The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-28
THE ADVERTISERS DAILY SHORT STORY

@S@sSSS<S It was Sunday inu Minnesota--a Sunday | afternoon in mid-August. The bright sunshine elittered upon the waving grain, the grasses nodded under the soft, amor ous kises of the rowing breeze; the heat that lay thick upon the the main travelled road, where a man stood looking over a fence-gazing meditativeiy across the broad acres of ripening grain outstretch- "Ali will bane mine soom day." he chuckled. mine and Christina's." Christina! How the name brought the blush to his cheek and the brightness to his eyes! In fancy he saw her standing on the dock at Stockholm waving fare well to him as the great steamer bore him away, perhaps forever. from his na- tive land.
 long as he could see the fiutter of her handkerchief. There had been lump in his throat and a loneliness in his heart, and he had noticed that her handkerchief was several times lifted to her eyes.
 At last she had becvfne but an indis- tinct speck in .he blurred distance and he had turned away with a sigh. And the next day he had gazed resolutely across the Atlantic towards that wonder full promised land to which he was bound-America.
 That was six years ago. And he had improved every golden moment of those six years. With other emigrants from his beloved Sweden, he had drifted to the Northwest, where the soil was fertile and cheap, where crops were large and prosperity was the rule and not the ex- ception.
 For two years he had toiled for others, living frugally. saving every cent possi, ble. And after the two years he had leased small farm, investing his sav- ings In livestock and farming machinery, and he had prospered.
 He did not mind that his acquaintances laughed at his rude endeavors and mock ingly called his "Yohn," in imitation of his own attempts to adjust his tongue to the English language. They were good neighbors-kind, considerate and accom- modating-and he never lost his temper, never showed offense at their apparent ridicule. but was every ready to lend a helping hand when assistance was need ed.
 Once, when Sam Jennings, a neighbor, was severely injured in runaway he had ridden twenty miles for a doctor. and had spent the remainder of the night at the unfortunate mans bedside. SoIn comforting . the wife ne,, and children % and the suffering of his neighhor
 And. after that, he had assisted Mrs Jennings in working the farm until such time as the husband was able to resume ed to pay him for his services ne mad refused to accept a cent. "Ay only do may duty, MT. Yennings," he said.
 To his other neighbors. for miles kind and helpful. and so it was that. while the laughed and called him ''Yohn," they respected him most highly.
 For three years Larson worked the rented farm, toiling. saving denying him. of his own and have Christina-dear true, patient Christina-with him.
 Finally he had contracted for a farm Of 120 acres. The small cash payment he was required to make had nearly wiped out his savings in the village bank, leav- ing but little in the fund fhich he had intended % send to Christina to bring her to America
 But he had not been discouraged. al- though of evenings, when his hard day s work had been finished, and the loneliness came with the twilight. he was wont to sit on a bench beside his cabin door and gazing absently across the fields, think of Christina and his dear old home in the fatherland.
 Over and over again he read Christina S letters. and when they were all but worn in two by frequent handling, he placed them In little box under his bed. Dear Christina. her letters were always full of affection and hope and encouragement. She was waiting for him to send for her was waiting patiently and was ready to come whenever he bid her to. And at last he had saved enough to send for her! This Sunday rnorning he had written Christina, giving her full details of the long journey she was to make and tomorrow he would drive to town. purchase exchange, enclose it in the letter and mail 1t to her. Then, all he would have to do would be to wait to wait!
 Soon day das acres will all bane mine" he said again-"mine and Chris tinas."
 Then he climbed the fense, leisurely, and walked across the field to his cabin Whistling softly to himself, he got his supper and when he had eaten it, sat down in his doorway to watch the twi- light deepen into night and to think of his old home in Sweden, of Christina ana or the many, many miles between them.
 The following morning he hitched his team to his light spring wagon and, plac- ing the letter he had written to Chris tina carefully in the inside pocket of his coat drove over the eight miles of dusty road to town. And all the way his honest face was frightened with smiles and his calm, blue eyes sparkled with joy, for he was thinking of Christina and endea- Voring to calculate the probable number of days that must elapse before she would be with him and they would be married in the plain, little Swedish Lu- theran Church that stood in the village
 Wednesdays story. CUPID AT THE TEE