Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-12-16

i &c nv = = N8N ~ 1850 49,
and the oncoming night heyered down un-
broken by any point of light. unbelieYably
still, fun OF a strange solemnity, and TO
Elizabeth, unspeakably dreary. She stood
with her face against the pane, gazing out
absently into the deepening dusk.
AT home she unused, and the word
vibrated in her mind with an aching ten
derness. the electric lights are cleaning
along The streets. the trolley cars are fun
OF happy Christmas shoppers. Papa has
coms in now and hurries off to his room
with various mysterious bundles. Alice
and Dick are hobnohbing together in a
corner over mama's present. After dinner,
some OF the crowd will come in and there
wilt be music ard dancing, then later a
Jolly little supper around the chatting
dish" She turned from her thoughts 20
the gray stretch outside. Snow, stiffness
-country. country. country. l. hate itt'
she gasped, with a sob OF self-pity. II
like noise and lights and good times and
people. oh. | want to go home! ! want
TO 80 home!'
Her husband was comlng now. She
could not discern his figure, but she heard
his whistle. the notes dull and spiritless,
mere ghosts OF his old-time runs and trills.
But he doesn't hate Dakota as do, she
thought resentfuliy. "He ikes 1t. lie Is
troubled only because ] am.
Stamping the snow from his feet, he
came into the warm room. seeming some
how TO Ill Il with Ills large personality.
He stopped and kissed her tenderly, try
ing 20 meet her averted gaze.
You're nice and snug in here, Eliza
BETH he began, with a tentative cheer
fulnese. TITS awfully cold outside The
girl-wife made nc response. but began TO
set the table. and the man said no more
until she summoned him to the evening
meal He looked at her from time TO time
I mr. otNa cot ,nanaftar him Inninp thar her
somber mood would pass. but she kept her
wistful gaze bent toward her plate, and
the bitter lines of her mouth never re-
Taxed.
What a dainty meal. dear" he said,
with AN attempt at animation, Quite
worthy Of the season. 1t doesn't seem
possible that the day after tomorrow Is
Christmas, does it,"
Please don't remind me of II, Robert,
| beg. Z she cried sharply. The man WINGED
and put down his coffee cup gazing with
set brows into It's amber depths. Sudden
~ no gave his shoulders an energetic little
tnake and sighed with the stress OF a firm
resolve.
elizabeth" he said, 'letfs hurry and
finish, then we can spend the evening
packing your trunk, for you must start
home in the morning. You will arrive
Christmas afternoon, In time for most OF
the festivities, and you can stay just as
long as you like"
Elizabeth looked at him squarely now,
with startled eyes.
what do YOU mean?'' she asked. You
know very we'll
Just this, dear. You must take the
seventy-ave dollars we saved 10 get the
new machinery In the spring. Ill manage
about that somehow
e'Why-why. / couldn't do that" STAN
mered Elizabeth in denial, but with hope
mounting in her heart. II won't do IT,
oh, yes. you viii" he replied, In his
most masterful tones, and with an air of
anality. And then his calmness broke,
and he cried from his heart, "Ah, dearest,
don't you know II just kills me TO see you
sad and lonely. not TO hear you sing about
the best wife IN the world"
SO it was settled. The pretty trousseau.
almost unworn, was prepared for the east
ern Journey.
Are YOU sure you won't look shabby
or o~ld-fashioned? ~ Robert asked anxious
". for pride was one OF the strongest nbers
of his being.
oh. no. they won't expect a fashion
plate 10 come out OF the wilderness" she
answered gaily, land Alice Will help me
furnish things up>a little"
Stopping In her packing. she slipped on
d little roae-colOred evening gown, and
your work any more, or make little jokes
and laugh as you used to do? | think !
can get the machinery somehow, but let's
not think about that now Nothing mat
tiers except for my sad little girl to fin
her happy heart again"
with Il cry OF renorseful tenderness, she
threw herself into his arms
Oh. Robert, you're SO good, so good
Anu what a F5os ~.sS-1 g. -selhsh-
and unkind TO you. But. Robert, you can't
understand. You can't realize o | ache
10 20 home. This snow and stiffness and
bigness Of everything gets on my nerves.
Sometimes I think Ill go erazys"
Eyes, little girl. yes" he murmured,
kissing her hair.
1T WASN'T so bad In the early summer
when the woolly buffaio grass was so soft
and pretty, and the sky was so blue; and
when mamma and Alice were here, II was
fine. but oh. this winter She broke on
with a shudder. And we've been mar
ried d year and q half, and I've never been
home oncei When we planned 10 go this
Christmas. l was so happy. and then
things went wrong and we couldn't ar
ford 1t, and ! thought / should die" she
cried with the extravaganza OF youth.
'oh. Robert. I know ! vughtn't 90 so. but
7 do want tor
Eyes, little girl. yes, he said softly
again, '.and you shall go.~
The girl chung 10 him. leaving her tears
and kisses upon his cheeks.
MY dear. gooG, generous Robert, she
murmsred. well, I'll so. bat l won't
stay long, aud when | come back III be
opening her fan. pceFed AT him coquettish-
" over it's Blmy edge.
why don't You ask me TO dancer she
demanded. O~bediently falling in with her
mood, he caught her round the waist.
whistied the bars OF a lively two-step, and
spun her gaily up and down the room.
Elizabeth was transformed. He looked ar
tho flushing. glowing. rose~coIored girl
creature In his rims, and wondered II she
could be the wan. eavY-eyed woman who
had mex him when he came in from his
uork. TIN great wide night held the lit
tie house In It's clutch, and the wind
n4oaned under the caves like a soul de-
barred from Paradise. but for once eliza
beth did not hear II. Robert did. What
win Il be when she u gomez cried = voice
IN his heart.
Eariy the next morniag they drove over
20 Wilkes. the nearest town. where Eliza
beth was 10 take the e~ast-bound tsain. 1t
wes i WONDERFUL ~day-white and blue and
gold. The sky was as blue rs a gentian-
tiower: the snow-crystais iiung back the
and the air was = JOY to the lungs. Even
farewell 10 Dakota. admitted its charm.
mere eautifu than the mud q slush OF
Tor mud and slosh All the same
Robcrfs l-aurhed-with his lips. Iii his
heart wan an agony OF loss. ArriviuE At
StAnt' tne train ysasA - hours late. AZ pro-