Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1905-12-15
you can work the better on your re-

yOu III Woln - W. wv ~
tarfi."
So 1 thank him, thinking sadly that
no trip to the country can make me
| happy now; that l am heir henceforth
only to woman's ~undisputed legacy.
| tears, and longing after the love and
| appreciation she will not receive.
The big-heartcd manager Of the road.
who Is acquainted with me. has given
me a pass to st. Paul and return. |
care little which way | go, IL have
selected this route because II passes
| through the town where Fred Langley
lives. Though ! half deSplse him for
| his fickleness, still | have a woman's
| curiosity to ride through this city, even
though I only catch Il glimpse or Ills
office window.
/ get n brown poplin travelling suit,
/ find that old maids generally wear 4
brown poplin. and the older they get
the more colors they wear, especially
scarlet. l have always hated red. l
cannot see my way clear. just yer, 10
putting II on my hat, so l get a more
youthful bunch OF blush r~osebuds.
One hot, bright July day | set out
on my lonely trip; once seated in the
train by the pen window. my spirits
rise. for l always did love 10 ride in
the cars; there IS Il pleasant rush and
excitement about them that plaaSes
me; we are flying SO fast, through
white towns and over bridges and out
into the vast Wisconsin prairies, not
smooth and rolling like those OF Iii
,.AIH .,.l N.-, l-,. n,,l, ,,l ,.,rvri
thickets, with little cabins set down
here and there like birds nests IN the
grass: locks OF ragged children troop
ont of these and stare at the pasSen-
gers-the dear little dirty creatures,
What an inventory they take of my
Milwaukee hat n my dusty suit.
Here Is Il field starred with swamp
lilies, scarlet iobeiias and wild asters.
How l long TO get out and gather
them.
/ see by the towns on my ticket, and
know by the warning whistle. that We
are within a mile of Fred's home. The
big manufacturing town is already in
sight; the sand and sawdust and coal
smoke are flying. or course l have
my head and shoulders out OF the win
dow. with my eyes and mouth full of
ciniers, and gaping wildly about me-.
The train CRATES, jars and stops. The
usual amount OF women with box -.
budgets and psrasols bundle off the
train. The teachers association is
held here this week. and a tribe os
tank. sharp-nosed, hungrs-faced wom-
en- get of also, teacher written all over
them. from their ugly hats to their us-
ly shoes.
Can l believe my eyes? Who is II
that steps up and shakes hands with
two of the lankiest, most wizened old
maids of them all, but my Fred, with
a smile as sweet as the morning, takes
their satchels and shawls and turns to
the lady with him, whom 1 know, by
the elegance of her dress and a certain
hich-hred sweetness about her, is his
sister. The oldest old maid says:
$50 kind in you. Mr.. Langley. 10
meet us. We would have been so be
wildered in this place, So good in yon
TO take so much trouble"
NO trouble-most happy" but he
says il rather ~languidiy.
He glances up at my window. and
in spite OF cinders and SCOT, my cared-
in hat. my hair all flying, and my face
burning like live Goals, he knows ME
and drops the parcels,
Take the shawls a moment, sis" l
hear him say. and in another second
he is on the train. leaning over the
seat. asking me a dozen questions in
q breath.
Il am going TO ST. Paul" is all I
have time TO nswer and he whispers.
"Good-hy. Mignon; | viii see You
again., and he Is or the car as the
bell begins TO ring.
l catch n more glimpse OF him as
the train move of. helping his sister
and the old maids with their satchels
into the carriage; l see him take the
front seat beside the one with red pop
pies In her bonnet, touch the reins, and
the horses are of Ike birds How I
envy that old maid. though she has a
wart on her nose and looks like a last
years mullen stalk
Something gets into my throat and
chckes me, and l refuse the orange the
man in the next seat witt, the big
| beard Offers me. Something choses
| nae all the way 10 ST Paul. Ii may be
the green peach i have eatens hut L
think Il is that old maid,
Why did l let him speak 50 familiar
IN and call me Mig1san, his cid name
for nses Why did I not pull my hand
away
husy nayself with such thoughts as