Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-01


the ground feel him, and he gives them
strength till they break through the
frozen earth and lift two tiny, trem.
bling green hands In love to him. And
he touches the water till down to its
depths it feels him and melts, and 1t
flows, and the things-strange, sweet
| things-that were locked up in 1t. IT
sings as it runs for love of him. Each
plant tries to bear at least one fragrant
little flower for him, and the world
that was dead lives, and the heart that
was dead and self centered throbs with
an upward, outward yearning, and it
has become that which it seemed i'm
possible ever to become. There, does
that satisfy you?" she asked, looking
down at Gregory. as that how you
like me to talk?"
4 ooh, yes!' said Gregory. "That is
what have already thought. We have
the same thoughts about everything.
How strange"
very" said Lyndall, working with
her little toe at stone in the ground
before her.
Gregory felt he must sustain the con-
versation. The only thing he could
think of was to recite piece of poet
ry. He knew he had learned many
| about love, but the only things that
would come into his mind were the
Battle of Hohenlinden" and mot a
drum was heard" neither of which
seemed to bear directly on the subject
on hand.
But unexpected relief came to him
from Doss. who. too deeply lost in con-
temptation of his crevice, was surpris-
ed by the sudden descent of the stone
! Lyndalrs foot had loosened. which,
| rolling against his little front paw.
carried away a piece Of white skin.
Doss stood on three legs. holding up
the paw with an expression of ex-
IRENE self commiseration. He then
proceeded to hop slowly upward in
search of sympathy.
you have hurt that dog" said Greg.
| DRY.
Have II" she replied indifferently
and reopened the book. as though to
resume her study of the play.
He's a nasty. snappish little cur!'
said Gregory. calculating from her
manner that the remark would be in-
1 dorsed. HE snapped at my horses
/ tail yesterday and nearly made it
/ throw me. wonder his master didn't
take him. instead Of leaving him here
to be a nuisance to all Of u.s."
4 ,Lyndall seemed absorbed in her play.
4 but he ventared another remark.
Do you think now. Miss Lyndall,
that he'llever have anything in the
4 world-thnt German, mean-money
/ enough to support wife on, and all
that sort of thing? don't. He's what
4 call soft"
She was spreading her skirt out soft
4 ly with her left hand for the dog to lie
\ down on it.
4 II think should be rather astonist-
1 ed If he ever became a respectable
member of society,"" she said. II don't
expect to see him the possessor of bank
council and the father of a large fami-
1 ly, wearing a black hat and going to
1 church twice OH Sunday. He would
/ rather astonish me If lie came to such
an end"
Yes; ! don't expect anything of him
either" said Gregory Zealously.
We'll. don't know" said Lyndall.
"There are some small things | rather
look to him for. If he were to invent
wings or carve statue that one might
look at for half an hour without want.
| Ing to look at something else, | should
not be surprised. He may do some lit
tie thing of that kind perhaps when he
has done fermenting and the sediment
has all gone to the bottom
Gregory felt that what she said was
not wholly intended as blame.
well. don't know" he said sulki-
ly. ITO me he looks like fool--to
| walk about always in that dead and
alive sort of way, muttering to himself
like an old Kaffir witch doctor! He
works hard enough, but it's always as
though he didn't know what he was
to a person who sees him for the first
time"
Lyndall was softly touching the little
sore foot as she read, and Doss, to
show he liked it, licked her hand.
'But, Miss Lyndall," persisted Greg
DRY, what do you really think of
him?"
Il think" said Lyndall. that. he is
like thorn tree, which grows up very
1 quietly, without any ones caring for it.
and one day suddenly breaks out into
yellow blossoms"
And what do you think am like?''
| asked Gregory hopefully.
Lyndall looked up from her book.
"Like little tin duck floating on q
dish of water, that comes after u piece
of bread stuck on needle, and the
more the needle pricks it the more II
comes on"
"Oh; you are making fun Of me now
1 you really are!' said Gregory. feeling
wretched. You are making fun. aren',
you. nowW
Partly. 1t is always diverting to
make comparisons"
! YES; but you don't compare me to
anything nice, and you do other people
UT1,r% to, IT,, Ito