The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-09-25
Twas Garnered in the Wild North.
D. west and Stored in Retri-
T.; button.

from which the last inhabitant had
fled, there came one afternoon in
spring the Reapers, a man and
woman. They came from the south,
in a Concord coach, filled to its ut
most capacity with their effects,
and took possession of the town.
The home of their choice was a
Queen Anne cottage in the suburbs,
where a few neglected rose bushes
still survived in the garden.
IF we get tired of housekeeping,
dear, you know we can go and live
at the hotel" said the woman, and
she laughed delightfully."-.
YES" said the man, cor we can
take a suite of rooms and board at
the restaurant" and then they both
laughed.
1t was great larks, getting settled
in their house. The woman, who
was rosy, and plump, and dimpled,
did not perform much of the hard
work, but her laugh was an incen-
tive. She was not much of cook,
but they managed between them,
with many furtive caresses, by the
way, to prepare sufficient for their
needs. If there were past that it
would have been burdensome to re-
member, neither remembered it.
He planted and tended garden,
that they might have salads and
green peas, and potatoes for the
winter. (He had been farmers
son before he was a bank presi-
dent.)
Theirs was an idyllic existence.
They laughed at the acoustic eff
fects which accompanied their foot
steps through the empty streets.
She said it was the ghost Of the
boom prowling around the haunts
of his former triumphs.
They got into the way of calling
themselves Adam and Eve, and said
to each other that they were hap
pier outside the garden than ever
they were within it.
is not this divine?" said Eve, as
they sat one twilight hour on the
steps Of their little porch, her head
upon his shoulder. Here we are
all-sufficing to each other, but back
in the world, some day, some one
would find us out and point the fin
ger at u.s."
well" he replied, eve have the
best part of year before us, you
know, for you to change your mind
in. By the time the supplies have
given out, | fancy you will want to
see people, if only at distance"
Have you looked at the money
lately?" she asked irrelevantly.
who would steal it," he return
ed, laughing.
do you believe" she asked,
drumming absently on the edge of
box with her taper fingers, and
not looking at him, edo you believe,
really believe in your heart, that
you will be able to slip away easily
when we go out of here-back
among people?"
eff l didn't believe it, I should
not have undertaken it," he an
swered. Don't you believe it, too?
You did once"
did II" she said. mo, never
looked SO far ahead"
With the first rain of autumn.
their cottage leaked like a sieve.
I'VE shall have to go to the hotel"
they said simultaneously.
They chose a sunny suite of
rooms, with windows facing the
south, transferred their belongings,
and made themselves cosy for the
winter 1t was while this fitting
was in progress that queer thing
happened. Adam was away with
the wagon. and Eve was alone in
their apartment, arranging it with
housewifely instinct; quite absorb
ed in her occupation, and humming
softly to herself, she was not in the
least startled just at first, when q
little cooling voice behind her said
Mammal" Eyes, dear, what is ii? %
she answered, with her mouth full
of lacks. Then, at the sound OF
her own voice in the empty room
she threw up her head and looked
about her aghast. breathless, beads
Of perspiration starting out on her
face, suddenly grown pallid with the
pallor of corpse. After an instant
she cast herself on her knees, hall
beside. half over couch, and
sobbed with the abandonment OF
despair. Thus Adam found hel
when he came back. 1t was the be
ginning of the end. He never left
her alone again, longer than to &c
. downstairs after an armful of wood
but even in the midst of converse
ton she would stop and say, Ills
} ten! Now don't you hear it, the
| steps in the hallway"
To be sure, the great empt,
building was full of whispering
and gatherings, rustlings, and sigh
ings, and meanings, enough t,