Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-08-18
On that hot summer morning when

the rrain rolled In to the little station,
deposited Mary and her luggage and
then rolled out again, Mrs. Patrick
stood waiting on the platform. Her
strong face lighted with pleasure as
she looked at the girls erect, slender
form, the delicate, sensitive face and
the plain but tasteful dress.
Shell do" she thought. And the
next moment she was leading the way
to her light road wagon, into which the
station agent was already bouncing
Mary's trunk. 1t was spirited pair
of horses that Mrs Patrick drove, and
they were soon off at speed on their
way to the farm. Mary, who had no
self consciousness, looked about her
with enjoyment and responded readily
to all Mrs. PGtrick's conversational ad-
v0nces, so that the two were like old
friends when the hill came in sight
"Ah! Now l see the meaning Of
Round Top Farm" cried Mary. what
a pretty background the hill makes to
these fields. And the rail fences-how
much better they are than the barbed
wire ones saw from the car Window
DECIDEDLY, on stock farm" replied
Mrs. Patrick. 'sThink of one of my beau
tlful Jerseys mangled on n barbed
wire!"
Rail fences were old-fashioned but
because Mrs. Patrick liked them, easy
going Mr.. Patrick kept them in good
repair. The house, almost hidden
among trees, was old-fnshioned, too,
but Mrs. Patrick liked II, and Mr.. Pat
rick was grateful for that liking. 1t
was his boyhood's home, and he would
have been sorry to see It changed. And,
lastly, Mrs. Patrick. herself. though Il
comparatively young woman, was old
fashioned. She cared nothing for wom-
ems clubs, and rs to dress, she wished,
first Of ALL to be comfortable, and after
that stylish.
Now. before MaIy's arrival, Mrs. Pat
rick had said to herself, This is an ex-
pertinent ! shall not set her, whoever
she is, to do anything. shall simply
watch to see what her idea Of being
useful Is. And If this experiment is not
successful, shall not try similar one
again."
There was abundance Of hired help
on the farm for both outdoor and in
door work. There could hardly have
been regular tasks assigned to Mary.
The girl. quick to perceive, saw that
and felt 1t In the atmosphere Of the
farm before she had been there twenty
four hours.
II hope Mrs Patrick's offer was not
n delicate way Of being charitable she
said to herself anxiously. Il should not
wish to accept charity"
1t was June. and there We're berries
of all kinds to be picked and taken care
Of. For Mrs. Patrick kept Of each
berry, the very earliest and latest vari-
cites known to horticulture. Mary Of
fered one morning to go out and pick.
mo, my dear was the kind but posi-
tive reply. You have small physical
strength. but should Judge you have
skill" And then she gave Mary
smile.
Not much Skill" answered Mary,
except in selling silks and ribbons,
But believe l can develop some skill
If you will not think me pushing and
presuming."
Push and presume all you like" said
Mrs. Patrick, cordially. only don't
waste yourself on task can hire a
child to do"
SO Mary began to push and pre-
sulne." She was deft-handed and open
eyed. She sorted and packed berries
for market and, owing to her painstak-
ing, the Patrick berries stood q little
higher, II possible, In the estimation of
buyers. She helped with the canning
and preserving for home use, and one
day Mrs. Patrick said, II declare, Mary,
think putting that advertisement In
the Evening Herald was the most for
tunate thing ever did. You seem to
belong here
Behind the glad look that answered
her in Mary's eyes certain wistful-
ness shone out And 1t set Mrs. Patrick
thinking. But she did not ut once for
mulate her thought, If that could be
called thought which was a passive
opening Of her mind to all that concern
ed Mary and her life on the farm She
noticed that all the Jerseys loved her;
that when she stepped out toward their
yard the chickens crowded to welcome
her; that the sheep We're always ready
to follow her; that the flowers seemed
to thrive under her touch that every
dumb thing on the place trusted her.
Shut up girl like that In a store"
exclaimed Mrs. Patrick to herself one
morning In August. "a girl that has
sense enough to enjoy living close to
nature! For she does enjoy 1t. She's
gained In every way since she's been
here"
Yes, Mary did enjoy It There was
time every day for her to read and rest,
and plenty Of reading on hand. How
could she stand 1t to go back! she often
asked herself. To live alone in that
little cOoped-up room at night and
through her small leisure time to stand
all day and minister to those who were
too tired and In too much of hurry, or
else too idle and selfish to care for her
more than they did for the cash-box
that ran on the wire to the cashiers
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