Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-19

blue print house dress, rolled up her sleeves
above her dimpled elbows and began to
knead out the bread dough which was all
puffed up with waiting on the pantry table.
"Mornin, Philury,' said a voice at the
pantry window, voice that swept over her
heart like a tender hand across harp, set
ting II all a-Quiver with sweet music. A
tanned, manly face looked in at her from
beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat.
"Mornin', Ben" she responded, trying to
make the tone sound matter Of fact and
hiding the tremble of her fingers in the
soft. white mass she was manipulating.
Beautiful mornin,' amt it?" she re-
marked, looking out beyond him toward
the rosy east, up which the sun was lazily
| blinking as though reused too soon from
sleep.
at sure is a beauty" he answered. gazing
back into the rosy face before hint otter
be spring stead O. harvest time-it's SO kind
o blossomy an sweet an posylike.''
Are you meanin' the weather." she
asked demurely, cutting off chunk of
dough and kneading it vigorously Seems
| to me It's goin' to be hot an sweltery-hope
| there won't be cyclone fore night with
exaggerated anxiety.
He leaned his broad, hickory-shirted Shout
| ders through the window and a big, brown
hand interfered suddenly with the kneading
on know what l mean Philury, dear,
he said awkwardly, yet with a touch of
masterfulneSS In his careSsing tone II mean
you-you're all the weather Their is fer me
II you're smlin' at me, it's a nice sunny
day, an all the birds is singin in the corn
fields, an the breeZes is BLOWN sof from
me south-they amt no sech thing ez cy-
clones er storms But eff you amt al-goin'
ter love me-the worldll be purity black an
rainy fer me, | reckon. Which is it a-goin'
ter be, Philury?'
Both the little foury hands were impris-
oned by this time. His tender dark eyes drew
hef sunny, blue gaze up to his. She smiled
TREMENDOUSLY into them.
II It's weather indica tions we're after
Ben, she faltered bravely, I'm 'fraid We
goin to be disappointed. for theirs a big
storm a-comln'-pa told me only this morn
in not to have anything to do with ye Ben
dear, the last word seemed to be drawn
from her rosy lips almost against her will
by the compelling eyes. even as another
ana sWeeter toll was taken from the same
soft quarter an instant later
inelr dream OF love was rudely broken
by loud voices gradually drawing nearer
from the direction of the barnyard
shouted old Zeb.
III never pay no sech scan'lous price
ez thet. retorted Uncle Benny, in right
eous Indignation.
It's no more'n it's wuth-th' trespassin'
an all-th hull cabbidge patch is spilled.
An l callated ter make at the least S17
outer tibet PATCH
I'll pay fer ever head tibet wuz ct er
trampied.an tn fence board-jes' bout 81
| cents S fur s | en- see-an' nary cent
more, reiterated Uncle Benny as the two
| appeared around the corner of the smoke.
house.
! "Sixty-one grannies! I'll never let Won
| take yer dad-burned OF COW outer nv LOT
| under slG-it I'D orter be twenty, ez l said
| at fust.''
| 'Sixty-one cents" repeated the other,
| obstina tely.
Sixteen dollars er nothn'," saueaked
Skln-Ffint Zeb, equally stubborn
we ever see sech tarnation cheek In all
yer born days?" exclaimed Uncle Benny.
catching sight Of his son by the pantry
window. He wants SIG fer them few cab
| bidges OF Reds ct up!
| Philury. shouted old Flint seeing a
| weli-defined pattern done in flour across
young Ben's blue-hickory shoulders. didn't
l tell we not ter speak ter tibet wray Teller
| -you--''
| 1t wuZn't her fault, Mr. Flint" inter-
| rupted the young man, paling with anger
| under his tan. Il came over with dad fer
| heip with tn thrashin', ez VEAL arranged
| an / made her talk ter me-an'-an' /
| wanter marry herr" he biurted out a. last
| The two men glared at him and then at
| each other 90
| "Ye mus be plum loony, Ben," said his
| father. sarcastically. Tibet OF skihflint 'ud
| new ter hire gal ter do tn work eff Phi
lury'd git married She's got ter be an al.
! maid ter save expenses-her fathers so
| tarnal poor he can't afford no sech dom s.
| don't ye know tibet, We burned fool?"
AT TINS taunt. common one in the county
behind old F'lints back. however-the old
| man turned like a snarling animal:
| sShe en- marry i'm when yer cow comes
| home-not before! An now you two cit
| outer hyur-I don wanter change no more
words with ye-oon't We ever come on my