Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-09

! of them"
I Mrs. Ashby did not acquiesce readily
+ in her daughters plans but she finally
gave a reluctant consent, and Mary
at once set to work to carry her plans
into execution. Fortunately, she was
used to hard, outdoor work, having
aided her father on the claim the two
years they had lived in Kansas, and
at the same time she had gained an
idea Of farm management that stood
her in good stead.
At the end of three weeks she had
forty acles Of ground broken and
ready to seed, and she felt that the
worst part Of her task was done.
III 20 over to Dick Enness," she
said to her mother, and get the drill
and put the wheat in, and then I'll be
through with the work for the present
and have a little time to rest
Goodness knows you need rest"
Mis-. AshDy replied, casting a look of
love and sympathy on her daughter
You're not strong enough for such
hardships as you have gone through"
ooh, I've not hurt myself in the
least, mother" Mary replied, land
now that the hardest part of the work
is done I shall get along all right. 1t
will only take a little while to drill
the wheat and the work is not hard
at all"
Mary harnessed the horses, and de-
parted for Enness' to fetch the drill.
Enness was at home, and when she
came up to his yard gate, ne walked
out to meet her.
"G0od-molning, Miss Ashby," he
called. Where are you starting so
early?''
Il came to get the drill" she replied,
'tO put in our wheat. l have the
ground ready, and l thought I'd use
the drill while you are finishing your
breaking, so that you could have it
when you are ready to use it,
Dick Enness looked at Mary very
hard, for an instant, then cast his
glance down while d flush overspread
his face.
Pm sorry to have to refuse you a
favor" he said after a while, but L
don't see just how l can let you have
my drill, for [ shall need it myself for
several days"
Your drill?' Mary exclaimed in
surprise.
Yes, ma'am," Enness replied, with
out looking up. Il supposed you knew
it was my drill
Il didn't know it, Mr.. Enness,'
Mary said, land l can't understand
hny To no drill T
that you and father bought it together
and [ know that he paid half Of its
COST
That's true enough, Miss AShby.
But about two months ago, just be-
fore your fathers death, | bought his
interest out and paid him for it, so
now it is all NINE.
Mary Ashby looked at EnnesS in
wonder. That there was a word of
truth in his claim she did not for one
moment believe.
Mr. Enness,'' she said at last, sit
surprises me that you should claim
that which is not yours. l never would
have believed that you would be so
base as to rob two helpless women
and especially the wife and daughter
of man who did so much for you as
my father did"
Miss Ashby," EnneSs replied, with
cool effrontery, 1.-The drill is mine and
you can't have it, and that is all there
is to it."
He turned on his heel and walked
away, and Mary, realizing her help
md Il
heavy heart.
She understood EnnesS' purpose and
she knew that he had more i'll view
than the simple possession Of the drill.
His object was to thwart her attempt
at raising crop, so that the claim
deprive her of the use of the drill he
argued that her efforts would be
baked. But he had a different spirit
to deal with than he had anticipated
and one that was capable of SurmOunt-
ing the impediments he placed in her
way.
She thought the matter over. Be
fore she reached home she had plan
formulated. 1t was useless, she knew,
to fight with EnnesS for her rights
and it was equally as useless to seek
elsewhere for a drill. Yet she was
determined to put the wheat out and
she adopted the only plan that was
open to her for the accomplishment
| of that purpose. She would sow it
broadcast and harrow it in.
And she did, though it took days Of
hard work. She perSeyered until the
last foot of land was planted and har-
rowed. Enness, who was watching
her movements and who chuckled to
himself when she began, thinking she
would soon give up the undertaking,
crestfallen when he saw the work
] completed.
Il had no idea she was half so
gritty he unused, and it begins to
! time getting her off that claim, but the
! chances are that her wheat will fail
/ after ALL
! But Enness was doomed to a disap-
pointment in his hopes of a crop fail
ure, for her wheat grew and pros
| pered, and at last when it was ready
to harvest it was the finest field Of
grain in that section.
Miss AShby had a long spell Of
sickness Immediately after getting her
again at harvest time, and though En-