The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-07-04
MEADOW Farm.

3cf yiiolets, half hidden under q drift Of
sdead leaves-pale, purple, scentless
blooms!
The first yiolets always bring good
luck with them,p she whispered to her
self ~ shepinned them into the bosom
lot her blue flannel dress.
Home was scarcely the ideal realiza-
lion 81 that poetic word to our factory
girl. She and her mother lived in the
upper half Of . shabby, implanted
wooden house, with the blacksmith's
scol ding wife and seven riotous chill
dren down stairs, and one-half Of tram
splsd back yard BY way Of . garden,
where nothing ever grew but burdocks,
nettleeas and Mrs. Muggls long-legged
fowls.
But Mrs. Miller, who had been a
school-teacher once, and still retained
I'M Of the refinement Of her early
education had the tea ready, with q
shaded lamp and q bunch Of maple
blossoms on. the table ready for Mary
20 come home.
news, mother" the gifl cried
lightly The meadow farm is to be lett
\ Mother, We must take IT.
Mrs. Miller looked dubiously ct the
eager, bright face, with its blns-gray
eyes and fringes Of yellow hair.
aCan We afford it daughtef?r she
said slowly. "a whole house and farm
YET forty-three acres??n
ssS aIIt isn't such 9 very large house,
mother y pleaded Mary as she laid the
bunch Of violets in her mothers lap,
nor 10 many rooms than we have
here. And we could keep two cows,
ard I could sell milk and butter, and
spring chickens and eggs; and I am al
most snre that Will Davidge would work
the farrnson shares. And only think,
mother, how delightful it would be to
have h home all to ourselves, where we
couldn't hear Mrs. Mnggs boxing Bob
b isears, or Helen shrieking with the
tOothache! And y little garden, mother,
where we could have peonies and holly
hooks, aIdal those lovely, old fashioned
flowers that your soul delights II "
Mrs. Millers face softened.
sIt would be q great temptation, Mol
j she. said.
It's 4 month since old Mrs. Dabney
died said Mary. And they say that
her daughter in the city and her son il
California despise the old farm, with its
One-story house and its old red barn
Soft Is to be let, And so cheap, too
5Only3a hundred and fifth dollar'sa year
Mother, we mnsttake it! I'll leave the
factory and turn dairy maid. I've saved
enough, yon know, to bny the two COW.
aud some real Plymouth Rock fowls t.
begin With, and oh, 1t will be such hap
piness Say yes, nlother-do say yes!'
When Mary Miller pleaded like this
the gentle widow neyer knew how Il
fefIise; and 4 upshot OF it was tina,
they 2 p Dabney house, and be
came c-o-sovereigns Of the realms q
Meadow farm
Y Was their first night there. Over.
head the young May moon shone
thrsugh 9 veil OF purple mist. A soil
e rysOwl.hooted the chestnut wood
cack OF the house. for Meadow farm was
aitt1ated on q lonely mountain side,
MMer n0one aver came except on spe-
clal. DusIless
The Plymouth Rock chickens were
safely shut up where foxes could not
each them Q minks steal in to bleed
Their young lives away; the cows-two
me young AIderneys-Were chewing
thelr cuds back Of the old red barn, and
Mary Miller had flung q handful of ce-
dar sticks on the hearth, where their
scented blaze Illuminated the old
Kitchen withsaaeaping brightness beau
tltll TO see.
Because it's just possible that the
house may be damp she said, stafter
being uninlabited 20 long. There,
mother, isn't that cheerful? And isn't
i nice 4 old rag carpet should fit this
floor 30 exactly2" with asatisfied down
ward glance. aAnd do you see those
tiger lilies? found them down by the
garden wall-oh, such a red wilderness
Of them! Old Mrs. Dabney set them
out herself, they Say. 1t seems only yes
terdsy,'n' she added t~houphtfuIly Chat +
came past here and saw old Mrs. Dab
ney sitting in tie big chair by the Are
Just where
Mrs. Miller uttered o little shrek and
grasped her daughters arm Of this mo-
ment, Mary stopped short, with an
ashy pallor o~verspreading her cheek.
F'or as she spoke the door opposite
had opened, and a very little old wom-
y, silver haired and shriyeled like q