The Opelousas courier., 1900-08-18

The face Of the little wife In the
big wagon frightened yisibly at her
approach.
"You must be tired out" Hester be-
gan, without preamble. "We want
you to. come up to the house for a
little rest and to have dinner with us.
Won't you"
A pleased smile breaking over the
young face seemed almost to fade out
the little worried line between the
dark eyes. An answering CLEAN stole
over the worn face at her side, but
they both protested family. They
couldn't give so much trouble; it
would not be right.
"You come right along" said John,
with kindly authority. "We want you,
so don't make any fuss about 1t
Well take the horses into my barn;
let 'em try my feed and a good bucket
of my ~well-water."
The two men went off together,
Hester and the little wife beating their
way back to the sod house. A look
of cheer and comfort seemed to be
in its brown walls now. How good
it will seem to rest in n house," said
the little wife, with q happy sigh.
Wouldn't you like to lie down a
little while till dinner is ready?" said
Hester. "Come right into my room,
and just feel that you are at home
A protecting kindness had sprung UP
in her heart for this little creature
with the appealing eyes. you must
be SO hot and uncomfortable! There's
cold water IN that pitcher, and I'll
bring you some warm. No, it isn't q
bit of trouble. Then you must just
rest until dinner"
Unpleasant thoughts were far away
as Hester prepared the simple dinner,
trying to make it as attractive as pos
sible. She would get out some Of her
wedding china-why not? John would
enjoy IT, and it might make a bright
spot in the day for the strangers. She
even picked a bunch Of a~stragalus,
making a centrepiece of the white,
furry leaves. A sprig of wild geran.
lam was laid al, each plate.
There were CHEEKY faces around the
table, and Hester's face was not less
bright than the others.
The gaunt stranger sat q little more
erect now,and his face, after even this
brief rest, seemed less sharply out,
lined. The warm, human kindness
as well as the outward comfort had
wrought the change, and in some way
made 1t easier to remember in Whose
larger protecting care they were, and
would still be when rolling over the
brown prairie. Bit by bit their story
came out. The man told how he had
been a carpenter and. builder in Iowa;
what a happy little home it had been,
and why they were flying now to the
untried world of Colorado, that Mecca
for consumptives. The gaunt man
and the young wife avoided the dread
ed word; they said, instead, people
with any sort of lung trouble"
Hester's dish Of canned wild plums
seemed to meet with special favor
from the gaunt man. He accepted the
pressing offer of q third saucerful with
an apologize laugh, and Hester men,
tally schemed to convey a generous
supply to the canyas-covered wagon.
II don't know when George has ea-
joyed anything So" said the little
wife. "Eyerything's SO good! And
oh, how nice it feels to be rested!
Travelling will be $50 much easier
now!'
They went back to the sitting room.
John and Hester talked cheerily of the
prospective home in Colorado, and
brought out a book Of views Of the
wonderful scenery. The gaunt man
and his little wife bent over them with
keen interest. It'll be a great move
for u.s." he said. "It seemed to be
the only thing for us to do, and I'm
glad we're SO neal there. l feel more
heartened up to-day than any time
since we started. We won't forget
your kindness, l a tell you"
"Oh. psadw: said John, and Don't
speak Of itw sad Hester, in a breath.
Its been SO pleasant for us to have
your VI
1t was necessaryS take up the jour-
ney again. The t3o men went out
to the barn togader.
The eyes of che little wife sought
Testers. "You have been SO good,'
she said, almost in a whisper, $50 good
to take us in! This awful dust and
the heat I wouldn't have minded
them SO much for myself, but it has
been SO bad for him. 1t makes the
cough worse, and that always fright
ems me. Sometimes when we have
been going SO slowly the horses just
seemed to creep. and when the dust
has almost seemed to choke him. I
have felt as il / should go frantic.
All these days that we have been on
the way | have been longing so to
reach Colorado. I have felt as If I
couldn't wait, when the waiting might
mean everything to him, and 1t has
been SO hard. almost impossible. to
keep cheerful before him! That ID
always very hard, don't you think SO?
When your life is all wrapped up in
somebody clse's, to keep that one from
feeling how you suffer? And. of
course, il they knew, that would make
it all SO much worse.
How the poor young thing was emp
tying her heart out. 1t was as If all
the grief and anxiety of the days in
the covered wagon, rolling over the
brown plains. had burst its bounds,
aud must pour itself out to this list
encr.
i wanted you to know the excited
little voice ran on, '.low kind you have