Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-06-29


you l1eer to como along?
Dea Stones stout little horse and
rocmy carriage stood before the farm
house gate and as he addressed me Mrs.
Stone appeared in the low doorway and,
her round face beaming Good-naturedly,
declared that ride, as the morning was
so fine, would do you jest power
O. good needed very little urging,
and was soon comfortably seated by
my genial host, driving swiftly along
the woody road.
How delightful to a weary, broken
down man is the fresh, fair country!
Already l felt at home with these folk,
though the week had not yet passed
since / came among them III obedience
to the doctors peremptory command.
Careful nursing, good food, and, best of
all, the warm, personal interest that
the deacon and his wife took in my
well-being, Ead set me up wonderful
" as the saying goes. Sweet with
the breath of summer, warm winds
swept past us over waving meadows
and sunny hillsides, thrushes fiuted
from the heart of distant trees and
farInhousesahere and there CLEANED
whitley in ne sunshine as we flew past
them azd followed the old road wind
ing
AS old roads will,
Here to a farmhouse
And there to u mill,
till suddenly, at the turning of a way
side lane, the deacon drew rain, and
waited for the woman and little child
coming along it, look of pleasure
lighting up his honest, gray eyes.
''Hullo, Huldy!' he shouted, cheer
lily, show air We? Amos, too, is gittin'
putty spry, amt hep
Her laughing reply came back to us,
and picking up the child, a boy of some
Two or three summers, she came for
ward to shake hands with the deacon,
and I was accordingly presented to
'.AIis' Cones"
Such pretty picture of womanhood!
A supple, young figure, in close-ftting,
blue cotton dress, with snowy ker-
chief clasping the firm, white throat,
and the soft light falling family
through those close, green leaves upon
the masses of gold brown hair that
crowned her well poised head, and the
little curls straying idly across her
broad. low brow. One arm was thrown
about the little chap. who nestled close
to her rounded chin, his yellow curls
stirred slightly by the breezes and a
rosy thumb in his wee mouth. How
her dark eyes lighted mp and the sem
sitive lips smiled on him, as with the
look of a shy bird, safe on his mothers
tender breast, he watched us.
''Ef jeff wants to see the fines thing
out yit, he had better jist pack you an
mar, an Amos, enter that new kerridge
of his'n an drive over to my place.
got the fines mowin' machine fer miles
roun', Hubby, en- mind We don't furgit
to tell him. the deacon said to her.
Smilingly she promised, when the dea-
con interrupted her. You amt one to
furgit the road to Stones farm, air We.
Huldy?" he questioned, in evidently
such Il teasing manner that the rich red
flooded royalty her round, smooth
cheeks.
NO" and she looked up frankly at
Rim. ''You were always our best friend
in those days, deacon" she answered
with such sweet simplicity that the old
mans face grew bright with pleasure
as he watched her.
''Wal. wal, We know allus did have
an awful soft sort of spot in my old
heart for the gals" and he laughed in
q satisfied manner. Then after few
inquiries regarding ''the folks" on
both sides, and the hope expressed that
she would be lover to Mendham for the
exercises tomorrow" with a good-na-
tnred pinch of 'the shy baby's cheek,
and a hearty shake of his mothers
slim. young hand, the deacon chirruped
briskly to his horse, and once more we
started on our journey.
Looking back as we climbed the
steep hill, we saw a group of three,
where two had been. A stalwart young
man with the baby on his shoulder
and the pretty, young wife laughing
beside him, as they went along the
roadside.
ssYes, Jefss good fellow. That air
was terrible rough courtship. though
kin tell ye." and the deacon shook his