The National tribune., 1900-08-23

D AND ANGERED."
the idea that they were that ILL., Besides.
they wanted to surprise their mothers, and
they bubbled over with chatter to each 9TH
er as to what their mothers would be do
ing when they walked in upon them; what
they would say, and how overcome they
would be.
The train for Bean Blossom Creek was
the last one to start, and it seemed to the
impatient partners to be the slowest that
ever attempted to make a schedule. 1t was
an accommodation train that stopped with
great deliberation at every crossroads, and
waited with great patience on the switches
for other trains to meet it or go ahead
of it.
Great goodness" murmured Shorty, as
he and 81 walked up and down the side
of the track, while the engine was calmly
sizzling on the switch. Il didn't think
that anything in Injianny could be so slow
That old kittle stops and rests as often as
that one that brung US from Anderson
vile, and hain't no need to, for it is in
good health and can run like deer when
it wants to-
"Well have to pin our faith to the time.
table," answered Si, more composedly
"rhe timetable says that we'll git to Bean
Blossom Crick at 3:31. and the trains
usually on time. People up in Injianny
generally do as they say"
1t seemed as il 3:31 would never come,
but precisely at the minute the engine ran
up to the well-remembered station and
halted.
Rest there now as long as you con-
sarned please, you dumbed old snorter,''
said 81, as they stepped out of the car, to
meet the usual crowd gathered to see the
| train come in.
As quiet followed the clangor of bell
and hiss Of steam when the engine came
TO a stop, Shorty heard round, full tones
coming from the direction Of the freight
house, and which set his heart to throb-
bing. The voice said:
whoa, there, Norton"
| STEADY there, Grant,"
Then another voice spoke, which set
Sis nerves pulsing:
Let me down, Maria, and I'll hold
them"
mo, Annabel, no need. They're all
right now. They'll stand. This is the
first time they've been to the train for a
long time, and they're little skittish, but
they're calming down."
81 and Shorty saw wagon loaded with
sacks of wheat standing by the little ele-
| vatOr, while the men inside lifted the
sacks in and emptied them into the bin.
| The wagon was drawn by two fat, power
full horses in good condition. On the spring
seat in front, with their backs toward
them, sat two young women, with sun
bonnets pinned down around their faces to
protect them from sunburning. The larg-
er of the two held the reins with a firm
grasp of her gloved hands, and the other
held an umbrella over them both.
''That wagon looks like pap's," said 81.
| '"Them horses look like the colts growed
up, and do believe them girls is Annabel
and Maria
They hurried down to where they could
get look at the girls faces. But the
l -hopnatS dra rlnSnlv that If
tie more than the eyes were visible. One
| of the girls, however, looked up from the
horses long enough to see around, and the
sweetest voice in the world called out:
"Howdy, there, Josiah! It's me, Anna
bel. Where in the world did you come
| frOm?"
Maria gave a start, but did not relax a
grain of her firm grasp on the lines, as she
looked around and called out:
Gracious, 81 Klegg, is that you? Did
you Just drop down out O. the clouds? And
Mr.. Elliott, too. Well, what strange
things a feller does see when he hasn't
gun?'
what in the world are you girls doing
| here?" said 81. as he helped them down,
| while Shorty stood at the horses heads.
"When'd you quit dishwashing and take
to driving team? Have you got up too
much muscle to do sewing and mother
| made you go to work outside"
Shorty was amazed that 81 would dare
to speak to Maria as if she was just some
! ordinary girl.
mo, indeed" answered Maria. "Pap's
pressed to death for help. No men to be
got anywhere. He and Abe Lincoln and
little Sammy are cutting corn for all
they're worth, from sun-up till dark. He
was anxious to get his wheat to the rail
| road, and me and Annabel agreed to haul
it for a new dress apiece. This is our first
load. It's lots O. fun, I think. Much
rather, do it than stand over hot cook
Having said the commonplace things,
there came a silence too deep for words.
All felt too much to speak. 81 could only
hold Annabel's hand and look at her.
Shorty did not dare touch Maria's hand.
He could only look. The warehouseman
came to break the spell by announcing
that the wheat was unloaded, the sacks
thrown back into the wagon, and handing
Maria the memorandum of the amount,
which she folded and thrust into her glove.
81 wanted to drive back, so as to sit by
Annabel, but Maria conceived another
plan.
go on back and sorter prepare mothers
mind for seeing you. She's not been at
all well this Summer, and your being
taken prisoner preyed on her a great deal.
You two get In and set on them sacks and
ride down to the lane, and then cut acrost
10 Tue new ~ dCEtSs WueE6 pup cutCluS
corn. You surprise him. He can stand
that sort O. thing, and it'll be great fun"
Looking through the fence of the new
40 acres" 81 and Shorty saw a large pile
Of giant cOrnstalks moving up to where
some others had been set on end.
"Pap's under that somewhere" said ST.
That's the kind Of load he always lugs.
No other man could ever come up to
him.
The load paused, was set down against |
the rest Of the shock and adjusted, and |
from it emerged the Deacon, cOrn-knife in |
hand. He wore q coarse straw hat, badly |
His flannel shirt, open at the throat, and |
rolled UP as to sleeves, revealed hairy |
hest and arms. His patched pantaloons |
were thrust into stout cowhide Boots, and
pantaloOns and shirt were stuck as full as |