Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-17

a-ilke 70 see. m gOln 10 Jake cnanco wuon
got it. Jawn Beckner. what'll you do yer in
the Barrens?" Little Lie stared contemptu-
ousiy out upon the Barren trees, and the black
berry bushes and he miserable shanties show
ing up here and there. But the contemptuous
expires son gave lace to one OF doubt and dis
may when he looked at John.
Tie elder of Elijahs boys had also allowed
his gaze to stray over the urinsiting wilderness.
Little Lie might have dreams, but John had
them, too. A pathetic smile played about the
resolute mouth. but the boy could not keep
back the two telltale> tears that rolled down his
cheeks.
.Jawn. b'lieve Won wanta gor' Little Lie
laid his hand on his brothers arm with
strange gentleness, as if already the boy here In
the Barrens had become somebody.
But | amt a-goin Lie
Aunt Jemima wouldn keer very mucn'
mebbe."
81 amt a-goin'." repeated John.
'.Ef Aunt Jemima says she won't mind?"
mo"
What Of after awhile, Jawn, you wuz to be
awful sorry?''
"Mebbe l won't, Lie: there amt no tellin':"
little Lie, softly; faint every day body gets
q chance I.
The neighbors, upon hearing the news, came
forward with their SAY. agreeing with httie
Lie. "Ef they'll take both Of 'em an start
both of 'em, both OF 'em ought ago, was the
"They kin do as they please" said Miss
Jemima; I'm neither hinderin' or helpin.'
But the aunt in the Barrens shed few tears
over the boys clothes that she packed In
| the carpet-baG, and. somehow. she felt a
degree of pride in the venturesomeness OF little
Lie, though he was willingly leaving her, ana
said to herself of the boy who was going to
stay, "IEere amt SO much go in Jawn.
After the departure of little Lie great
loneliness settled upon the small house in the
Barrens. Even before spring came John set
feverishly TO work.
| The people were not slow to notice the
| change i'll Miss Jemima's stony acres. and
! when the boy, all alone, started into grabbing
] the blackberry field the talk spread. lawns
stayed back to get the place. they said.
Miss Beckner had never missed any one as
| much as she missed little Lie, but when his
letters arrived she read them over and over,
| and, as she said to Mr.. Lowry. "they brought
mite o. comfort" John. however, after read
| ing little 'Lijes glowing letters, would go out
into the lot and pick up stones until after
| dark
| HE he'd the chance Miss Jemima would
say. failing to comprehend Johns actions;
TWAS his own fault ef be didn't take it.
neither helped or Murdered" And then the
people talk came floating to her and ske grew
! TO look upon John as the one who had "stayed
| back to git the place"
SO gradually the little farm took on its pros
porous appearance that its mistress hardly
realized the change So gradually she &C.
customed herself to each added comfort as the
| years went by that it seemed to her that she
| could never have done without them. When
| the new house raised in front of the old
and The neghbors became congratulatory and
| friendly. she surprised them into silence by her
crisp, Dare knows, it's ben put of long
| enough"
But pride and pleasure in his work had
| taken possession OF John with the broadening
| Of bis As ha foI ferc
in the limo kilns through the long summer
nights the boys lorgiugs had vanished and the
mans deeper thoughts and wiser desires had
crept into their place.
| The blackberry held had long been smiling
pasture, the great trees had been felled on every
side away .rom ne house. happy little
homes sto, h here and there in place of those
miserable sianries. and the county was ringing
and laughing with the news that John Becknef
was cutting himself out OF the Barrens the day
that little Lie paid his first visit to Miss
| Jemima
Miss Jemima was getting old Her wrinkled
hand trenbled as it pressed the hand OF little
| Lie. She was so very proud OF little Lie.
| He had prosperod Ill the western city-even
| beyond his own widest dreams Any one to
| look at little Lie would know that he had
prospered. The farmers who met him on the
| road and to whom he called out famiiiarly
| trea ted him with respectful awe; even Miss
| Jemima could not overcome a certain timidity
| in his presence. But she loved to wait upon
| him and she loved to hear him talk and laugh,
and she was very sorry when he went away.
| IL was on sweet May-scen.ed morning that
| she stood AZ the gate looking down the road.
John had driven little Lie to the village. She
| was thinking of the amazcment in the eyes OF
little Lie when he viewed the place from the
! wide porch. The most wonderful thing he had
ever seen. he said. the Improvement in the
| B9rreus. And then he had added with his
happy laugh. 80 Johns disappointment had a
| pleasant euding after ALI! "Jawn's disap-
pointment?" she had repeated. and he had cried
out in surprise. "Why, didn't you know that he
| was wild to get to the store? You have your
self 70 thank. Aunt Jemima, for the improve
ment in the Barrens."
Miss Beckner's ewes had faded with her ad.
| vancing years. but she stood there at the
| gate she saw the green stretch Of fields on each
eide of the yard. she saw the happy little homes
the house. But the dim eyes beheld what did
not lie before them: There once more
was the comfortless old house on the
side Of the stony hill, there was the
ugly little duck pond only few Yards from
the kitchen door, there the crookedlane ul
| which she had SO often driven the one old
horse.
John had returned and entered by the back
way. He came around to the front yard look
ing for his aunt. He wanted to hear her talk
about little Lie.
How strong and big and brave he was, What
a necessary part OF her life he was. Miss Je-
| NINA smiled through tho tears in her eyes.
| Then she placed her hands on his broad shout
dcrs and glanced from side to side before her
gaze rested on his face. lie remembered long
af,erward the pink glow that was In her checks
"Jnwn," size said. TREMENDOUSLY, you've made
the Barrens bloom"