Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-11-29
A ROMANCE OF WORK

The sun hung like copper disk in an
indigo sky. Heat danced whirled and
eddied a few feet above the alkali dust in
the trail. Over the great patches of sage
brush the air hung like the breath of tho
dead. Not even the wing of a bird set it
in motion. The low adobe cabin seemed
to crouch upon the plain as if it were try
ing to escape notice, fearful lest the heavy
sky would fall upon it. Except the few
scattered sheep corrals there was not a
break in tho monotonous level of the
ground.
One could judge from the height of the
sun that the morning was scarcely begun.
But there was no other sign-song Of
birds, sparkle of devon the Upidee ranch.
A young woman sat in the doorway with
folded hands and detected shoulders She
was apparently as lifelcss as her surround
ings With her head leaning against the
side of the door she might have made a
pleasing picture were it not for the hard
lines about her mouth and the hopeless
look in her oyes-eycs which wandered
over the gray sagebrush and fingered
stolidly upon the patch where she had
tried to keep alive few green plants.
There had been time when the sight
of these withercd plants cooked by the sun
would have made her Cry. Not now,
though. Janet Dinscombe wondered
vaguely if she were losing her senses. She
remembered hearing centuries ago-it was
less than year-that men lost their
mi, 10 .h,,t, . l,,. r
in the desert. She had laughed at the
thought of that when Roger Dinscombe
had told her of his love before he came to
work out living on sheep ranch She
would not delay the marriage. 81 am to
be helpmcet not "A hindrancc," she said
and urged him to take her with him. 81
will keep house for you. We will be to-
gethcr. What more can we ask" she said
pleadingly. With pretty flushed cheek
up against his Roger Dinscombe had not
the courage to deny Janet Moores de-
mand. Her homo was not very pleasant,
he argued to himself in justification. And
Janet had her own way
The first two months the young wife
went singing about the little cabin, happy
enough. Then her step grew less lively
and hours of unhappiness followed Roger
loved her, of course she knew that. But
he did not tell hor so very often now.
Then, too, he was busy all the day, and
she had long forcnoonS and afternoons
when there was nothing to do. Her house
was neat us pin. She even had read all
the advertisements in the few papers which
chance brought her. Her nearest ncighbor
lived five miles away. When Roger came
home, he was too tired to talk much.
There was late supper and an early
then silence and desola-
ton.
One day Janet realized she was losing
her love for her husband. That was when
she had planted the garden. A few sickly
plants grew there, which she kept alive by
carrying water from muddy little stream. |
When July came, this dried up. And now
her plants were dead. She felt choked as
she looked at them, but the tears did not
come to her eyes.
Roger Dinscombe noticed the shadow |
which had settled upon his wifc's face. |
Blaming himself he grew irritable and |
moody. Instead of love making him ten |
Ter it forced him to be distant. Often now |
husband and wife avoided looking into |
zach others eyes. That very morning he
lad spoken to Janet sharply as he went !
away. The words fell back on his own
leart like lash. "What brute 1 am"
10 muttered and half turned to come
back. But the set look on Janet's face
anne up before him and he spurred on the
pony he was riding.
"Am l going mad?" Janet repeated to
herself until the sun had crept to where
he sat. Il won't go mad. l am a girl
If common sense. used to hate the work
1t home of cooking for houseful of step
'rothers and sisters, mending and darn.
ng, with constant whining and fretting
rom stepmother who was as strong as
I'M. Now work would be the most blessed
'oon on earth. What shall l do?" The
title sitting room and kitchen were spot
ess. She could not do anything there.
."PH put my trunk in order, she
bought. Not ribbon was out of place.
'he took up bundle of patches idly.
Why not make quilt" The idea pleased
Ter as she locked over the patches. That
ut OF lilac print was her first "grown up
own, " and this blue and white checked
alico was the dress she had on the first
line she met Roger. She remembered now
hat she had bunch Of wild crab apple
blossoms in her belt when she ran into
lrs. Dinscombe's on an GRAND and was
old, Janet, this is my son Roger, who
as just come home from the west"
The young Mrs. Dinscombe's face soft
ned as she seemed to live it over again
nd to see honest blue eyes looking at her
lying, 81 approve of you" Piece after
iece was unfolded. This white null was
er wedding dress. Smoothing and pet
ng it with fingers which would get
,rky, Janet sat for long time Then the
iars came-tears which seemed to melt
10 iron band around her heart. When she
where she was, it was almost
upper time, and she jumped up with
tile start. Poor Roger" sho murmured.
What must you think of meP" She cooked
10 best that her kitchen afforded, and in