Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-10-25

CHAPTER. Iv-tContiuu.s,

ShhtEEA. lS-tCOntiuuedN
with her brain throbbing, with her
heart racked by a tempest of emotion
she lay where she had thrown herself
WIN l the memory of his words. the
JOY OF his praise. filling all her senses,
excluding all other thoughts.
When n at length started to her
Zee she felt ashamed Of her forgetful.
ness or other matters, of her neglect of
the household duties SO long her sole
care. She smoothed her heavy. shining
tresses, and went to the kitchen and
ana the metal pans, and peeled
the vegetables for the soup pot. and
set the table ready for the return
OF old Maso and Nita, and all the time
her heart felt so light, so happy. her
lips were singing gay, glad, birdlike
snatches of song.
Had he not kissed her, praised herr
She who unto herself. and even to 9th
ers, a so long been stupid, coarse
unloVely peasant. The wonder was
gladness of the thought were always
with her, tightening her labors, beau
tifylng her homely face, making even
Light and work a pleasure.
The u had long set-and Il was
growing dusk. The meal was ready.
the brick floor clean swept, and through
the square, unglaZed window, she look
ed anXiously from time to time. won
dering why Nita did not return.
old Maso came in presently, hot.
tired and hungry. She served him with
soup and placed a fresh-cut lettuce and
a slice Of coarse brown bread beside
him.
Have you not seen Mia as you came
through the ields? she asked at last.
NO" he said, curtly, for his faulty,
thoughtless niece was no fayorite of
his. is she gadding about again?
She will get into harm yet, if she heeds
not. No maiden should be so free with
her speech and actions as she is"
You are hard upon her." pleaded
Genna. "She Is young and has the
faults Of youth-that is all"
1T Is well you think 80, Genna. II
you made her share your labors and
kept her more at home, 'twould be bet
ter for her now-for her In the future"
But Genna paid no heed. She was
accustomed to her uncle's grumblings
about her sister by this time, and knew
they would last as long as he was there
TO grumble.
She lit the lamp and cleared away
the platters, and then went to the door
and stood there. looking out with hap
py, dreamful eyes.
The bats few by in the hot, sweet
darkness Tapping their wings, as they
touched the silent figure. The grill
hummed about in the grasses, the fire.
flies danced in the corn; above scared
a great, golden moon, lighting all the
dense, blue Of the sky, paling all
the qulvering luminance of the stars.
The world is very fair" thought
Genna. for her heart was happy with
a happiness it had not known. She
wished Nita would come in. She
would like to have told her Of the
gladness and peace she felt. Nita, who
had lovers innumerable, would not be-
grudge her this one. Then she flushed
hOtly. Lovers! Was she thinking Of
such folly-she, with her plain face and
simple ways, and her total lack of all
feminine charms? And yet
And yet he seemed to care!" she told
herself softly, and blushed and smiled
at the thought. Then she went within.
IF only Mia would come" she said.
But the night deepened and Nita new
er came.