News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-09-19
SITTING on sbowls or buffalo-robes, or in

SITTING on SnaWlS OF DtllldIO-IODOo, VI IL
buggies standing empty -thilled.
" Mercy 1 should think twas hot
enough to set on the ground, said Miss
Scott as the sat down.
50 far she had talked incessantly and
serenly, but she suffered now a lowering
of the needless youthful spirits which
/ had sustained her. She looked ut Henry
in sudden curiosity; he was sitting quiet,
] his green-lined hat ON his knee, and
! looking at her. She was flattered by
his unremitting admiration, but she was
puzzled by its lack of product.
4" You ain much of Il ia ker, be you
she said. "Well, l guess 1 CAB enough
for two. Amt you going to eat any
thing L don't want to eat it all.
He opened his bag, and they ate in
silence for time. Here and there
people were spreading cloths on the
grass, and Juggling heavy baskets from
wagons.
II pose they'll all be having dinner
pretty soon, said the girl, looking
around. Our loads going to eat all to-
gether. Well, I've ct so much stuff now
1 don't believe l could touch a thing"
But she turned her eyes restlessly about,
munching. 5" What are you going to
81 bsllngh Il lite something" said
Henry. %Hs had brought some bread
and meat and a boiled egg in his
pocket.
Miss Scott searched the bags for the
candy without further question. A few
moments back, in her airy complacence,
she would have asked him to eat dinner
with their load, but the inclination that
would have prompted it was subdued.
She chewed her candy in silent wonder
at him, and the displeasure which
comes so easily to her age and kind,
eying him covertly down his clean white
length. Her mind, which had wavered
between her first derision and h L later
respect, settled ITSELF She reflected
that he could not say boo to goose.
Yet she could not account for his back
wardness no experience defended it.
There was nobody within immediate
sight, and guided by her crude tradi-
tions, with the matter-of fact concep-
tions of them which robbed them of
harm, she had looked for him to offer to
hold her hand.
"Well, believe I'm thirsty again,
she said. ""Tain't much wonder, I've
ct SO much"
"Do you want some water? " said
Henry. Some idea of her dissatisfac-
ton penetrated to his dizzied mind, and
he spoke anxious'y.
"Oh, don't know" said Miss Scott.
She got up, shaking the shucks and
orange skins from her stained lap.
"They've got watermelon up to one of
the stands saw it.
He had not much money left, but he
took it out vii ingly.
81 might as we'll go long" she said,
TO lowing, her eyes roaming widely
others Miny Cone. Well, there's
Dave aud Gil. thought twas funny
where they'd gone to. She fingered,
flushing and giegling. "Well, go on"
she said, over ner shoulder F.; "Ill wait
here.
He hurried back, with two slices of
watermelon on a piece of brown paper.
But she was gone. He was perspiring
with his haste and the extreme heat
the moisture rolled down his face his
collar vas wet and wited, and the melon
i5i. i leg fss .@se f:etsF e.. s Pnd P; =tered 81 tl
young fellow who stood Watching broke I
into guffaw. Your girls lit out"
he said.
The woman who-e horse he had .
came within range, driving
a flock of children before her. You |.
had your dinner2" she called out. |
" Don't you want to come and set down
with us We got a plenty" And ac-
ceptlng his refusal, she brought back to
him cup of cod coffee, some cold
corn, and q piece of cake. He sat down
and ate il.
He bad but five cents left, and his
thoughts went back to Mary. A pop
corn ba was the most he could buy for
five cents, and pausing in sobered re-
fcction, be made n careful selection Of
one, smoo he'd its red pager around it,
and put it safely in his pocket.
He started for home late that after
noon, walking at the side of the road,
down which the home bound picnickers
drove in long procession and a long,
dense cloud of dust which choked and
covered him. One after another offered
him lift, but he tramped on, and
steadily covering the miles, turned
through distant cross roads, and left
the last of the picnic behind him.
1t was seven o'clock eight. The
heat of the day had gone with the sun;
the evening was cool and cloudy. He
went through wild roads, meeting no
body, and across fields and through
lanes, to shorten his journey his feet
and clothes were wet with the heavy
dew.
Three miles from home he heard the
slow tread of a horses feet and a faint
rattle, and Schraader's peddling wagon
stopped as he came in sight. Mary was
alone on the seat
1--WE got home kind O. early, Henry"
she said, 'and L thought I'd drive along
back little ways and meet you."
He go up beside her, where she sat
staidly, and then, looking at her for
moment, for the first time in their
lives he put his arm on her shoulders
and kissed her; and they drove on
silently in the quiet night Harper's
Weekly.