Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-07-12
WORK FOR
SYLVIA
BY Joanna Single
Copyright, 1905, by l.. G. PARCELS
BY Joanna Single
Copyright. 1905, by E. c. PARCELS

her little dressmaking shop.
Looks like spring wanted to Iit IL
here. too,' she remarked precGrioIs...
through the mouthful of pins whcL
she was deity transferring TO the
folds of the cleaning white satin goT.I
draped on the lovely girl who stool b..
tiently before her. She continued:
The laycock buds is all Dustin out.
and the wind smells good enough 10
eat, but | can't have ii BLOWN your
folds skewin'. You'd have a compton
ft II your weddin' dress didn't set
good, and SO would |. Ii would dis
grace me. I've made every weidn'
dress Ia this village for fifteen years.
all except Mandy Buffers, which was
city made. though | don't just say that
had anything TO do with her bein' di-
vorced in a years time" Nelly laugh
ed as she replied:
I'm not sure that I'd know il if il
didn't fit, Sylvy. Is il silly to he so
happy? Here Harry and I've been en-
gagged only year, and our folks all
like IL, and now his grandfather leaves
him all that money, and everything's
perfect" She blushed with shy pleas
ure to the roots of her beautiful blond
hair The withered little spinster dress
maker sighed. Her only love had in
anger married another woman and had
been unhappy till his early death.
Its silly not to be as happy as the
Lord will let you be, Nelly. | don't let
myself git too old to forgit that. You
and Harry be as happy as you can and
be good. There-ain't that sleeve
sweet? | got to git this dress of yours
done this week SOS l can git at Annie
Paine's. Her weddin's in June too. It's
the Lords own month for weddins
and there had ought to be another be-
sides yours and Annie's in this viii
lage." Nelly's respondent image in
the glass made her ask absently:
what other wedding do you mean?'
"John Kings and Alice Whites
Nelly considered the fit Of her little
girdle before she said carelessly:
"Why, they've been engaged forever.
Everybody's used TO it, guess they
are themselves, or they'd do something
about IT, l know Harry would not
wait that way for me-he--he cares too
much"
Nelly at twenty saw no romance in a
ten years engagement. but Sylvia
knew that no woman gets used to he
ing always engaged and never mar.
ried. She took the last pin from her
mouth and explained:
Its his mother and her father that
stand in the way. They are selfish old
coots to stand in the way Of the chill
dren's happiness. Even If Alice's fa-
| Their had any one TO look after him
doubt whether Alice who is the sweet
est thing that ever lived, could get
along with Johns mother. She's a
heady old piece II she Is smart and
handsome, and she likes her own way
too well TO want a daughter-ln-law to
have first phce in the house John has
earned and built with his own hands.
His father was no earthly account. and
folks do say all Mrs. King married him
for was to spite Cornelia Jones, who
was dead In love with him and was
never married on that account. they
say" Sylvia took the soft satin care
fully OF over the girls pink shoulders.
dressed she made laughing proposal.
"Well, something ought to be done,
and It's work for you. Sylvy. You're
always setting things straight for peo-
pie. Why don't the old folks get them
selves out OF the way? Why. they
might get married-they might marry
each other! You attend to it-you've
done harder things-and I'll help you
out"
AS the girl stepped out into the sun
shine Sylvia sank into a chair.
"She beats timer she muttered. But
II ain'f bad idea. 1t amt half bad
idee. and wonder at myself for not
thinkin' Of it,
Meantime Nelly sauntered toward the
King cottage. where Johns mother
was at work among the flower beds
The widow was tall, slim old lady
as neat as wax and still handsome in
q wariike sort OF way. with very black
snappy eyes. white teeth and thick
gray hair. Nelly stopped and leaned
over the fence.
Good morning. Mrs. King" The old
lady came along, with her trowel. to
smile at the pretty girl She was ex.
tremely fond Of any girl who was en-