Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-23

X.
and autumn splendor and intent only
on her new scheme. Such an inspira-
ton! Why handn't she or somebody
else thought of it before? Miss Dan
gerfield was such sweet-faced, smil-
ing little woman; she didn't look as
il she could say mo- to anybody.
And she couldn't. Diantha was
right
Why yes" she was saying cordially
even as the girl was speeding over the
fields. Why. certainly, Mrs. Dolloff
you can have it as well as not! It's
all beautifully sweet and clean, it's SO
long since there has been any stock in
4 it. It's lucky I haven't bought mine
vet, isn't it??''
The lean grave-faced woman ON the
door step nodded gratefully. An unac-
customed smile lightened herface slow
4 ly, as If it found the way untraveled
q and new.
Its real kind in you. Miss Danger
field. told Philander just as likely as
not you'd feel to hesitate, and
shouldn't blame you a mi;e-and Phi
lander wouldn't, either. He says, you
tell her not to do it, if she amt q mind
Ito. She needn't he says. But you're
real kind. And it's a great accommo-
dation.'
"Forty-fve by eighty laughed Phi
lista Danger6eld enjoyingly. and the
other face lightened still more til; the
slow smile had grown to a laugh.
ours amt but twenty-eightb by fifty"
the other woman said. That's why
said to Philander-'Philan I says,
it's no use, we can't eat all those peo-
pie. in our barn! I'm going over to
borrow Miss Dangerfield's,' l says. And
Philander says, Go. Cecilly. Only
] don't let her loan 1t If she amt mind
You're real kind. and Philander'll think
so, too. I've got to go home and be-
gin to cook up"
She had scarcely disappeared round
a sharp curve in the roadway when
Diantha, from the opposite direction,
came up laughing. She made a sharp
contrast to Miss Dangerfield's other
caller Her shoulders were sisendidly
straight, and all the lines that dropped
on Cecilia Dolloff's face turned up
ward on Diantha's.
"Hi-h-hum! I'm all out of breathe"
the girl laughed, and Philista Danger
| field liked the sound in her ears. She
Laughed, too.
sit down here and get a new supply,
my DEAR she said gaily. There's
plenty of 1t over here I believe you've
been running. you child!'
yes; l had to. / was in such a
hurry to see il you'd let us, Miss Dam
gerf1eld"
Let you-what? Is it a riddle?"
Have our harvest supper in your
barn-oh, If you would! Our big ones
burned, and the little one is 'narrer-
contracted father says. And should
Think it was!-little cramped up place.!
If you'd.
Il will. my DEAR" said Miss Danger
field, calmly. why. certainly! You
can have it as we'll as not. Miss Di-
antha. That's what told Mrs"
Diantha sprang to her feet again
with an eXultant little cry.
Miss Dangerfield! Oh, you lovely,
beautiful dear!-honest? It's such a
beautiful great barn! Why, just shut
your eyes and see all the lanterns hung
up round and the Ions table in the
middle, and all the people eating my
pumpkin pies! 1t will be the incest
harvest supper that anybody ever har-
vested! And you shall sit in the seat
of honor"
| Diantha was out OF breath again and
dropped down on the steps, tanning
herself with her hat. After little
more enthusiastic talking, she went
back across the fields to tell the rest of
the ways-and-means committee the
good news. Miss Dangerfield went with
her as far as the first stone wall and
stood watching her climb springily over
it. 1t had been so long since she her
self had done anything springily that
she sighed a little in gentle envy.
"Diantha! Miss Diantha!" she called
as the girl bounded away in the dis
lance.
..Yes?" came back family.
you didn't tell me the day-the day!"
called Miss Dangerfield.
Next week Wednesday-Wedn
day." the clear voice Of Diantha re-
sponded.
'All right signalled the woman be-
side the WALL ENTHUSIASTICALLY dnes-
day." she added to herself. I've for
gotten-but wasn't that the day Mrs.
Dolloff'- She went no farther, for
queer, puzzled expression on her face
took the place of words. Miss Danger
field sat down abruptly on the smooth
est stone available. Then She fell a
thinking. Then she nodded several
times in slow succession. Then she
smiled.
WELL" she said, and nothing else.
But there was already lncipient doubt
in her amused face. SEe was not sure
it woLld be We'll.
Il can't help tit isn't my harvest
supper" she murmured stoutly. But
it's my barn." she ldlaned. us one re-
sponsible for ones barn.
Thee was no barn III all Riverbye
like the old Graham barn, huge and
high and aiiy-luxuilous in mows, Law
ish III It's splendid. uncncumbered floor
space. There wasn't q barn In River
bye that could compare with ii for the
scene CT harvest supper For week
le.lghted rumors went about among the
quiet homes, but ouaiy enough-to all
but Rlverbye folk. IL was not odd to
theln-the rumors, none of them crossed
the dead line between this side and the
other side: enough that each side had its
own delightful rulnols and exulted in
them by itself.
'isll't it splendid, father? Why don't
YOU say it's splendid? You know 1t Is,
you great solemn mani" exulted Dian-
tina. You know we'll have a perfectly
lovely time in that perfectly lovely