowded on a slender grave. But that grave hotel was the town rendezvous for had closed, while if she, Julia, had all the officers and men at the field. a grave to keep it would not green, So she went into the dining-rooit would not soften with time, it and took a long time ordering her gave her no peace. dinner, not looking around, ignoring the groups of jaunty lads in khaki Brother and who turned on her bright, direct glances. Sister Talk If Spang came into the room she A sidling thought came into her would know it. Something acute mind. Perhaps if she was clever to response, would within about it, she could maneuver Dave know her, tuned was near. She was when he into falling in love with Jill. He so sure of this that she ate very was too old for her as old as her a as matter of fact but slowly, a buying an evening' paper father, soiled little boy, studying Daves heart was youthful while from the pages with exaggerated interest Jill had grown a little too mature, between sips of the slightly warm had let her age trouble and tense tomato juice they brought her. her. So she was startled an hour latIt would solve two of her prob- er when, the dinner having dragged lems, it would ease her conscience, itself out through three cigarettes, she thought. But also it would leave she rose at last, to go, and there her terribly alone. With no one was Spang sitting near the door but John I., who fought off age with two other officers. They were fiercely but who must succumb finishing plates of apple pie. inevitably to what he called that damn almanac." Second Meeting She would not think about herself, she would not think at all. She With Spang would concentrate on meat-curin- g Spang jumped to his feet as she formulas, she would give up bother- approached, and the other men got and the right up, too. ing about he cried. foundation garment. She would grow I Why hello, Jill! old, like a country woman, with no didnt see you in here. May I pregraces utilitarian, She made her- sent Lieutenant Crawford and Lieuself believe this as the little truck tenant Stark? Miss McFarlane. rattled up the rocky lane and The two young men, bowed, and through the gate into the vast corn- Spang pulled out a chair. field. She walked between the ripenSit down and have something ing rows and jerked at thorny vines more with us. Jiff. When did you that snatched at her jinkles, she come down? Mrs. McFarlane with and tore away husks examined the you? drying ears critically. "No, I came alone." Jill dropped Old John I. marched beside her, into a chair, leaned her chin on her saying nothing. But she could al- palms, smiled at the three of them I came down to see most feel his keen eyes burning into impartially. her, she knew what he was thinking Ric my brother, she explained to because he had told her bluntly not the two strangers, "but it seems so long ago. That she was a sentihes forfeited his pass or something, fool! mental, and I was just making up my mind bus or train would be The hotel near Ridley Field was whether the the most hectic way to get home. full of officers and always excitingly to see you again. Spang." other uniformed men, and Jill had So nice mean you were going home You a new dress of aquamarine faille that brought out all the fruity tints without even letting me know? of her hair, and a saucy little hat Spang demanded, scowling at her. Jiff kept her that did exactly the right things for I did 'telephone. But youd left the her eyes. touch light. post, and it didnt occur to me Id She called the field and left a mesmeet you here." sage for Ric as soon as she arrived, and presently he telephoned her, bis (TO BE CONTINUED) lip-stic- k weak-minde- d i IN MINIATURES Crowded into the 4,000 square feet of Roadside America, worlds greatof American history: (1) Sleepy Hollow is typical of the pioneer days of the West; (2) Shrine church is a replica of a memorial chapel in the Alps; (3) a pioneer village of 300 years ago is reconstructed; (4) the airport, laid out like a real field, lends note of modernity; (5) an idea of the scale on which the miniatures are built Is obtained by comparing Laurence Gieringer with the figures he is placing on a railroad station platform, and (6) the village of Fairfield represents the modern era. HISTORY . . . est indoor miniature village, is the panorama P Picturesque Miniature Village Depicts History of America WNU Features. Childhood disillusionment at the shattering of a dream did not deter Laurence Gieringer; instead, it embarked him on a hobby which over a span of 44 years has resulted in creation of a picturesque miniature village which has attracted nationwide attention and lured millions of visitors. With the passionate covetousness of a child, the Laurence used to sit nightly in the window of his home in a Pennsylvania valley and gaze longingly at a house on the mountainside a toy house, it seemed to him, as its lights blinked enticingly in the distance. He wanted that tiny house, wanted to pick it up in his hands and bring it home. When his repeated pleas to set out In quest of his house were ignored, the little boy finally became desperate and, stuffing a banana and a few crackers into his pockets, trudged off up the mountainside In search of the little house. Searching parties were out all night and at 5 oclock in the morning the frantic parents finally discovered the grimy the but undaunted boy way up the mountainside. Bitter at being overhauled, the boy was comforted only when his parents agreed to take him to the end of the road. two-thir- Dream Shattered. Lauclouded Disillusionment rences eyes when he beheld just another ordinary sized house with no lights at all in the bright morning, do enchantment, no magic lure. Laurence But Gieringers dream was not ended; in fact, it had only begun. Today, at 54, he owns countless lighted houses that he can pick up in his hands, along with churches, barns, bridges, highways, railroads, lakes, fields, grist mills, factories and scores of other miniature models depicting the architectural and industrial panorama of the America of the last few hundred years. Collectively they are known as Roadside America, which is situated four miles west of Hamburg, Pa., between Harrisburg and Allentown. Roadside America had its beginning four years after Laurences abortive attempt to bring home the lighted house from the mountaintop. With his younger brother, Paul, he bad climbed another mountain near Reading. Far below them Reading tooked like a city inhabited by doll men. Fascinated by the sight, Laurence said eagerly: Paul, wouldnt it be swell to build little houses the same size they look from here? Thus was born the idea which was to grow Into a project enchanting millions of visitors every year. Delving into their venture with enthusiasm, the boys scoured the library for books on American architecture from the pioneer days to modern times. A kindly art teacher gave them drawing lessons at three cents for plain sketching, five cents for pastel work, the fees covering only the cost of material. Early difficulties soon induced Laurence to adopt an arbitrary scale s of of an inch to a foot, a scale he has employed through all the intervening years. Pictures aqd stories of the way the early settlers in America had lived induced Gieringer to build history into his miniatures. His models, he decided, could show the development of American home and business life as exemplified in the structure of homes and business buildings. As a result, there now are three separate sections, one depicting the life of the early settlers, another that of Pennsylvania at the turn of the century and a third showing a modern setting. Gieringer plans a fourth eventually his version of the village of tomorrow. Built From Scraps. Scraps of wood, discarded tin cans, wire, pieces of metal, pipe cleaners, paper and numerous other odds and ends have been utilized as construction materials for Gieringers intricate models. An idea of the scope of the exhibit may be gained by noting some of the materials which have gone into its making. They include 9,520 feet of board lumber, 4,000 feet of building paper, 1,728 feet of railroad and trolley track, 11,080 feet of electric wire, 513 light bulbs, 12,000 pounds of plaster, 4,000 miniature figures, 10,000 miniature trees and shrubs, 250 pounds of nails, 42 gallons of paint, two barrels of green sawdust, six tons of stone, 8,000 pounds of sand, 145 miniature railroad cars and 1,700 feet of tracks for trains and trolleys. Highlight among the miniatures d d church with is a windows, a task that required months of exacting labor as Gieringer sought means of creating three-eighth- high-spire- hand-painte- stained glass. As visitors mill abo the village, the lights are dimmeo and from the open door of the church pours religious music from a tiny organ. Outside the church a ragged tramp leans lazily against a white fence, a dog at his heels. When the organ strains fade, a different type of music issues from a large barn, in which an barn dance is progressing. Nearby planes seem about to take off from an. airport while a few feet away people are packed into a grandstand watching a baseball game. Animation marks the exhibits. There are youngsters walking on narrow curbstones, a boy whose fee are tangled in an electric wire, dogs sniffing at fire hydrants, women hanging oout their washing or gossiping over back fences, trolleys and train in operation, water wheels turning grist mills. Receive Wide Acclaim. The Gieringer exhibits have been widely heralded as the worlds greatest miniature village and the most unique and detailed masterpiece ever evolved. A staunch exponent of hobbies as a means of preventing juvenile delinquency, Gieringer insists that "hobbies keep children off the street, adding that if ' hands are busy, youngsters they dont get into mischief. His dream is to see establishment of a national hobby center where exhibits of all kinds can be shown to inspire other hobbyists. Throughout the years both Mr. and Mrs. Gieringer have worked with countless children from nearby schools and orphanages. Although Gieringer allows boys training in his workshop to use mechanical equipment, all of Roadside America has been built completely by hand and with ordinary carpenter tools Originally set up as a Christmas display in the Gieringer home for showing to neighbors and visitors, the miniatures later were exhibited in a Reading fire house and in a local park, all earnings going to Roadside The present charity. America was established in 1941, a portion of the proceeds still going to charity. Although wartime gasoline rationing shattered attendance, a record flumber of visitors viewed the displays last season and still larger crowds are expected this summer. I & $ fi V 4 ,0 W t b tli I Circuit Rider Travels 954 Miles Weekly To Reach Parish KANSAS CITY, MO. Traveling nearly a thousand miles every weekend to preach to his congregation, the Rev. E. V. Johnson, former army chaplain, ranks as the e cirmodern version of the cuit rider. A train, however, supplants the horse as his mode of transportation. Every week from Tuesday through Friday, Mr. Johnson attends classes at Central Baptist Theological sem old-tim- opening of classes Tuesday morning. The round trip is 954 miles. A Grove, Tex. Leaving Kansas City railroad pass is a big lift for Mr. Johnson's weekly trip. at 9 p. m. Friday, he has a Locust Grove is a small commutrain trip before reaching Canadian, Tex., where iis wife and two chilnity where church services are held dren, Sharon, 8, and Mary Vesta, 4, in a schoolhouse, but the young minare waiting to take him the 16 miles ister is spearheading a movement to build a church. to Locust Grove by car. Before entering the army as a On the return trip, Mr. Johnson leaves Locust Grove on Monday to chaplain, Mr. Johnson was pastor of catch a train back in time for the Boswell, Okla., Baptist church. inary here. On Friday he hops a train for his pastorate at Locust I I |