The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1898-06-03

plimented if she had heard Dell's COM
ment 1t was sincere. To Dell it was
great thing 10 be able 20 talk well.
The days following were full of de-
light to the girl. All the glories Of the
spring were heaped upon her. Birds
awakened her IN the morning with a
thousand musical voices She brought
home loads Of delight from the fields
and woods in the afternoon, and in the
evening Dell told her stories of autumn
hunts and huskings. He told how
woman he knew had become a mission
airy.
And she has gone to teach the heath
en-" asked the girl.
NO" drawled Dell. 81 guess she's
what you'd call home missionary She
goes around blacking stoves.
Dell's mother explained that the
woman in question had a lightning
blacking outfit, and she went about the
neighborhood backing stoves without
charge just to occupy her time and
benefit the appearance Of her neighbors'
Kitchens.
There was a world Of tenderness in
Dell's voice when he talked to the girl
Seldom did he grow tender IN his words
however, only once, when they We're
sitting on the porch toward evening and
a mosquito came humming about Dell's
ears. He struck at it 9th his open
hand, and it flew toward tLg gi1l
Don't send your mosquitoes over this
way to bite me, " she said.
That's what I'd do if l was a mos
quito" " said Dell without a smile
and with a degree Of earnesmess that
almost frightened her. She went into
the house then, and Dell saw her nc
more that evening, and there was a lit
tie strain III his left side that almost
choked him when he thought of her He
told his mother what he had said
81 meant it, too" he said and then
added desperately, Il wish l was a
mosquito.
Dell, " said his mother, 'yOu must
not say such things She won't like it.
She isn't plain, like us, and she won't
know how TO take it. But they are go
ing away III the morning, so you must
be up early to drive them to the sta
ton 4"
AS the train left at an early hour
every one was awake soon after day
break When the girl came down stairs
dressed for her journey, she looked
around for Dell. He was not there His
place at the breakfast table was cleared.
The mother hustled in.
Dell had to go to Groveland this
morning, " she said. Little Peter Fer
guson will drive you to the depot "
But he didn't say goodby to us, 4"
said the girl. Il call it unfair of Dell
to go away without saying goodby."
"Well, he had to go early, and you
wasn't up, " said the mother, land he
said l wasn't to disturb you.
Dell, driving down through the shady
roads of the way to Groveland, with
his white slCuch hat over his eyes and
his shoulders stopped forward as one
sits when thinking, heard the whistle
of the train at the crossing and stopped
his horses until the last rumble of the
wheels had ceased. Then he touched his
horses with the whip and went on. For
the first time the birds sang unnOticed
over his head. He didn't see the car
pet of dandclions by the roadside, nor
did he hear the tinkle of the brook as
it dropped over the slate ledges into the
ravine. He heard nothing but a sound
of a young, joyous voice that had made
music for him for week and saw moth
ing but n CLINT of yellow hair that was
really nothing but the sunshine playing
about him.
And that night the girl went into
Miss HamiltOn's room, and sitting
down on an ottoman laid her head in
the other woman's lap and cried:
"What is it, Bernardine? Aren't you
happy"
"Yes," she said, "I am happy, but 1
want to go back, l want to 90 back.
Do you suppose l will some timer
4 think it very likely" said Miss
Hamilton. n.-Katharine Hartman.