The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-04-14

locusts droned, the nesting cornfelds
called, "Come out of that kitchen and
enjoy mer'
81 wonder" Lena asked herself, ''if
Cousin Hannah ever wanted to play.
suppose not. That's the Briarley of
lit! Well, I'm glad I've got Cousin Han
nah, if do have to be Briarley now"
1t seemed to Hannah that the farm
drove them like tasknaster with
lash. In June, close together, came
the strawberries and the cherries; be-
fore they are past the red raspberries
and the currants; then black raspber-
ries and blackberries; and while your
hands are still stained from these, ap-
pies and apples and apples! Right in
the midst of these, come the cucumber
pickles, and these you must keep close
picked for your life. or else the proper
finger length will be grown hands
span in night!
The pile Of dollars in the savinCs
bank grew larger and larger. A few
more busy summers and there would
be no mortgage, and Briarley farm
would would be theirs indeed. But, o
dear, to stand in mid-August and look
back over summer, and see no vacant
spot into which you could possibly have
packed holiday To look ahead and
see nothing but pickles. green toma-
toes, red tomatoes, caulifower, cab
age-pickles lasting on and on into
October!
Hannah Overton hooked at her sum-
mer and made resolution. To herself
she said:
"She's young, and she'll still have
time"
To Lena she said, as they sat at the
tea table:
"I'm going to borrow Hiram Hands
team, and drive over to Caleb Miller's
to see about those ounces. You can
manage the apples without me, can't
you? I'll weigh the sugar tonight.
After I've seen Caleb, I'll maybe go on
to Davidstown. can't tell. I'll be
gone all day, perhaps. I'll take lunch
with me in case 1 don't get home for
dinner. You won't mind being left
alone, since you'll be busy?"
"Oh, no! I'll have chance to show
you how much can do in a day all by
myself"
Il know that well enough already"
answered Hannah, with forced anima-
ton. She always did feel like sneak
in the presence Of the fierce Briarley
energy.
The next morning early Hannah
drove away. She was composed enough
until she was out of sight of the house,
then the gypsy lights woke in her eyes.
For short distance the road skirted
her property. Hannah looked at her
tidy fields with some resentment.
'It's pity a woman can't have time
to enjoy her own farm she muttered.
II declare I'm going to have some time
off, if do have to steal it from herr
with "a glance back in the direction
of the house.
At that little word came a sudden
revulsion of feeling, for Hannah knew
that at that moment her one wish was
to have that same person sitting beside
her in the buggy, jogging along behind
| the old ambling, amiable horse, with
holiday before them.
Hannah did go to Caleb Miller's, but
| no farther. She was honest in telling
Lena that she did not know what she
should do afterward. What she did do
was to turn round.
Left alone, Lena washed the break
fast things with hands that tremblet..
She swept the speckless kitchen floor
in nervous haste. For just a moment
she stood surveying the shining plates
of sugar on the table, the empty jelly
tumblers cleaning in the sun, the
bushel basket heaped with apples I'M
der the table. Then she turned to the
range, where burned clear, steady
fire, an excellent fire for jelly; and
after a moments hesitation she turned
off the drafts.
She ran into the pantry and quickly
put up a lunch for herself. She drew
the shades of the kitchen windows,
took down her sunbonnet from its peg
and closed the door behind her. Out
side, she turned and addressed it:
Kitchen, I'm not coming back all
day. I'm going to play with my farm
1t was lovely, lazy August morning;
baby clouds were floating in the blue
! overhead, there was droning of bees
in the air, and warm summer odors
were breathing from the mignonette
bed and the orchard.
If you had been a weu-behaved and
prosaic hen on that farm, you would
have thought that Lena had gone mad,
but she was only playing. When she
was a little girl she had climbed the
orchard trees, and swung on the forked
branches; she had jumped from the
barn rafters down into the fragrant
hay; she had wandered. singing, up
and down the avenues of cornstalks.
She did all of these things again. She
lay on her back under the orchard
trees, and again listened to find how
noisy the grass cah be with all the
busy life that goes on down there.