The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-10-11
CHAPTER III.
FARM IOvE THE SWEETEST.

FARM ADNE THE SWEETEST.
Louis and Mary spent their first
sulnmcr vacation at their home near
he country village. They We're both
at that age when love Ofromancc over
shadows all else in life. The practical
ana real will come soon enough. but
they do not obtrudc themselves on
young hearts when all the surround
ing- are bright and joyous. These
young people lived in castles in
the air. and they hoped that if the
realities of life were to run counter to
their dreams. and their airy castles.
they might never awake. Not "a ripple
broke the harmony of their young
lives.
Much of the time was spent in sail
ing on the little lake They called it
sailing. but their homely craft had
neither sail nor mast on which to fix \
sail. or place to put Il rudder. It wa.
II frail thing which Louis had managed
to nut together at odd times somc-
thing after the nature of a raft. with u
rough bOX-like structure built much us
children build play houses. This
served for protection from sun and wind
and rain. and as it was the only craft
that !lOatcd on those waters it had the
right to 20 anyw here and everywhere.
and no one cared to object or protest
against it. In order to direct the
course of the craft and control it. IL
sculling oar was fitted in the end of
what might be termed ths prov. and
thus easily and ready was Louis able
to manage the little float.
50. drifting and floating in whichever
direction the wind blew. they had
naCgnt to do, save tell the story of
their love. and over and Ovc- again
they told it. and it neither grew mo-
notonous. nor did they weary of telling
it. Leisl,rcly and unconccrncdly they
drftcd on. with now and then Il slight
wind from the bluffs to break the
the sinOthncss of the placid waters.
and they wished they could float all
the years away. and ut will land on, .
shore where love weighed supreme and
always.
Louis. if you love me. tell mo so. -
Did You say if. Mary: In the vo-
cshulart OF love there is and can be no
III. The little word has never come
hctwixt your love and mine. 1t must
moi now. If chases love away. Ifs
flourish where there is least love.
Tncy drive the schOolboy to despair.
and make him hate his books. his
teacher and himself. and yet. IFS are
the rounds in the ladder Of fame which
enable the student to climb to the top.
In !la, blissful realm where love is
queen there can be no ifs. because
love would die were an If admitted
there. There never was yet Il heart
large enough for love and an if to
dwell together. | know there is not
All If in any part of my being when
love for you is my theme.
There now. Louie. like to hear
you talk that way. That is music to
my ears. 1t is real poetry the poetry
born OF love. Bat why don't YOU keep
on telling me you love me-"
''Why. Mary. only yesterday. told
yo,! Il hundred times that | love you.
'True. true. remember now you
did. and to-day | want you to tell me
80 !. thousand times. live only in
your love. and that Withdrawn for a
day. or lcsscned by so much AS a breath
OF air. and | care not to live. Tell me
You love me: not in words. for they de-
ccivc. Tell IN. with your eyes: tell
me with yo;r checks flowing witt the
flame that comes from swift-tlowinr
blood through veins that ought to know
~ other duty but to- bear the messages
of love from your heart to mine. tell
drp:h. and duration of your love- Put
the story in big volumes and be ages
telling it. that may know that am
truiy loved
MARY. since early childhood have
told YOU the story Of my love. and il
has been the story Of my lite. A. life
grows aIarc. my story grows. too. and
whittier tell it with eyes or lips, with
heart or soul il shall be the love Won
ask of me 1t shall take me ages 10
tell it, then let me live those ages il,
You" love. and the story tells itself.
To live ana To love arc one. May
Heaven never close the cords tina: bind
our hearts together.
Thus these lovers talked. The .re:,,
big world AMI all therein were moth
in@ 20 them. Love was everything.
uid Heaven hear that prayer:
The summer vacation ended. Louis
resumed his studies 1T the college.
H. Class would graduate in the spring
The fail months pass rapidly. and
winter finds him busily engaged III pre-
pairing the paper he Is to read 1T com.
mcneement. The professors eNpec,
much of him. He has been Il diGgen'
and tireless student. and his heart i,
his, work. His theme is one of grta,
interest throughout the land. and par
ticularly to the farmers. Brough, IL,
uH y farm himself. and at home and i,
thc college Il close student OF the effect
tEy tariff has on agriculture. he APP
prp;.cheS his subject ef Tariff Re
lul'.u" with his whole soul full of we'll
va ured thoughts.
CHAPTER ~.