Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
CHAPTER II.


fell across the threshold there was no tall young
fellow behind him. Joshua stood in the door
way to watch her. The kitchen was large and
sunny and Judith had papered it with her own
hands. Had the paper not been bought of q
pedler to whom Judith had paid tribute be-
cause she was alone in the house, and he had
such fierce kinder eyes," it probably would
not have been a remnant of q pattern used in
country "opera house." nor represented
flowers of such startling size and color. nor
needed to be eked out by a blue and
gold ceiling paper. But Joshua said that
the paper was a good quality; and he ad-
mired it with a trusting heart. He was a
short, rather stout, ford little man whose
gray hair was brushed back from a large FORE
head, and whose blue eyes were as innocent as
a child's. He stopped a little. because he had
bent over pillow handle much in his youth.
He wore short gray beard but his mouth was
bare and usually was attractive in its kindly,
half humorous smile. Tonight he watched his
wife gravely. But his first words were cheer
full enough. Mother, Axers money will be
here all right next month"; and he can pay
twelve hundred down and the rest on two,
three and four years time"
"That's good" said Mrs. Crest, "but why
didn't Myron come back with you, father?''
"He said he guessed he'd better hurry home"
The old man did not look at her; he walked
across the floor to the sink and began pumping.
All the while he was conscious OF his wife eyes
on his back
that bank?''
Joshuas face was over the tin basin: q great
splashlng noise came to her, mingled with q
grunt that the bank was all right; but Joshua's
neck, fair where the sun had not touched it,
grew redder and redder.
Father, jest know he did !" she cried; ''he
thinks Starlings bank amt safe. That's why
Myron wouldn't stop to supper; he didn't want
to be questioned"
Mother, you're the scariest crltter alive.
Startling is a good boy; he is the superintend-
ent-no, that's his brother, but he is a pro-
lessor; and he's straight temperance man, and
l amt going to believe word agin him."
Judith was trying to fry her cakes, the grease
sputtered and Kissed on the griddle and spat-
tered on her bare wrist; she did not even know
that it had burned her. Her mild eyes were
glowing, she trembled. and her gentle voice
was sharpened by pain as she answered: "Then
he did talk to you. Oh, father, don't, don't
hide anything from me-"
, Il amt hiding nothing, mother; Myron, he
thought you'd worry 30, that's all and faint
much he said; he's young and thinks he knows
it all. Jest because some Chicago Teller with
his boots BACKED has been stuffing Myron, he
thinks Steve Startling, we've all knowed from
boy, is going to bust up"
Father, for heavens SAKE what did Myron
say?"
''Well. if you'll be any wiser for hearin', he
heard Steve had been speculating in buckets in
Chicago, said the old man with visible pride
over his own fuency with the terms of finance.
HE has been going long or else he has been
going short on wheat and kiting away with
notes and lost money, but don't believe
word of it myself"
she laid the plate on the table and put the grid
die further back on the stove in order to ap-
prOach Joshua. Never since their little 10y
died had he seen his wife's face as it looked
then.
Joshua" she said, ''if we lose that money it
means we'll have to spend all our days working
on mortgaged farm. II we cayn't pay up the
third he can forecose on us; and you know he
il mean enough to do it, and il we borrow the
money to pay him we shall have to work it out |!
That's the best can happen to us. the worst is
we'll be turned out-on the prairie-no ways at
all can we 60 to town, and how many years
oh, father"
Hush, hush, Judy"-he tried to soothe her,
stroking her withered hand and patting it
'come now it will be all right, we III 20 fast
enough. didn't know you wanted it 30 awful
much!''
WANTED itr' she screamed, while the
patience of years seemed to break down and
her words rushed as a prairie fire spreads,
wanted it! Father, you amt got no idee what
1t means to me to get out OF this loneliness and
be with God s folks again! / amt had peace
full day since the children died. / couldn't work
all the while. never said nothing bout it, for
what good would it do? We'd got to live out
on the farm, it would only poster you and you
had enough to stand. but all day I'd been think
ing, what about the horses, what about the
reaper? when it was going, and I'd see you
brought home all bloody. II I'd a'soul to speak
to it wouldn't a been SO bad, but knew we
couldn't afford a girl and how'd We get one if
we could? And every time the wind blowed
was expecting a cyclone"
nv Jnlv "a rha :; 4
have a cyclone!'
II had got to be brave then, but was awful
scared inside; but when l seen it coming and
You off. had to loose the horses. for knew
the barn would go, and 1 gos what could
down cellar, cause knew that was the safest
place. But am always afraid OF it coming
again. But l won't mind it a bit in town,
there SO many people. Oh, ! cayn't tell you
what 1t will be to he where l can see the neigh
bors passing and 60 to church Sunday without
riding! I'll have Myron, that's most like
son to me-he was born the same day of the
month as our little 10, father, ana hes got the
same sweet disposition and eyes jest like JOS
eyes-don't you remember"
"Yes, yes. mother" said the old man, sigh
ing. In both their minds was the same vision
OF the love and joy and grief of their youth.
'Now, father, it seems like couldn't run no
risks. Say Myron and me are foolish, there
amt no risk in taking the money out and there
is to keep it In; jest to please me- father, won't
you take 1t out?'
He had never denied her anything and he
did not deny her now; he was frightened at her
strange excitement and told hcr to sit down
and he would finish getting supper. "And, /
tell you what I'll do. mother" said he, "I'll 60
to town tomorrow, though before the Lord I
don't know how to take the time, and
I'll inquire round and if there is any talk bout
the bank being bad I'll draw the money sharp
But, you see, l hate to make mischief for Star
ling, who is good boy, running down his bank,
SO jest got to 60 cautious, amt l? And it is q
sight OF money to draw out at a whack, now
amt iE Mebbe we'd better sorter give him
warning, do like we'd be done by, you know, SO
II think you'd better go and do Jest what
Myron says
''Myron don't know everything, mother"
answered her husband in piqued tone You
don't seem to guess got any judgment of my
own"
She saw she had made mistake and fastened
to assure him that she knew how good his
judgment was and the like things that wives
say to their husbands but there was q little
rankle left Myron had always disliked Startling
from boy. he said. Myron was prejudiced
Nevertheless, he was as good as his word In
the morning he drove to town. He inquired of
the deacon Of his church if Startling was sound.
he had quams Of conscience lest such inquiry
might be an injury to the bank, therefore he
chose known friend Of Startling for the inter-
locutor. ''Sound?" exclaimed the deacon,
whose name was on q note Of Starlings at that
moment, sound, OF course he Is sound, but il
you want to make him unsound that il the way
10 go 10 it. start q run andy viii make plenty
Of mischief"