Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-07-25
Yellow Sweet Clover


j Continued from page three)
wastebasket, and the boy burned II
with the waste paper. I'm sorrr, but
the truth Is, dear gIrl. it never would
| have done in the world never, 1t was
amateurish II had no action 1t was
defective all through Tell him 10 try
again" He wished til" woman would
not stare at him in that bewildercd,
helpless way. He wasn't Il ghost.
| Come. now. Don't look so white.
| I'll take you out TO lunch, and then
| we'll call it square, won't weT But
she did not hear him. She had already
started for home. Home? Before her
Jim, wasted and cXpectant: behind her
blank failure,
Old Farmer Gray and his elder sis
ter were having some sort of discus
sion over the rightful age of man
whose death was published among the
country newspaper notices. The paper
stated it incorrectly, they were sure OF
that But they couldn't quite agree on
WDat was MS proper aSe
Hes pretty nigh Brother HIS age"
said Farmer Gray finally. "Leastwise
he was born the same year-mebbe not
| to the month. | recollect a story
mother used to tell about-but III just
go an look up HIS age in the Bible"
The air Of the best parlor,' which
he entered, was bit close The sun
oil al 10, Oh in
room more than once II twelvcmonth-
II might fade the carpet. On mar
BILE topped table, resting on worsted
mat, was the family Bible. The last
time Farmer Gray had looked into this
book he'd registered the baptism of his
baby daughter, Madge. For his daily
readings he used little New Tesla
ment.
AS he undid the heavy clasps Of the
big Bible the pages opened themselves
at place where there was some
pressed yellow sweet clover. The mere
sight of it somehow recalled faroff
memories. 1t recalled a certain sum-
mer day so long ago. 1t was on his
honeymoon, and his young wife had
just plucked these sprays of yellow
clover Think you can love me as
long as this keeps sweet?' she had
asked archly. How pretty she had
looked, laughing up into his face! How
precious she had been to him! After
ten years Of happy married life their
long wished for child had come When
the young mother died he had chung to
the baby daughter with double tender
ness. He simply worshiped her grow
Ing grlhood. But she had run away
from him and with an actor, and he
had forbidden her ever to cross his
doorsill again.
The old farmer scarcely knew what
he was about, his head swan so.
Doubtless II was that strong. sweet
odor of the clover Somehow 1t SEEM
ed to him to be suddenly flooding the
whole room. filing his stubborn heart
with something very like pardon and
mercy.
Madce dragged YEARLY down Broad
way in dazed sort of fashion after
she had left the unctuous little man
ager Almost directly In front of
theater she found herself walking into
q small group of boys They were jeer-
ing man who stood close to the the
ater's entrance, .imid and self distrust-
full But Madge moved mechanically
toward the street curb In order to pass
on, She did not observe him.
Wants to know where you 20 to
find out where the play actors live-did
you cve?' sarcastically jeered one of
the urchins. Il say, Reuben. hadn't you
better tend to the hay crop?"
"Wot he wants t do Is ter go on de
stage hissclf an find out" suggested
another urchin. A cop" came up the
street at this moment, and the old man
who had been affording the boys
amusement took few steps toward
him. In doing 40 his eyes fell upon the
slight. girlish figure who had Just sue
ceeded in passing the group of urchins.
"Madge. Madge.' he gasped
Father" Regardless OF everything.
like n very little child she threw her.
self into his outstretched arms.
"Twas the yellow sweet clover done
II, darlin'." said he. bit mysteriously.
while he patted her cheeks as Of old.