Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-08-27
1A1A1M0;A AHA1A.1ANAH
) IN THE PRAIRIE COUNTRY 3
nj By Bertha Gerneaux Woods. Il
SG1&e2.eG.e&e 2.e&e&exS,
[From the Youths Companion, by Per-
mission.]

mission.]
TT was a dry, sitting day on the
prairie. The south wind blowing
with hot, irritating persistency a;ross
the plains raised clouds of dust that
almost hid the view from the woman
at the window of the sod house. She
could see only family the FURNISHED
golden cups of the prickly pear or
the deep crimson of the pincushion
cactus blossoms breaking the mt not
ony of the brown stretch of land. The
creamy hills on the yucca were
dimmed with the dust of the plains.
In the small, square sitting-ruom,
although the windows We're tightly
shut, gray coating lay on the frrni-
ture and mantel, on the row of rose
geraniums and the little pot of hello
trope in the window. Hester Gilh.rt's
lips were tightly compressed and
there was sad look in her eyes.
That south wind was plotting out
from her view more than the flower
dotted landscape. 1t seemed to dim
all remembrance of the long days of
perfect weather, when the prairie
seemed an Eden, and strength and
hope grew large with the fresh,
bracing air.
Some one came in with heavy,
weary step and stopped moment on
the threshold to look at the dropping
figure. Then he approached her with
awkward tenderness, laying his toll
roughened hand on her shoulder.
"What's the matter, Hester?" he
said, softly.
There was a smothered wearine SIS in
the tones, but her ears seemed deaf
that morning to anything but the
Winds piercing voice. Half uncon-
sciously she drew little away from
his hand.
Its everything" she said, "every-
thing! Why did we ever come here,
to such wretchedness as this?'
He did not attempt another caress,
except with his anxious blue eyes and
her face was turned away from them,
hidden in her hands.
He slipped something back int" his
rocket. Hester did not see the mo
ton. 1t was only an Indian arrow
head that he had found half buried
in the soil, and had unearthed, think
ing it would make Il pretty addition
| TO her cabinet of curiosities. She was
so tired now that she would not care
| for il; some other time, he thought.
Her nerves were all quivering; it was
always so when the south wind blew.
"IIester," he began again, gently
eve been thinking for several days
i don't know but we ought to fix 1t
some way so you can go back east Tor
awhile quite soon-sooner than we
planned. You've had hard tine OF 1t
out here. l know how hard it" been,
with the homesickness and all, ind-"
"No," she interrupted, 81 can wait
Well 60 together later, just az we
planned all along. You couldn't man.
uge it, John. Why, how could your
"Oh, I'll get along some way
thatll be all right. I've been think
ing Icould spare little of the stock
after all. You know Brown would ID
glad to buy what I could spare"
He spoke bravely, and Hester
smiled family up to him. In th'
depth of her heart she felt sure she
would never consent to such II sNcrf
flee. They would wait until they
could take the long planned trip to
gether, or mot 60 at I'LL. But just
now, with the wind making bel
crate her teeth together, she did MOI
protest. She was in the mood to en-
ioy the imaginary self-indulgence. re
CARELESS of what it would cost the ont
dearest to her.
well see," she said, briefly
"There's so much to think ovel
first. But it's good of you john u
plan il so."