The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-10-01

'Thar's more land in that farm AN
l could do jestice to, Mr.. Bishop, but
eff thar's good cabin on it an you see
fit to cut off enough fer me an one
boss I'd jest as soon tend that as this
heer. l want to do what you an Alan
think is best all round"
ooh, Pole, Pole!" The woman was
crying it to herself, her face lowered to
her hands that the two men might not
see the agony written in her eyes. A
house like that to live in, with all
those rooms and freplaces and win
dows with panes of glass in them! She
fancied she saw her children playing
on the tight, smooth floors and on the
honeysuckled porch. For one minute
these things had been hers, to be
snatched away by the callous indiffer-
ence of her husband, who, alas, had
never cared straw for Appearances!
"Oh, wasn't thinkin' about rentin'
it to you" said Bishop. And the wo-
mans dream was over. She raised her
head awake again. "You see," went
on Bishop, still struggling for proper
expression, ALAN thinks - well, he
thinks you are sech a born fool about
not acceptin' help from them that feels
nigh to you an, may as we'll say,
grateful, exceedingly grateful fer what
you've done, things that no other livin'
man could "a done-Alan thinks you
Ort to have the farm fer yore own prop
erty, an so the deeds has been made
out to-
Pole drew himself up to his full
height. His big face was flushed, half
with anger, half with strong emotion
of tenderer kind. He stood towering
over the old man like a giant swayed
by the warning winds of good and evil.
II won't heer a word more of that,
Mr.. Bishop he said, with a quivering
lip-"not a word more. By golly, 1
mean what 1 say! don't want to heer
another word of it. This heer place is
good enough fer me an my family
It's done eight yeer, an it kin do an
other eight"
"Oh, Pole, Pole, Polev' The wom-
ans cry was now audible. 1t came
straight from her pent up, starving
soul and went right to Bishops heart.
"You want the place, don't you, Sal
ly?" he said, calling her by her given
name for the first time, as if he had
just discover their kinship. He could
not have used a tenderer tone to child
of his own.
mind, mind what you say, Sallyv'
ordered Pole from the depths of his
fighting emotion. mind what you
sayr'
The woman looked at Bishop. Her
glance was on fire.
Eyes want i'll want it, she cried.
Il amt goin' to lie. I want it more
right now than I do the kingdom of
heaven. I want it eff we have right
to it. Oh, don't knowv' She dropped
her head in her lap and began to sob.
Bishop stood up. He moved toward
her in a jerky fashion and laid his
hand on the pitifully tight knot of hair
at the back of her head.
''WeIl, it's yores." he said. "Alan
thought Pole would raise kick about
in yore name. SO he couldn't fetch it.
It's yores, Sally Ann Baker. That's
the way it reads"
The womans sobs increased, but
they were sohs Of unbridled JOY. With
her apron to her eyes she rose and hur-
ried into the house.
The eyes of the two men met. Bishop
spoke first:
"1ou've got to give in. Pole,'' he said.
YOU'D not be man to stand betwixt
yore wife an thing she wants as bad
as she does that place, an by all that's
good an holy, you sha'n't"'
whats the use O. me tryin' to cit
even with Alan," Pole exclaimed, "ef
he's eternally a-goin' to git up some'n?
I've been tickled to death ever since I
cornered old Craig till now, but YOU
an him has spilled it all by this heer
trick. 1t amt fair to me-"
Well, it's DONE" smiled the old man
he went to his horse, IAN eff YOU
don't live thar with Sally III make 'er
git divorce"
Bishop had reached a little pigpen
IN fence corner farther along on his
way home when Mrs. Baker suddenly
emerged from patch Of high corn in
front of him.
us he a-goin' to take it, Mr.. Bishop ?"
she asked, painting from her hurried
walk through the corn that hid her
from the view of the cabin.
YES Bishop told her. I'm a-goin'
to send two wagons over in the morn
in to move yore things. I wish it was
ten times as good place as it is, but
it will insure you an the children a
Twin an comfortable home"
After the manner of many of her
kind, the woman uttered no words Of
thanks, but simply turned back into the
corn, and, occupied with her own vision
of prosperity and choking with graft
tude, she hurried back to the cabin.