The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-06-14
NATURES
COUR Sc
by NORA BRYANT
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MIS-. Humphrey shelicd TIE peas h
silence, waiting Tor the outhurxt Sh
WAS a meek little woman acrustomo,
TO listening 10 her beautiful tnll daugll
ter aud obcylng ber behests unqaes
tonlngly Alice possessed all the ludc
pendencc OF spirit which her moihe
! lacked.
NO, mother" said Alice. selzlur
ylciously on pen pod and breaking 4
open, mo. you can't II JUS, Isn't bort
Ia you I've got TO do IL alone
Why. Alice" exclaimed her mother
with hurt infection.
"Oh. know II, mother. I'm horrit
cross girl. but can't help It. Fathers
gone on again and left us with ue
wood. This has been going on fol
three years now. Sometimes be re
members 10 buy load, but when he
does we have 10 split H. Aud Ia the
meantime we have TO scratch and
scramble for wood just as II we were
as poor as poverty Just look. we've
burned most OF the fences TIL the place
looks more ghastly than ever, II pos,
slbe."
Alice. Alice" sighed Mrs, Hum.
phrey, you shouldn't talk so of your
father"
Alice's face flushed deeper aud she
shelled handful OF peas before reply
ing Then she looked out of the door at
the jlmson weeds
Everything Is all wrong, and it's NIL
fathers fault. Why shouldn't ! marry
Bob Phillipsf Tell me thatf Just be
cause he Is a college man and his peo
pie live In town father has set himself
against him. Now. why does father
send me TO college II he expects me TO
settle down TO chopplng wood and cook
Ing for the rest of my lifel No, mother
I'm a sophomore now and know more
than ] did once. | am going TO marry
Bob and father Is going to agree to 1t
too"
Alice looked at her mother sternly.
"See your hands, bllstered and hard.
You creep out and chop wood every
time turn my back. Look at my
hands" She held up slender fingers
"NIce things TO carry back TO the col
lege this fall! Now, I'm going out to
chop enough to get dinner with" And
pulling shade hat over her eyes, Alice
walked out into the hot harvest sun
and picked up the AK.
Straight up to the new brooder house
she went and with neat swing of the
ak began batterlng up the brooder
house door. In few moments the
door had disappeared and IN Its stead
On the ground near by lay neat pile
Of stove wood. still not quite satisfied,
Alice looked about her. A hayrack
lay on the ground waiting for the aft
ernoon trip to the oat field. A few
firm blows from the broad OF the AK,
and the side boards showed signs of
Half dozen clever cuts
with the blade, and the boards dropped
to the ground. In five minutes the
pile Of wood by the brooder house was
by pile OF heavy sticks,
md before Mrs Humphrey could catch
breath to inquire the source brisk
blaze lighted up the front of the old |
cooking stove.
A little after II Mr.. Humphrey ap.
)eared at the door.
"Mother" = Mrs. Humphrey paused, |
With a bit OF bacon poised on her fork |
mother, can you tell me what has |
to the old hayrack and TO
he brooder house doorT'
Mrs. Humphrey looked at Alice.
why why, father. don't know.
Ilice, do you known
Alice poured the steaming peas into
china dish and then glanced at her
ather. We'll" she said calmly, you
will find part Of the door still In the
good box, but the last Of the hayrack
J Just going up the chimney" Then
he carried the dish Of peas into the
lining room and set II carefully down
n the table.
Then Mr.. Humphrey began: "Alice,
you were not grown up I'd send you
D bed for two days"
Alice squared her shoulders looking
ITO her fathers eyes with an expres.
ion strangely like his own. Father"
be snid, you are not fair. You give
our men the best sort of implements
nth which to do their work. You keep
ne horses and cattle IN buildings that
re for their greatest comfort, but you
xpect mother and me 10 find our own
leans for doing work that neither OF
: Is strong enough TO do and to live IN
building that scorches us IN summer
nd freezes us In winter To say the
asst, you are not fair"
The great veins swelled In Mr. Hum
lrey's forehead. and he took single
ep toward Alice and then stopped as
controlling himself by physical
Tort.
Alice" be said, ~ forbid you 10 de-
roy any more of my property. Just
wv 70 punish you for what you have
ready done don't know. shall wait
It'll tonight"
That afternoon Alice was left alone.
her mother was called away 10 see
ck nelghbor For awhile she sat
lietly. then suddenly she flushed 1T
!. Far down the road she could see
e figure Of man and a horse moving
surcly through the heat Alice
lo0tbed her hair and glanced down nt
G dainty whlteness OF her gown
zen she waited Soon the rider turn
into the yard, with mn eager shout at
g sight of Alice. A fine looking young
low was Bob Phillips IN his natty
ling togs, sitting bis saddle with the
sc Of westerner And charming
'ure was Alice in the doorway With
e color deepening IN her cheeks. her
eat dark eyes Frightening and the 4
mples coming 10 the corners Of her
Juih.
oh. Bob" she cried MS be dismoun,.
and tied bis horse, 'I'ye been wish
Z for you Everything is 80 top.y
rvy Ia this hOrrid place"
Bob looked anxious. lis Il your IA.
er agalnfT be asked a. be drew her '
fwn on the step beside him. Alice !
"a him Of her mornings experience.
lbs face darkened
Look here. Alice" be exclaimed, :,