Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-05

corn As long as liver replied the girl, bit
terly.
Don't know as blame yeh a bit But, ali
the same, I'm glad you was working in it To-
day, he thought to himself, as he walked be-
side her horse toward the house.
VIII you stop to dinner" she inquired
bluntiy almost surliiy: Il was evident that
there were reasons why she didn't mean to
press him to do So
"Yop bet I win" he replied; shat is if you
"You know how we live," she replied,
evasivsly. 'If you ON stand it, Why" She
broke on abruptly.
Yes, he remembered how they lived in that
big, square, dirty, white frame house It had
been three or four years since he had been IN
1t, but the smell of the cabbage AMI onions,
the penetrating. peculiar mixture of odor,
able.
II guess I'll STOP" he said, as she hesitated-
She said no more. but tried to act as if she
we're not IN any way responsible for what came
afterward
II guess en- stand fr one meal what you
stand all the while, he added
As she left them at the well and went to the
house he saw her limp painfully and the men,
DRY OF her face so close to his lips as he helped
her down from the horse gave him pleasure,
at the same time that he was touched by its
tired and gloomy look. Mrs. Peterson came to
the door of the kitchen looking inst the same
as ever. Broad faced, unwieldy, fabby, appar
emily wearing the same dress he remembered to
have seen her in years before. dirty drab-
colored thing; she looked as shapeless as a sack
OF wool Her English was limited to 'How de
do. Rob?"
He washed at the pump, while the girl, in
the attempt to be hospitable, held the clean
towel for him.
you're purity well used up, eh?" he said to
her.
Yes: it's awful hot out there"
right"
mo. He won't listen to that"
Mell let me take your place."
NO; there amt any use o. that"
Peterson brawny, wide-bearded Norwe
glan came up at this moment and spoke to Rob
In snlen, gruff way
He amt very glad to see me-" said Rob,
winkng at Julia. He amt b'ilin' over with
enthuslasm; but en- stand it, for your sake"
ne added, with amazing assurance, but the girl
had turned away, and it was wasted.
AT the table he ate heartily of the 'bean
swaagen," which filed a large wooden bowl in
the center of the table, and which was ladled
into smaller wooden bowls at each plate. Julia
had tried hard to convert her mother to Yankee
ways. and had at last given it up in despair.
Rob kept on safe subjects, mainly asking ques-
lions about the crops OF Peterson, and when
addressing the girl inquired of the school
makes. By skillful questioning he kept the
was getting an inventory OF the girls not yet
married or engaged.
1t was embarrassing for the girl. She was
all to well aware of the difference between her
nome ana the home Of her schoolmates and
friends. She knew that it was not pleasant for
her Yankee" friends to come to visit her when
they could not feel sure of welcome from the
tlreless, silent and rm-visaged old Morse it,
indeed, they could escape insult. Julia ate her
food mechanically. and it could hardly be said
Ia oil n nh fha hrsa ILL H.
man. his eyes were upon her so constantly and
MS smile SO obviously addressed to her. She
rose as soon rs possible, and going outside
took seat on a chair under the trees in the
yard. She was not coarse or dull girl. In
fact, she had developed so rapidly by contact
with the young people of the neighborhood
that she no longer found pleasure in her own
home. She didn't believe in keeping up the
old-fashloned Norwegian customs. and her life
with her mother was not one to breed love or
confidence. She was more like hired hand.
The love of the mother for her .'Yulvie" was
sincere though rough and inarticulate, and it
was her jealousy of the young Yankees" that
widened the chasm between the girl and her
self-an inevitable result.
Rob followed the girl out into the yard and
threw himself on the grass at her feet, per-
fectly unconscious of the fact that this attitude
was exceedingly romantic and becoming to
them both. He did it because he wanted to
talk to her, and the grass was cool and easy;
there wasn't any other chair, anyway.
do they keep up the lyceum and the socia-
bles same as ever?'
Yes. The others go good 'eal, but don't
We're gettin' such a stock round u.s. and father
thinks he needs me 8 much, don't git out
much. I'm gettn' sick of it..
Il sh'd think y would" he replied, his eyes
81 cd stand the churnin' and house work,
but when 1t comes & workin' outdoors in the
DIRT an hot sum- gettin' all sunburned and
chapped up, it's another thing An then it
seems as If he gets stingier n stingier every
year. amt had new dress in-I d'-know-
how-long: He says it's all nonsense, an
mothers just about as bad. She don't want a
new dress, an SO she thinks don't" The girl
was feeling the influence Of sympathetic lis
tener and was making up for her long silence.
I've tried t go out t work but they won't let
me. They'd have t. pay hand $40 a month fr
the work do an they like cheap help, but I'm
not goin' t stand it much longer, 1 can tell you
that"
Rob thought she was very handsome as she
sat there with her eyes fixed on the horizon.
while these rebellious thoughts found utterance
in her quivering passionate voice.
"Yulie! Kom heath roared the old man
from the well.
frown of anger and pain came into her
face: She looked at Rob. "That means more
work"
Say! let me go out in your place. Come,
now; what's the use-"
mo; it wouldn't do no good. 1t amt t'day s.
much; it's every day. and"
''Yute." called Peterson again. with string
Of impatient Norwegian.
well, all right, only I'd like to"
swell, goodbye" she said, with little touch
of feeling. when dye go back?"
IL don't know I'll see y again before I 20.
Goodbye"
He stood watching her slow, painful pace till
she reached the well, where Otto was standing
with the horse. He stood watching them as
they moved out into the road and turned down
toward the field. He felt that she had sent
him away; but still there was a look in her
eyes which was not altogether
he gave 1t up in despair at last. He was not
good at analyses Of this nature; he was used to
plain, blunt expressions. There was a woman's
subtlety here quite beyond his reach.
He sauntered slowly off up the road after his
talk with Julia. His head was low on his
breast; he was thinking one who is about to
take decided and important step.
He stopped at length, and turning watched
the girl moving along in the deeps of the corn.
Hardly leaf was stirring; the untempered sun
light fell in burning flood upon the field: the
grasshoppers rose, snapped, buzzed and fell;
the locust uttered its dry, heat-intensifying
cry. The man lifted his head.
Its d-n shamer' he said. beginning rap
idly to retrace his steps. He stood leaning on
the fence, awaiting the girls coming very much
as she had waited his on the round he had made
before dinner. He grew impatient at the slow
gait of the horse, and drummed on the rail while
he whistled. Then he took off his hat and busted
it nervously. As the horse got little nearer
he wiped his face carefully, pushed his hat