The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-30
A BIT OF GRASS.
BY SUSAN

Durbs OF cities must or should have
lawns" And small as it was. the
name and the thing were dear to little
Meta Sayres, its mistress. Her brief
wlfehood of three months had, as yet,
brought no relaxation to the first fine
arbor of matronhood, which counted
housekeeping as a Joy and perfection,
the shining mark for duty to aim at.
Everything inside the simple establish
ment was daintily appointed and most
beautifully tended; everything outside
would have been the same could Metals
busy fingers and energetic spirit have
accomplished it, but fate and climate
were against her.
For the sad thing about the dawn
was that no grass grew on it. It had
became Metals chronic desire. st.
Louis is a hot place as all the world
knows, and that spring the heat had
come earlier than usual. Meta and her
husband had begun sewing grass seed
early in March, when the frost was
barely out of the ground. They had
sown it again the last of March; and
once more the last of April, and now,
on the 10th OF May, there was still no
sign ~ofpromise, and the little enclosure
lay as bare and naked as ever. The
vines on the piazza were dense with I'M
folding leaves. The hedge was begin
ing to flower. The deutzias and wei
gelias and the single bed of pansies were
full of blossoms, and only the rake
marks or the smooth earth showed my
care had been bestowed on the grass
plot, which lay hopeless and ~unlovely
in the glare of the sun.
marion Ashurst says it's no use, ?"
Meta said, oneday at dinner" Nobody
can make grass seed grow here. She
says it's too hot. 1t burns up directly
it sprouts-if it ever does sprout. I
told her ours hadn't sprouted at all, and
she said that was just the way theirs did
when they tried the experiment the first
year they were here"
.Still people do have grass in St.
Louis, remarked her husband. "Look
at the park. The grass is splendid.
And look at the private places, Many
of them have excellent turf"
Eyes; Marian says we must sod our
lawn-that's the only way"
isn't sodding rather expensive ?"
asked John, doubtfully.
Eyes, very expensive. I went to the
gardeners this afternoon to ask about
it, and he said it would cost thirty dol
lars! just think--for one little yard!
But it looks d~readfully as it is. and will
be worse still in August, Jolm?"
THAT is very true. Grass is almost
a necessity in a climate like this for peo-
pie who stay on here for the whole sum
mer, as we must do. II soddins is the
only way to secure it, why we will Just
sod: and, as for the money, we'll econo-
nize in something else. hey, Meta?"
Eyes, you always say that, but l have
observed that when it comes to the
Something else yourmotives are rather
vague, John dear!~ replied Meta with a
saucy smile. However, all you say is
true; I'll invent q way of saving money;
you needn't worry about it dear"
John looked very likely to worry
about that or anything else, rs he sat
comfortably in his arm chair, eating his
Strawberries, and looking across the
pretty dinner table at his bonny wife.
She was one of those fair, little, WON
manly women,
mo too bright or good
Forhuman natures daily food"
who captivate the i~maginations of men
and hold their affections captive even
more than regular beauties do. Her
face and voice were full of sweetness,
and they were the index of o sweet ma.
ture. Full OF sun and cheer and bright
fun, capable TO her fingers ends, only
those who knew her best detected the
deep power of affection Of which she
was capable, and the high and loyal de-
votion to what she believed to be right,
which was the handspring of her char
acter. John Sayres had drawn o prize
in his wife, how great a prize he only
half com%prehended Us yet. 1t was re-
served 20 him as to many another hns-
band, gradually to realize and bless his
good fortune during the long years of a
long and happy life.
So at the dinner table that night it
was voted, and carried mem. con-,
that the little yard should be at once
turfed at ON outlay of thirty dollars.
Meta, in a rapid characteristic way, had
decidedin her own mind how the money
could be spared at the expense of q
little sacrifice to herself and none at all
to her husband. The bare yard had
been no small trial to her Used to the
yerdure and shade of. the large country
place in which all the summer Of her
g1rlhood had been passed, her eyes
hungercd for a green outlook, and had
missed it every day of the spring.
GLOW fortunate that those two big
naples grow just outside our fence
she thought. "They will shade the grass
all the afternoon, and John will water
it with the hose every evening. l am
sure we can make it grow. I'll order
the sods early on Monday. There's no
time to be lost now that we have decided
to have them"
The next day was Sunday. AS il
chanced-if there be such a thing as a
chance-a stranger OBLIGATED in the
church to which our young couple had
allied themselves. He was chaplain Of
o great Mississippi penitentiary, and
had broken away from his work to beg
help, not for his prisoners only, though
their need was urgent, but for the freed
negroes among whom he lived, and fol
whom he had established a school and 9
hospital. He told some moving stories,
and he told them we'll, with q pathos
Of truth, and the force which adeep per
sonal interest, SO deep that it has sWal
lowed up ill se~lf-interest. carries witt
it. The congregation experienced ar
answering throb of sympathy. Will
some it was a contagious, superficial
emotion; to others the appeal stirred
into life that deeper pity whose best re