Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-03-02

soft Italian love words sounding like
bird notes in spring Can't you fanyy
them building nest somewhere of
boughs and moss-th they w0ultn't re-
auire much more than The birds. you
know and settling down Ike he birds
to sing their love songs and rear then
youngY
A new light shone in Miss Mark
hams clear eyes.
"And this is the man whom the girls
describe as a mere business autolna-
ton" she thought, but she only said
encouraginglN "Well?'
Hammond's head swan for an in
slant with comprehension Of the
magnitude of what he meant to do but
he went on steadily.
1.-THE day of the tornado-you remem-
Der it-when Che wind tore shutters
from the houses and overthrow chin.
neys and great limbs were stripped
from the trees as the small boy pulls
leaves from a twig-that day ! wit
messed the downfall of the house Of
Buona-in other words, the complete
destruction of Antoine's fruit stand
and peanut cooker"
Miss Markham sighed with quick
sympathy. Hammond was uncon-
sciously giving the little story dra-
matte turn.
"Poor Antoine! He made one or two
frantic endeavors to prevent the disas
ter, and then, crushed by the misfor
tune, he chung to the doorway of the
office building and watched the gamins
as they wildly scrambled for the scat
tered fruit
"And was everything entirely ru-
ined?" Miss Markham's hand instinc-
lively sought her purse
"The peanut cooker lay in the mud.
bent and twisted out of all semblance
to it's kind Antoine picked it up with
trembling hands and then, realizing its
uselessness, replaced 1t in the gutter
while the tears streamed down his
| cheeks"
"That isn't all?" expectantly.
| Hammond continued obediently
"'Never mind, Antoine, l said cheer
! fully-it's so easy to be cheerful Over
/ another's misfortunes you know
| you'll soon be on your feet again VIZ
| must expect reverses in business A
my words of sympathy the flood gate,
of his grief were opened. and The
| words fairly tumbled over one another
| his soft broken English finally relaps
ing into Italian altogether as he tolt
1 his story. He had been so careful Of
\ his money-he had saved twenty-thret
'dolla.' They were to have been mar
| ried tomorrow, he and Carita. and b,
was to have bought Carita new gown
! and a rose wreath for her hair, anC
they would have been so happy! AND
now-then he pointed eloquently t
the ruined peanut cooker waved botf
hands In gesture expressing the utter
notbingness of his condition and the
ready tears came again.
II missed him then for severa
weeks. The other day they came to
gether and waited until | came ou
from the office My brudda-he die,
began Antoine cheerily as soon as
Joined them. An leave Antoine sew
enty-four dolla,' said Carita, her eyes
big with the magnitude of the for
tune. An his business Antoine add
ed pompously, Did he have a stand
l asked him. No. piano. We mar
ry ourselves tonight, Thursday"
Hammond paused abruptly. Tie ex
preston on Miss Markham's PATRICIA
! face was so unlike the usual air Of pc
lite Indifference that he was almos
startled into the telling Of his ow
1 story, forgetful OF the Italian lovers
THAT is ALL" he added awkwardly.
'sAnd how did you know they woul
be at your Office this morning?" as
reluctant to leave the subject.
Antoine hunted me up last night
at the club. Said his wife-you shout
have seen his eyes when he said til
word his wife wanted to come an
play for me first, believing 1t woul
bring them luck. hadn't intended
20 downtown this morning, as 20
know, but l thought that was real
very little to do II 1t would add an.
thing to their happiness. FOOLS
things, aren't they?" He turned b
head away. She would agree wit
this. OF course, and he couldn't bear
have her do 20.
u She put her hand lightly on his arm
n ANo. they are not foolish. They al
Il wise. They have found the create,
thing in the world. Those who wi
love need look no farther; there Is mott
Ing more to have here. They who los
Il lose everything.
Il He put his own strong hand over Il
smaller one resting on his arm
81 "Shall we look for it-together, Eliz'
| bethr
She looked hastily about-there WI
no one near: they were quite in q
country now-and raised her beautif'
lace to his. II think We have foun
4 ALREADY she whispered.