Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-02-10
ZEPA.
. HY AID. II. GIBSON.

ZEPHA.
BY AID. H. GIBSON.
The autumn rain was beating against
q, log cabin that stood as relic of the
early settlement Of Kansas. Inside
this somewhat dilapidated structure sat
Sol Grim, with pipe in his mouth,
ahivering over some damp logs that
sputtcred and seemed to defy the ruddy
blaze in the old fireplace. Near by,
Susan Grim, gaunt. coarse-faced
woman, was preparing the evening
meal. By the dingy, half-glassless
window, to catch the rays Of meager
light it admitted, stood a slight. grace
full girl OF IL, looking as unlike old
Sol and his virago wife as it were
90 ssible to look, and as out Of place in
chat rude cabin as beautiful antique
vase would have been. The girl, as
was her habit, had snatched u few
minutes to read. One could tell at q
glance at the flushed face, in the gray
evening light, that she was interested
in her book and accorded the theme .
precocious understanding. Her name
was Zepha Olney, and that was about
all any one knew of her. A few of
the neighbors had heard she was the
child of q deserted wife, who h,,d died
all alone at the cabin of old Sol Grim,
while on her way to find her husband
in the far West. Zepha was but q
small child then, and consequently
knew nothing, comparatively, Of her
self. The woman dying friendless, Of
course, some one had to take care Of
the child. Though Susan Grim had
nearly scolded the roof of, old Sol had
his way for once and gave Zepha q
home, such as it was; and here she had
lived ever since, going to the district
school and later to the town school, be.
cause old Sol said she should. This
had been a source Of much irritation
to the turbulent Susan, and she had
made the path of the young girl very
.thorny indeed.
Consarn yer, Zeph, Of yer hain't got
Chat aire ole book agin." scolded Susan
Grim. Il say, Sol Grim, yer was big
fool ter be SO set on eggycatin' that
lazy hulk an maxim her 60 all-fred in
terlectool that she tries Ter shift all
the work onter me. An that air fool
book yer got her, that she's everlastin'
$pourin' over, SHAKESPEARE. er whatever
yer calls it. I've great min ter burn it
up. Here yer air drawed up with yer
rheumatic, an her realin' away, not got
her min on tarnal thing els, an only
me ter do Their work erbout thor ranch.
Ef ! was yer, Zeph Olney, not KNOWN
las yer ever he'd airy dad er yer own er
hot, I'd drap books an sich and try ter
come down onter q level with the folks
as I was dependin' onter, anyhow. .
Zepha closed her book and faced the
woman, her large dark eyes flashing,
but an appealing look from old Sol, who
was suffering from severe attack Of
zrheumatism in his knee-joints, kept her
squiet. ooh, yer needn't flare up, Zeph.
-Jist put on Soils ole coat an take the
sbucket an milk ther cows. An min
yer, give 'em plenty O. fodder, fur ther
nights rainy an they need heavy
feedin'," finished Susan.
aepha was glad to obey. Out in the
-autumnal rain milking the COWS was
far pleasanter than being sheltered in
the cabin listening to the termagant
Grim. Though the corn fodder was
srain-soaked and heavy for the slender
arms, Zepha was not mindful Of her
burden, for the COWS knew and loved
her, at least, and to feed them was q
labor of love.
As Zepha was returning to the house
with a bucket Of milk, slip Of paper
which the wind had carried and lodged
under some old logs. caught her at
,tention. She picked it up, and,
damp as i was, and regardless of the
steady down-pour of rain. she stopped
to read it. Il was q bill announcing a
play to be rendered that night by a
travelling company; at the opera house
lin the town one mile distant from the
Grim cabin. She rerused the bill
-ovcr and over. as il it held some power
-of fascination Tor her she was unable to
break. How she wished she might at
tendl How she envied the feminine