The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-15


WITH THE CHILDREN.
foreman's wife, hearty, talkative
woman, piled her with milk and
cookies.
1T must be Heaven TO live here and
feed the chickens and cows" the young
girl said one day when Arthur was
passing by--quite accidentally.
Mrs. Richards took seat, wiping her
face on her apron. 'Wal, j don't know
about that, when il comes to waitin'
and tendin' on n mess of 'em; it don't
edgicate "A feller much. Does it, Art?"
"We don't do il for play, exactly he
replied, taking n seat on the porch
steps and smiling up at Edith; Il can't
stand cows. like horses, though. Or
course. il / were foreman Of the dairy
that would he another thing"
The flower-like girl looked down at
him with strange glance. Something
rose in her heart that sobered her. She
studied the clear brown of his face, and
the white of his forehead, where his
hat shielded IL from the sun and the
wind. The spread of his strong neck
and the clutch of his brown hands at
tracted her.
"How strong you look" she said LINUS
ingly.
He laughed up at her in frank pleas
ure. "Well, I'm not out here for my
health exactly, although when l came
here was pretty tender. i was just
out of college, in fact" he said, glad of
the chance TO let her know that he was
rot an ignorant working man.
She looked up surprised and pleased.
"Oh, you're college mani have two
brothers at Yuie. One of them plays
halfback or shortstop or something.
OF course you played?'
Baseball? Yes, was pitcher for
'ss." He heaved sigh. He could not
think of those blessed days without sor-
row.
"Oh. I didn't mean baseball, mean
football"
"We don't play that much in the west.
We go In more for baseball; more
science"
"Oh, I like football best, it's so lively.
/ like to see them when they get all
punched up, they look so funny. and
then when some fellow gets the ball
under his arms, and goes shooting
around with the rest all jumping at
him. Oh, oh, it's excitingl"
She smiled and her teeth shone from
her scarlet lips with more familiar
expression than he had seen on her face
before. Some wall of reserve had melt
I'd away and they chatted on with grow
ing freedom.
"Well, Edith are you ready?" asked
the major. coming up.
Arthur sprang up as If he suddenly
remembered that he was a working
man.
Edith rose also. "Yes, all ready,
uncle"
"Well, we'll be going in minute.
Mr.. Ramsey, do you think that millet
has got water enough?"
For the present, yes. The ground is
not so dry as Ii looks"
AS they talked on about the farm
Mrs. Richards brought him out n glass
of milk.
Arthur with nice calculation un-
hitched the horse and dbroughtitaround
willie the major was detained.
"May help you IN, Miss Newell?"
She gave him her hand with frank
gesture. and the major reached the cart
just as she was taking the lines from
Arthur.
Are you coming?" she gaily cried,
"if not. I'll drive home by myself"
"You mean you'd hold the lines"
"No, sir, l can drive, IL l have
chance"
That what the American girl is
saying these days"
"Well, I'm going 10 begin right now
and drive all the way home"
As they drove off she flashed n roguish
glance back at Arthur, n smile which
shadowcd swiftly into look which had
n certain appeal in IT, Iss was very hand
some in his working dress.
All the rest OF the day that look was
with him. lie could not understand IL,
though her mood while seated upon the
porch was perfectly comprehensive.
The following Sunday morning he
saddled up one Of the horses and went
down To- church. lie reasoned she would
attend the Episcopal service, and he had
the pleasure of seeing her PASS up tn
aisle most exquisitely dressed.
This feeling Of pleasure was turned
10 sadness by sober second thought.
Added to the prostration before his
ideal was the feeling that she belonged
10 another vorld.-a world OF pleasure
and wealth. world without work or
worry. This feeling was strengthened
by the atmosphere Of the beautiful lit
tle Church, fragraEt with dowers. deli