Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-08-25

was evident from the alert way In which
he speed down through the new pasture
taking q roundabout course, so as t
come up Unexpectedly on the depredator
So he did not rise up until he was almost
opposite, and then he suddenly stood up
right
Joshua's face Redeemed, and his jaw
dropped. The fence was there-yes-
he could get glimpse Of the rails here
and there-but it was fence made Of
sweet peas. They had been planted on
both sides-following the homely zig
gag of the fence, and curling their fairy
tendrils around every splinter and knot.
Somehow, the redness In his face deep
ened-and he looked with embarrassed
eyes at the girl in the white sunbonnet
who was going along the line on Abner's
side Of the fence. shipping away at the
flowers and filling a big basket which
hung on her arm.
She did not see him until she had
come opposite, and his shadow fell on
her; and then she looked up, startled.
"You must be Mr.. Long," she said, re-
covering herself at once. She did not
laugh-indeed, she spoke very demurely,
but he caught trace of dimple in her
cheek, as though she had almost smiled.
80 it's you that's fixed the fence?"
he said, uneasily. 1t had not been in the
least what he had meant to say, but
somehow, the sight Of that dimple had
forced 1t out Of him. you must be Bes-
sie," he added, as an afterthought.
"Yes-I'm Bessie" she replied, look
ing at him from beneath the shade of the
white sunbonnet.
$50 see Abner's had the good sense to
leave my fence where put 1t, he sug-
gested, remembering that he must make
showing for himself. 1T was good
thing for him. l wouldn't a. stood any
more foolishness."
Uncle Abner hasn't been out Of the
house yet" said Bessie. HE turned the
management of the-the war-over to
me-and don't, you think / have i'm
proved the fence?"
81 dunno but what you have. But how
the come to be-things-planted on my
side-but give me them shears, an I'll
cut We few posies from over here. My
mothers garden use to have blossoms
like these in 1t. She use to have 'em
trained up alongside Of the porch"
Hnh will xrn, fharn1b
cried the girl. 1--WE been wishing could
get to them. Sim generally cuts them
for me, but he had to go after wood this
morning. He's been so kind-made the
bed for the seeds on that side-the very
morning after you went away-and once
when it was dry he carried water and
watered the whole row."
"Well, I'll settle with Sim!" said
Joshua in his heart; but the next mo-
ment he asked in sudden amazement:
what dye do with all these bios
soms?"
1--WE been sending them up to the
childrens ward In the hospital" said the
girl across the fragrant fence. II used
to visit it very often-and thought 1t
would be so sweet for them to have the
Aowers-and for me to give them-espe-
cially as they were raised along this
fence!"
She flashed a demure glance at him,
from under the pretty lashes, and this
time he was watching for the dimple and
caught 1t at its best. He turned with
the heaped-up basket.
"Ye reckin could git through them
vines somehow" he asked, looking du-
biously at their unbroken ranks. II
blieve-I sort O. think-Pd like to go
over and jaw bit with Abner."
"Oh, there's thin place right down
here!" cried the girl with joyous thrill |
in her tones. She ran down the fence;
and at the place she pointed out, Joshua,
carefully lest he should crush
a single tendril, alighted beside the
pretty girl.
81 don't know why we shouldn't have
a gate in here-about here-so's you
could pick on both sides of the fence"
he said, shame facedly, as he looked at
the fence and his heart began to warm.
STAINS to reason, If the sick chil'ern
likes 'em so well the sick grown folks
might like blossom or two, along with
EN-. It might be with them like 1t was
with me, he added. wistfully. ut might
make 'em think o. their mothers OIL gar
len at home"
The mothers old garden at home, and
he sweet peas that were trained up along
The side Of the porch went with Joshua
Is he walked beside Bessie through the
orchard where the birds were singing
yleefully over their new-made nests. He
'ound Abner hobbling painfully the
ength Of the room, with the aid OF
tick; and all at once hefeud had melted
way and was as though It had never
been.
"Here-lean on pe, Abner!" he cried,
lurrying to his old friend and throwing
In arm around the STOPPING shoulders
And before the astounded Abner could
,ave time to push him away-if he had
meant to do so-Joshua hurried on;
I've been havin' the time Of my life with
he rheumatics since l seen you, Abner.
a i