Hutchinson gazette., 1900-12-13
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! A DRY DAY ON THE PRAIRIE, !

Preston's lips were tightly compressed
and there WINS n sad look In her eyes,
That south wind was blottlng out
from her view more than the flower'
,doNlted landscape, IL seemed TO dim
all remembrance Of the long days OF
perfect weather, when the prairie
seemed nn Eden, and strength and
hope grew large with the fresh, brac-
ing air,
week. "Most ot the people who mass
,rOughened hand ON her shoulder.
Someone came IN with heavy, wea-
ry step and stopped a moment on the
threshold to look Il, the dropping fig
ure, Then he approached her with
awkward tenderness, laying his TOLL
roughened hand on her shoulder.
"Wha.'s the matter, Sarah" he said
sonly
There was smuthercd wcnrness
in the tones, hut her eyes seemed
deaf that morning to anything but
the winds piercing voice. Half nm
consciously she drew away from his
hand.
TITS everWhlng," she said, every.
thing Why did we ever come here 10
Buch wredchedness As this"
lie did not attemp another caress,
except wkh his anxious eyes, and her
face was turned away from them, hid
den IN her hands.
She would have called after him and
rlung 20 him II she could have sccn The
Took ON his face rs he went Out-all
ihc PATIENCE and wenriness Of IL,
In msi few minutes he was back
al her side.
Sarah, "he snid, rather anNiously,
"whnt would YOU say 10 letting two
people come here for lijale restY
They have stopped the wagon just a
ll;tle way from here, She seems Il
childish young ding, and he looks os
II the world had been too much Lor
hm- he is 50 Thin ana sickly looking.
Whaii do you say TO bringing them
.in?'
"Oh, John, how can we, when 1t Is
so hard 10 keep up as II Is? liut go
ask them in, If we can make II u
little easier for them, we oUsht TO, l
suppose" ,..,,..
$50 get your hat on, and we'll ask
them uogethcr,"
She gave II slight protesting laugh,
bm weEi;, nevertheless, clinging 10 his
arm, and almost res&ng her ince on
his shoulder sometimes.
They were very near the travellers
now. The tired horses, with detected
Ilown-bent heads We're snatching what
lltle rest they could. In the covered
wagon san the man and womnn-such
a checked, lnrgc-cyed man, and
such a 1@lb,e slip of II wife! The hot
wind tapped the canvas cover, and
sent swiTls Of dus: over the two oc-
cupun,S nad their scNnty possessions.
Some Of the selr-ljty thai had dark
cncd Sarah's face all the morning had
faded ON, Of !t and WIS replaced by
purer and noblcr look,
'Nou mus, be tired out" Sarah be-
gan Wl,hout preamble. 1--WE vast
YOU to come up to the house for u
9lh,'e resi- and have dinHcr with us.
Won't YOU"
\ pleased smilc breaking over the
young WifC's face seemed almost to
fade oWt the llttle worried line be.
tween the dark eyes, An answering
gcam stale over ohe worn face at her
side but they both protested family.
They couldn't give 50 much trouble;
III would NOT be right.
"N0u come riglpt along" said John,
with KINDLY authority. 1--WE want you,
so dOn't make amy fuss about it. Wen
take the horses into my barn; let 'em
Try my feed and bucketof my good
well water"
The two men went otf together, Sa-
nah and the lEGle wife hcnting their
way back to The little sod house 4
hook of cheer and comfort seemed 10
be In its own brown walls now. How
good VI will seem to rest In u house"
isadd the Little wife with Il happy sigh
"Wouldn't You like TO lie down lit
Ule while dim dinner Is ready" said
Sarah. Come right into my rNam. and
just feel that you are at home" \ pro
tectlng kmdliness had sprung up in
her heart for this little creature with
1.-THE appealing eyes. you must be so
hot and uncomfortable! There's cold
water in that pitcher, and | will bring
YOU some warm NO, Ut is not bit
of trouble. Then you must rest until
dimner is ready"
tnplensant thoughts were far away
ns Sarah prepared The simple dinner,
drying to make 1t as attractive as pos
Slble. She would ret out some of her