Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-01-28
in THE
STORMS
VOICE
BY
A.. S.
Richardson
copm4oat. rscs. By 4. e. Mcclure

"But couldn't help 1t this time, dear.
1t just slipped out" Then, in vince
ding tones. he added, Besides, this is
the day for declarations"
"Of independence" interrupted Har-
ret ruthlessly. And your declaration
calls for independence. | should be
dependent upon you for everything
the roof over my head. the food on the
table, the furbelows OH my back. even
my happiness
And would it be so hard. little girl.
to accept them? Why. have dreamed
of nothing else for years but giving
i take my chances of drawing big div
ideuds in happiness
"Men are born gamblers replied
Harriet. with her big brown eyes fixed
on the line where blue water anG
bluer sky met in ripping kisses. Tom
sat up very straight and dug the toe
Of his tennis shoe yiciously into the
stony walk.
"Of course you are not taking any
chances in going on the stage. You
are going TO be a star inside of II year,
just because the man to whom you've
been paying good money says you
are his most promising pupil'-
II think that will do. Tommy. |
really didn't know o could be so
rude"
Harriet had risen and was busting
of her linen skirt with elaborate care.
Tom was on his feet in an instant.
Forgive me. dear, but you can't un.
derstand how | feel when | think that
IN less than d short month you will
pass out of my life. perhaps forever,
and il you do come back that you will
not be just the same girl, but one i'm.
Uttered by hard experience. Hattie,
do you think any audience will ever
listen to the music OF your voice and
hang on every word ms | do? And the
critics, they will say things that will
hurt and cut you. and IL won't be
able TO punch their heads off. Oh. il
you only could
But I can't. And | think it is very
AlOiiid VI NOu w clbll lily fdtltlOn w
crying for the moon, for that is what
You are doing when you ask Inc to give
mp my career"
Harriet swept across the porch and
into the house. Tom pulled his cap far
down over his eyes and plunged into
the tangle OF laurel which screened the
house on the right. He was perfectly
aware that he had bungled the morn
ing's conversation and lost the coveted
opportunity involved in n long three
hours of Harriet's exclusive company.
The rest Of the house party had zone
across the lake by boat to participate
In a good old fashioned up state cele-
bration of Independence day, but Har-
riet had begged off on the plea that she
needed a day of absolute quiet to get
up In Il new role. Tom knew better. 1t
was because she hated f~irecrackers.
cannon and firearms generally. He had
smiled grimly when he heard her ex-
cuse, wondering what she would do
when her dramatic career cast melo-
drama her way.
And Tom had stayed behind because,
az he Informed Mrs. Walton. Harriet's
sister, a cottage In the heart of the Adj
rondacks was no place for a young wo.
maj to be all alone. Mrs. Walton knew
better also, but she held her peace. III
only Tom would improve those golden
morning hours! Dear knows. the whole
family was opposed to this silly notion
OF Harriet's. -
While Tom smoked and SHE'D pebbles
1t ~unoffending birds and insects Har.
ret sat in her looking over some
photographs which had arrived in the
last mail. She had ordered them for
the manager whose company she was
to Join In August for Il road tour. There
were hcr"Lady Of Lyons" costume worn
at the last school review and one as
Juliet and a head clouded In tale, to
nv nothing Of half a dozen less strik-
ing poses. With a hand that was quite
6rm and determined she Endorsed the
pictures, Yours faithfully, Harriet
wentworth" She would play under
her own name. There was nothing to
- ashamed Of.
She was going to be very happy. or
course It would be hard at first, be-
cause some of the fellow players to
whom she had been introduced before
leaving town were a bit plcbeian. But
An professions had their drawbacks.
And at last her. life OF dependence
would be over. Mrs. Walton had been
kln0 and her husband even more kind.
~ MDkMM - AMA ~.