The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-07
I'll RENT you coming to churc
with me this morning."
< Well, not this morning,
n think, petty"
You said YOU would"

Yes. I know 1 did, but have slight
cold. don't think 1t would be best for
me. really. petty. I've been working I
pretty hard thie week. Mr.. Beluore
carefully deposited a pile OF newspapers
beside his armchair upon the floor of the
little library, removing and opening the
top layer for perusal as he spoke, his eyes
already glued to the headlines. "A quiet
day will do me lots of good. I'll tell you
what 1t is; I'll promise to go with you
next Sunday, If you say So
You always promise you'll go next
Sunday Mrs Belmore, a brown haired,
clear-eyed young woman in blue and
white spotted morning gown, looked |
I doubtfully. yet with manifest yielding, at
her husband Mr.. Belmore presented the
radiantly clean and peaceful aspect of a
man who has risen. at 8 o'clock instead Of
the customary Z and bathed and dressed
in the sweet unhurried calm that belongs
only to the first day Of the week.
"Of course, know it's your only day
at home,' Mrs. Belmore continued. Il
suppose I ought to insist your going
when YOU promised-but still She
gave sigh of REIMBURSEMENT. II suppose
you do need a rest" she added. I'VE can
have a nice afternoon together. any way.
You can finish reading that story aloud
and We'll go out and take a good look
at the garden I think the beans were
planted too close under the pear tree last
year. Edith Barnes and Alan Wilson are
coming out from town after dinner, but
that won't make any difference to u.s."
"What?"
Now, Herbert. how could help asking
them? You know the clearinghouse she
and her mother live In. Edith never gets
chance to see him alone They're saw
ing up now to get married-they've been
engaged year-so he can't spend any
more money for theaters and things, and
they Just have to walk and walk the
streets. unless they go visiting. and
hay'y 1YroTrc w
says. She wrote and asked me to have
them for this Sunday; he's been away for
whole week. 1 think it's pathetic
Edith says she knows It's the happiest
time Of their lives, and she does want to
get some Of the benefit Of it. poor girl"
What do they want to be engaged for,
anyway"
HERBERT How ridiculous! You are
the most unreasonable man at times for
a sensible one that ever laid my eyes on.
Why did we want to be engaged?"
THAT was different Mr.. Belmore's
tone conveyed permanent satisfaction
with his own case. IF every woman
were like you, petty never could stand
for Wilson-oh Wilson's just a usual kind
of a fool. like myself. Hello, what In
thunder makes 1t so cold? You don't
mean to say you've got ths window open?"
Mrs. BeImore had habit Of airing the
rooms in the morning, which her husband
approved of theoretically, and combate
intensely in practice. After the window
was banged shut she could hear him rat
ting at the furnace below to turn on an
extra flow Of heat before settling down
once more In comfort. Although the
April sun was bright, there was still a
chill in the air.
She looked in upon him gonwed and bon
neted for church. sweet and placid Of
mein, followed by two little girls, brave in
their Sunday best, all big hats and rib
boned hair, and little starchy ruffles
below their brown coats. Mrs. Belmore
stopped over her husbands chair to kiss
him goodby.
you won't have to talk to Edith and
Alan at ALL" she said. "All we have to
do is to let them have the parlor or the
library. They'll entertain each other"
"Oh don't you bother about that. Now
go ahead or you'll be late. That's right,
always go to church with your mother,
girlies."
II wish you were going, too," Mrs. Bel
more looked at her husband lingeringly.
II wish I were. petty" said Mr.. Bel
more with a prompt mendacity evil
IDENTIFY inspired by affection that his wife
condoned at once.
She thought of him more than once dur
Ing the service. She wished she had
thought it right to remain at home, too
y as she did sometimes but there were tho
children to be considered. But she and
Herbert would have the afternoon to-
gether, and take part Of it to Sc about
planting the garden, plot twenty feet
square in the rear part of the suburban
villa
The Sunday visit to the garden was al
most a sacrament. They might look at It
on other days. but it was only on Sunday,
beginning with the early spring, that hus-
band and wife strolled around the little
patch together, first planning where to
start the summer crop Of vegetables and
afterward watching the green things polk
ing their spikes up through the mold,
and growing growing. He did the plant
ing and working in the long light eve
nings after he came home. while she held
the papers Of seeds for him, but it was
only on Sunday that he could really watch
the green things grow and count the bios
SONS on the beans and the cucumbers.
From the pure pleasure Of the first rad
ish, through all the various Writings and
shrivelings incident to amateur garden
ing in summer deluge and drought, to the
triumphant survival Of tomato plants and
cucumber vines running riot over every
thing in the fall of the year, the little
garden played it's old part paradise to
these two, who became more fully one in
the watching Of the miracle Of growth
Every stage Of the garden was a romance
Mrs. Belmore could go to church with
out her husband but to have him sur
vey the garden without her would have
been the touch beyond.
1t must be horrid anyway, she thought
to have to go every morning into toWr
in those smoky cars and crowded ferry
boats; Just to run into town twice week
tired her out. Now he would have fin
ished the paper--now little Dorothy would
have come in, red checked from her walk
to kiss daddy before her nap-now hi
must be pottering around among his pos
sessions and looking out for her. The