Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-03-15

fertile, lovely place, Ann1e1S choice.
You'll not need a hired man, Joe,
except in harvest" she said, as they
rode home. because I'll work out o.
doors That's the Scotch blood o. me.
I'll work at your side-at least till
we've a home of our own"
With all this she was a superb little
housekeeper. and coddled Joe like q
baby. with dainties at their table. But
best of all, she loved 1.-The work beside
joe"
Blu: hatred Of the farm grew and
burned in Joe's veins like fever from
the day that he first set foot there.
Not that he was ever unfaithful to his
/ task, or shirked in the least But
those years on the engine had cramped
brain and muscle into one groove
| He got into way OF stopping in the
fields to listen when No. 8 was due.
| Just then long, clear whistle
sounded away down in the valley. 1t
was the whistle of No. s, and it rang
| familiar and true. Joe stood and gazed
wistfully at the engines light flashing
through the dusk far below him.
She's on tfmeI" he said. with fond
light in his eyes. There amt any
guessing about her."
Then he hung his head in shame,
AiulICHAAS u Himself CnaC ne muSL De
going crazy, that he was an idiot and
| traitor to the sweetest woman in the
world-and what was the matter with
him. any way?
He reflected that evening as he dog
gedly trudged home through the fields
that he had once heard that the angels
would shudder if they could behold all
the thoughts of even the purest man
that ever lived He reckoned there
would be holy shudder among them
IL they could see into his thoughts.
Just now, for instance, as I'm a-yank-
in up these pinks out of the wheat by
the roots, and a-yankin' up other
things by the roots, too, maybe-love!
lifei everything that's sweet and de-
cent?
Then Annie would say to herself,
It'll be better in the spring It's a
weary time for a man. with nothing to
do"
One night when Joe came home An
ME offered the cup of hot coffee she
always had waiting, but he pushed her
roughly aside. 81 don't want it," he
said, with angry bitterness. I'm tired
of your cossetings. Curse you and
your Scotch stubbornness. You've
ruined me with your fine work beside
me- I'm going back to the road
Armies breath came painfully, like
the gasp of the dying.
Has it come to this?" she said 'T
did not quite know. 1 could not I'M
derstand. Was it so hard, Joe dear?
1 only know that 1 love you with all
my strength. But 1 have ruined you.
1t must be true. for you have said it
and cursed me. too. Go back to the
road, then. Joe.'
When he was asleep Annie went
hither and thither about the house
with strange, still energy. She dressed |
as for journey, packed a travelling /
bag, and, taking it in her hand, opened |
the door noiselessly. As she passed |
out, last-year's birds nest filled with |
snow in bare vines by the low doorway |
trembled at her touch and sprinkled |
her face. 1t was a drear farewell
81 could not do otherwise, Joe, my
love-" said the tear-blurred note Joe
found upon his pillow. 81 do not know |
what else to do. 1t might have been
different If had known. But think |
l will go home, across the sea, to the
old home. / can find a corner there at
some hearthside. it may be. And God
bless and keep you, my dear"
Then Joe Fielding awoke from his
dream. Nerveless, purposeless, silent,
he fingered for long months at the
farm on the lonely hill, until at last
his old mates OF the Brotherhood came
forward in pity and would not rest un-
til they had won him back to his old
place on the same old division.
The engine was the same, also
THAT is a little queer" said Joe Field
ing, quietly, but that was ALL
But Annie did not cross the sea.
One day she remembered that her sec
ond or third cousin. Janet, lived with |
her husband far down the road, some
where among the wild hills, and that
they kept a station for the section
hands and saw-mill men, mail-carriers
and timber cruisers who were always |
passing in and out
With a sudden food of joy she
thought. If should go there l might
see him every night when the big train
pulls through, all unknown to him. 1t
may be that Janet would need me-"
And SO 1t came to pass that Annie
did find a warm welcome with her
cousin Janet, and to Janet she told her
story.
Only a mile beyond this station was
where the road wound around on a
trestle, the mountain rising straight
up from the ties on one side, dipping
down. down. on the other. until the
tops of trees showed blue and dim at
n. . 81 - 4