Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-22
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& FAAsAAA WAuSS cAOuAuclS were StTuiSuI uuu
broad, and whose locks were not gray.
But his eyes were brown like the wo-
mans and the line Of his lips was mod.
& eled from the older feminine ones.
Come. mother. must look about the
old place and you must go with me. II
seems only yesterday, l left-things
look 80 natural. Here's the corn a foot
high-just us twas when l went away
the cherries tempting the robins just
the same. and the clover smelling like
honey. Come along, mother, now do!
want to see the spring house and the
hen coops. Like as not they need some
carpentering, though twas only yes
terday, 1t seems like, they were good
enough"
Yielding to her sons persuasion, and
the delight Of his return after many
years absence, the old woman descend
ed the steps and walked by his side out
through the Darnyard into q lane lead
ing to the pasture
Seems like ought to stay In and
fix the fire for supper, David. Now l
got you home again, feel as though
I'd kinder like to get meal. You al
ways made it worth my while to cook,
David. Are you still partial to fried
chicken and corn bread?"
"AmI? Do 1 look as though I'd pass
by on the other side?"
The pair laughed with the harmless
happy appreciation Of homely joke.
Nov here's the old board between
the tulip poplars, by jing! Let's sit
here, mother, and smell the hay.
want to hear all about your life while
l was gone"
Slanting shadows fell over the
meadow. The hay was piled In mon
ster mounds in a corner. and through
the June air came the fresh, clean
scent of blooming elder. The old wo.
man began:
"sAfter you went west to seek your
fortune. l was the forlornest woman In
these parts. Father, he just moped
too, and how those first lonely days
dragged can't say. Everything seem.
ed to NOPE. too. The hay was spoiled
the rust got into the wheat. and that
year father had to put the first mort.
gage on the farm. Along about Christ.
mas time was rs near discouraged as
could be; just pinned for you, David
That's the time Ellie Martins parents
died, and the child had to be sent to
the poorhouse. Never'll l forget the
morning that little girl cane a-running
into my. kitchen:
"'Oh, Mis- Allen she said, let me
stay here with you. Don't let 'em take
me to the poorhouse!
"And the tears were running down
her cheeks. She took hold of my
apron and wiped her eyes with 1t, and
looked at me so pitiful like l just
couldn't keep from crying myself.
"'I'll be just us useful she said. y
can skim milk, -and feed the chickens,
and, oh. lots of things
~ stood stock still there a minute,
thinking how hard times were, and
now the cows were sickening, and the
chickens, too, for that matter. Then
looked at that orphan, and, thinks 1,
What IL that was my David?' Father
sat by the stove, and says he, 'Motheri
We looked ut each other and then l
took Ellie by the hand and says: Stay
right here, Ellie; 1 guess we can man
age.' The little thing was that happy
she Just hung on to me the rest of the
day, and we hadn't any more tears
from her till she went to Kansas last
year."
"Did you miss her much? asked
David.
Miss her? Well. since she left
seems like father and me had grown
old. guess you couldn't understand
what kind Of a girl Ellie grew up to
be. Why, she was the busiest, hap.
piest child ever saw. We never had
cause to be sorry for keeping her Out
of the poor house. Father and l got
to feel she was our own, and 1t went
a long ways toward filling up that gap
you left. And pretty! How that plain,
little .black-haired thing did blossom!
Pity you never saw her, David"
Him." said David. 'I've seen some
mighty pretty girls out west.''
But not as pretty as our Ellie, sure.
She promised to come back some day.
You know how she came to CO."
Tell me that" said David. He
leaned lazily back against the poplar
and surveyed his mother.
WELL you know her fathers broth.
er, who disappeared SO many years
ago? Well, he turned up and took the
greatest kind Of fancy to Ellie. He
had family out in Kansas, and moth.
ing would do but Ellie must make them
a visit. She was set against 1t, and
wouldn't hear to leaving father and
me. Harvest time was coming on and
all the extra fall work. She shook hel
head every time going away was
mentioned, but noticed how keen she
was to hear all the interesting stories
her Uncle Reuben had to tell. Once
I heard her sigh and say: 1T must be
grand to see the world That settled
me. just made up my mind she'd goi
to go. wasn't going to stand In the
way when she had the chance to sec
something outside our cow pasture"
The old woman quietly wiped her
eyes with the hem of her apron. David
only smiled.
you can't guess bow lonesome we
We're, and how lonesome we feel to
this day. No one bustling about and
singing and chirking us up all day
long" A long-drawn sigh, and then,
looking fondly ut her son. old Mrs.
Allen said brightly: "But 1t is good to
see you, David, and only wish you
had come to stay"
Dave Allen brought his palm down
solidly on his knee and said:
THAT'S what I've DONE"
you've come to stay" quaveringly.