The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-02-04

/ didn't care a mite for the holes they
tore in my trousers. just took clean
satisfaction in stumblin' over them
and the hummucks. The hills, too.
was so easy | almost wished there was
more of 'em. 1t seemed as il the
smell o them hemlOcks down in our
pasture was different from all other
kinds. and when got to 'em slowed
to drink it in.
| hedn't thought o. Keziah-some-
how / wouldn't let myself L had had
a strange sort o. setness against it.
But now | was comm near where she
lived and couldn't aold back no more.
| begun to tremble and dull sort o
/ ache crept into my heart. went to
the naples we'd stood under that day.
and looked at the bars where had
seen her last. wonderin If I'd ever
stand there again with her me a fell
low that had started out so loud and
ended up so limp.
1t was most shutdown, ard WOE ilered
: If she'd got the co.ys yet. Then as Il
in answer TO my question | heard a
! soft tinklin' and saw her comm over
the edge o the hill, loOkin' like a
| picture I'd once seen in the city. Her
dress caught against the bushes and
her sun-bonnet lay way back on her
head, and her hair strayed round her
face like fine, soft silk.
/ Like a fash it came over me. the
reason | wouldn't think of her was be-
cause loved her; because | was wide
awake and knew that / wanted her
, and her only of all the women of the
world.
/ waited like one waits for the bene-
dictiOn in church, and as | watched
the little figure maxim its way down
J the hill, it come to me that she
was the one OF us who was ''makin'
! the most of herself" She was the
brave one stayin' here on the farm
with the old folks; was the coward
! goin' off to the city. | took off my
hat and bowed my head. / couldn't
look up any more, and was glad the
clump of naples hid me from her. /
couldn't speak to her with all them
selfish plans and ambitions left so
little way behind. j would wait.
Slowly she came driving Brindle and
Pet and Rose just as she'd done that
! other time when | hadn't no eye TO
see. She let down the bars and spoke
gently TO each cow as il went through,
but after the last one had stumbled on
into the foOtpath. she rested her arms
on the post and looked off to where
night was coming up slowly in the
east.
Her eyes were sad and her face was
thinner than it had been. My heart
ached and yet beat for gladness at the
same time. May be-may be-and
then sort o. lost the grip @ the reins
forgot I'd been selfish. forgot I'd
been blind, forgot I'd failed. / forgot
every thing except that loved Keziah-
"Ziah, dear" says, husky. 1--WE
come back for you"
She started with little cry, for /
frightened her steppin' out so sudden,
but in a minute drew herself up and in
a way as only a woman can.
"Idon't understand. | amt a city
girl-you went away to be a great
man. I-I-don't understand"
There ! stood up before her in my
torn. dusty close and grimy face.
81 amt a great man." l says. glad
o. the chance to be ashamed. 81 amt
a great man or even a brave one, and
| never will be. But love you true
and honest"
She looked mp at me for long min
ute and then under the shadder o.
them naples. and without question,
she took me as / was, for better or
worse.
The birds on the tree tops and the
butterflies on the flowers and the bees
in their hives WANT nigh so happy as
we were there by the pasture bars.
knowing little and caring less whether
the cows was in the barn or not.
And that's how missed bein' Presi-
dent Not very near. you think. but
bout as near as quarter on 'em get
as run, | reckon. and big sight
nigher'n the other quarter that lays
out piles O. money to get there.
Keziah, she thinks If I'd kept on /
might "a been there-and may be l
might; but, bless me, it orter be time
for her to hev something for me to do
guess I'll go and look her up.-Port-
land Transcripts.
Failacies About Night Air.