The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-12

Keep back q daring lover,
Or comfort a grieVing child.
'I'm late" He had jumped down
and was helping her into the buggy.
It's fine morning, but I'm AFRAID It's
going to blow up q bit"
She looked away to the horizon with
the keen and president vision Of those
who are prairie-born.
at will be a dust storm, thlnK.
Dan enjoyed neither the day nor the
propinquinty of the girl he loved. lis
brow contracted. He spoke seldom. Ills
companion Wondered-Silently. she
was wise enough to know that TO queS-
ton a 'secretiVe man is to invoke
lie.
The dust storm he had prophesied
did come. At first there was only the
most infantile, the most Intellectual
little breeze. Then tiny spirals of dust
rose in the country roads. suddenly
the tawny SpiralS were as tall as wa
ter-spouts. The increasing wind, bel
lowing up from Kansas, blew the dust
Into a curtain q Wall-an encom-
passing, enveloping fog. Dan, urging
his horses hOmeWard, tried to protect
Chastina. He pulled up the buggy
top. He drew the linen robe over her
lap. He gave her his silk handker-
chief to tie over her eyes.
But the man does not live who can
combat a Nebraska dust storm. The
yellowish powder sifted in through the
joints of the canopy. 1t stung the
flesh like the bites of myriad minutes
imal insects. It grimed the lap robe
and the girls white gown. 1t mad
dened the old farm horses until they
were mettlesome as pastured colts. 1t
pierced and penetrated and choked
blinded. And all the time the wind
sent the buggy careening, screeched in
the ears of it's occupants, and hoWled
in it's fury after each rare pause to
take breath All the time, too, the
sun blazed down--a great blotch Of
deep orange seen through saffron
clouds.
Il shant let you out at your house, F"
Dan shouted. "I'll take the short cut
to our place. There is something l
want to tell YOU
The violence of the storm was spent
when they turned into the narrow
way that zigzagged toward the desc
late house on the bluff, Dan Slackened
rein. At last he could make himself
heard.
Tina" he blurted out. II asked
you to marry me. / didn't know then
anyways l didn't think. But 1
s'posed we could git married this fall.
Now-well now we can't I've thought
got to stick by mother awhile longer.
Maybe this year-maybe all next, too.
| don't s'pose now you'll want to keep
comp'ny with me no longer. But,
doggedly, 81 got to stick by mother"
She turned her grave eyes on him.
The illimitable love in them dazZled
him. His heart plunged.
81 wouldn't think much of you,
she said, eff you didn't stick by your
oh n fnp
My mother often told me before she
died how strong and pretty Mrs. Car
ney was when she first come out to
Nebraska. She said how nice she KEEP
YOU an Dick-alWays good clothes an
the best of everything for you, when
she didn't have a stuff dress to her
back. I'll wait for you Dan"
'Tina." he cried. TINA" he VEN
tured again. But the pain in his
throat precluded speech. He yelled
to the horses. They forged ahead.
Suddenly Tina leaned forward
clutched his arm.
Look, Dan; look! What's wrong?
The children are running down the
bluff. They're comm this way. An
your father-he's beckonin'l There's
Mis- Harrowsby--I know her cape
anMis' Peterson. Hurry-hurry!"
ooh, my God'' muttered Dan.
from him. Tina's hand steadied him.
Tina's voice recalled him. All at once
he was standing up-was lashing the
horses.
II wish I'd taken herr" the girl
heard him cry II wish to God I'd
taken her!"
Hush. Dan! Hush, dear! 1t will
be all right"
Some one was at the horses heads.
He hurled himself out of the buggy
In the house.
eve don't know just how it hap
pened," one of the whispering group
III the kitchen was saying. "She was
alone when the storm came up"
t'She went out to drive the young
calves under shelter" interposed an
other.
"a loose scantlin' struck her in the
side" volunteered q third. she amt
been real strong Of late anyhow. That
heart troubles awful unreliable. The
doctor? Can't git him. He's over in
Kansas. Mis- Peterson knows well as
him though. She lows there amt
anythin' to be DONE"
Dan pushed by them into the little
poor best bedroom. His stepmother
lay in the pine bedstead. The patch
work quilt was drawn to her chin He
fell on his knees beside her. His head
dropped on his clinched hands. His
shoulders were heaving. She lifted
one weak arm and laid it around his
neck.
"Look at-me-Dan."
He lifted his haggard eyes to hers,
which were sweet and luminous.
Dan" went on the voice, which
seemed to come from a distance, I'm
I'm sorry for what L said about
her mother before her.
Tina. She is dear-she is good-like
'Mother-she is here"
''Yes-I can see her now. I am
glad-very glad. But-Dan."
A woman came in, insisting the suf-
ferer should not speak The work
worn hand was imperious then as any
which ever swayed a sceptre. At it's
light motion the intruder left the
room.
''Dan-where are you? Listen!"
81 am listening, mother"
Don't make Tina's life-too hard!
Women are not fitted-to bear-aS
much, as-men. They-must--bear
more. Men love women, only--they-
don't understand that woman isn't
always -well-or happy-just because
she keeps on her-feet-and doesn't
complain And let her know-you-''
Grayness swept over her face like
OH ioo