The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-02-28

know" and she pressed the worn
hand she held close to her cheek
while the hot tears ran down her tired,
white face.
When was all this?' demanded her
father, his voice gruff with the effort
to keep back the tears.
Rhoda hesitated. Ten days ago."
she said, at last.
And where under the sun have you
been ever since?"
She pushed backed her hair YEARLY.
1--WE been trying to work in a store
and | was almost as dismal failure
at that as | was as a prima donna"
Nov, Rhoda-how could you?"
cried her mother.
oh you don't know the feeling |
had! | wanted to come home, and yet
just couldn't. 1t seemed like coming
home defeated. II seemed | just must
do something in the city, and so one
of the girls got me place in a store
She paused, and then laughed the
nearest to n natural laugh they had
heard since her return. Il was an aw-
| full clerk! | hated it! The air was so
| bad, and some Of the people were so
snipy and horrid. And then, father,
one night | came home with my head
and feet both aching, and all tired and
sick, and found your letter about Mr.
| Childs wishing | was home TO take the
school, and about you and mother be-
ing so lonesome, and-and that letter
brought me home"
John Free cleared his throat and
| looked over at his wife with an air
which defied contradiction of rebuke
Its a curious thing" he said, that
was telling your mother this very
afternoon that | had nine-tenths of
notion TO go and telegraph Rhoda TO
come home II amt feeling any too
well this winter
Aren't you, pa?' she asked, in quick
concern. What seems"
"Oh, I'll be all right now" he hasten
ed TO say, and looked boldly over at
his wife
He went out to see about the chores
then, and the girl sat down and talk
ed her heart out to her mother. When
it came time to get supper, she went
about some of her old duties naturally,
almost gaily, and she more than once
brought joy to her mothers heart by
letting her laugh ring gladly out
through the old kitchen.
Mother" she called from the win
dow, where she was standing beating
an egg, where under the sun is father
going this time of night? He's got
Nellie hitched up and he's going off,
Now | do say" cried Mrs. Free,
and hurried to the door TO enter pro-
test, but only in time to see her hus-
band wave his hand in provoking
fashion and drive away.
We'll, if that isn't funny" laughed
the girl. and went on beating the egg.
When he came back, about half an
hour later, he sat by the fire and
watched Rhoda set the table. Joe
Childs was mighty tickled," he
chuckled, at last.
She put down the sugar-bowl with
thump. Now, father, where have
you been?"
Hum! Guess I've got a right to 90
about my own business. | had an er-
rand IN TO Joe Childs, and while there
while there" he repeated, eyeing her
defiantly, Il happened to mention that
you were hOme-and say, he jumped
right out of his chair, and waved his
arms and shouted at me, Look here,
John Free, will Rhoda teach our
school?' and | replied that you might
consider it,"
"Now-father,"
She laid the knives and forks round
with eyes little misty But it is nice
to feel you're back where some one
wants you where-where you're a sue
| cess" she said, tremulously.
Never was Il teacher round here
like you" said John Free.
1t was after they had finished sup
per and the dishes were cleared away
and washed, and Rhoda was sitting by
the table, reading, while her mother
sat close at hand, knitting upon the
soft wool thing, that the old farmer
shifted in his chair and began, a trifle
nervously:
'If it makes you feel bad, Rhoda,
don't think about it; but many a night
| I've sat here before | went to bed, and
tried to think how it would seem to
hear your voice in my ears again,
| and"
Now, pa" broke from his wife,
''how can you?"
Tomorrow, father" said Rhoda,
termulously.
"All right-just as you say" and the
old man turned back 10 the fire.
For a long time Rhoda sat there,
pretending to read. but not seeing a
word She was thinking OF what the
| teacher had told her of doing the best
she could with what she had, thinking
how kind they had been to her in her
home-coming-how they had made it
almost happy, instead of sad. She was
thinking that to them her voice would