Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-07-03

sure she added thong truIly1 mes m
common stout"
ePoohF' said the father, sits not that.
Jake's never tired I'd be willing to
put him agin any other hand In the
country"
'sI saw MIN and Rosa Anderson comm I
down the road together before supper /
chimed in the little daughter. The father
and mother exchanged significant
chances, but were discreet enough to
drop the conversation.
And Jake did come to his breakfast
apparently all right. His Ill humor had
vanished with his dreams. The only
thing unusual about him was the fact
that he had his shoes on, whats the
matter?" asked his mother, looking in
quiHngly at his feet Jake blushed a
little for a moment. He was tempted to
make the excuse that his feet were sore,
but he was an honest boy, so he blurted
out the truth. He did not like to go
barefOOted, and he wasn't going to any
more"
The mother suspected that Rosa An
dersOn was the cause Of this change IN
her son, and she felt that twinge OF pain
and jealousy that all mothers feel when
they first become aware Of the fact that
a child's heart has gone out IN love to a
stranger. But she was in the main a
sensible woman, so she said nothing
more and Jake started for the corner
field
The sun, a red ball, was Just PeePng
over the tops Of the trees, the birds were
twittering softly among the branches, for
boisterous singing was impossible. This
lovely, hay autumn morning Jake's
heart swelled with an undehnaDle sense
Of enjoyment as he drank in the delights
Of nature, and he broke into whistling as
musical as the song Of the birds. His
parents heard him from where they stood
on the hCuse-steps. ''Oh, Jake's all
right" said the father reassurngly as
his son disappeared from sight, but the
mother turned into the house with a sigh.
She could not help thinking Of Rosa An
dersOn, and wondering how it would all
turn out.
A little later on, when the corn stood
in shocks and the frost had shEveled the
leaves somewhat, Jake attended a ''sing-
ing' held at the district school house.
All the young people Of the neighbor-
hood were there. Conspicuous among
them was Rosa Anderson, captivating
with her radiant beauty and cOquettish
ways-at least she appeared so to poor
Jake.
There was long recess, during which
games were played out Of doors by the
light Of the moon. Once while these
games were in process Jake held Rosa's
hand in his, and he was afraid Sue would
hear his heart humping against his vest.
He forgot himself and crushed the little
hand in his great powerful palm. She
complained that he was rough Then
he took it renderly in both of his, but
she jerked it away and ran of.
When the singing had closed and the
young people were filing slowly out of
the house, Jake, ever imPulsive, and too
madly in love to be discreet, pushed for
ward, offering his arm to escort Rosa
home, but she, with nose tilted IL the air,
gave him the ''mitten."
The boys nudged each other and cast
quizzing chances at him. A few openly
jeered him. He got out of the house as
we'll as he could, and cut across the fields
toward his home. When he had reached
his fathers farm he sat down on a log on
the edge Of a little patch of timber. I
doubt if the moon ever looked down up
on greater misery.
He sat there for a long time the agony
In his heart bringing tears to his eyes.
Do not laugh, reader you who have been
in a similar situation know it was not a
laughable matter. But he stayed there
until he had strangled his love, and he
dug a grave in which to bury ia grave
so deep that when once inferred it could
never be resurrected. An, If she had
| known what she had lost.
The struggle was over he wiped his
face and put away his handkerchief.
Then he stood up and with clenched fists
vowed he would be revenged. She
| should see the day she would regret what
she had done tonight.
When Jake reached his fathers door
there was a faint streak Of light in the
east, and the barnyard fowls were begin
ming to stir. His mother let him in she
had been watching for him. He looked
her square in the face. She saw, though
! the candle she held in her hand gave but
dim light, that her boy had suddenly
changed to a man, and her mothers
heart understood. The two gazed into
each others eyes for moment. The
son saw an expression of tender sympa-
/ thy. The mother saw one Of determine
ton and defiance. She knew something
was going to happen, and she felt that
she hated Rosa Anderson.
Jake helped his father through with
the fall work. Then he quietly told his
parents he was going to visit his uncle in
Kansas, and if he could find an opening
there for himself he would remain. His
mother was prepared for such an an
nOuncement, but it was a great shock to
the father. It had never occurred to him
that his son would do else than remain
on the farm, and finally, when he was
done with it, take possession. He did
everything In his power to dissuade his
son from his STOOL notion" as the father
called it, but to no purpose. The only
concession Jake would make was that
perhaps he would come back in the
spring. But spring came and grew in
to summer and the summer into autumn
yet the father still mOurned the loss Of
his boy, Then came the news that Jake
had entered as a student in law office
in the town of s., Kan. As the years
sped on reports much to his credit were
circulated among his old friends and
IneighbOrs. Hard work and honest en-
deavor were bringing their legitimate
fruit, success. Apparently he had for
gotten all about Rosa and the revenge
he had once craved.
After Jake had gone, Rosa Anderson,
with an inconsistency not uncommon In
females, felt a new tenderness springing
up in her heart for him, and a regret that
the little episode at the schOOl-hOuse had