Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21


burned most Of the fences till the place
looks more CHASTITY than ever, II pos
sible"
Alice. Alice" sighed Mrs. Hum
phrey. you shouldn't talk SO Of your
father"
Alice's face flushed deeper and she
shelled a handful of peas before reply
INK Then she looked out Of the door at
the jimson weeds.
Everything T. all wrong, and it's all
fathers fault why shouldn't l marry
Bob Philipsg Tell me that? Just be
use h. Is college man and his peo-
pie live IN town father has set himself
against him Now. why does father
send me 10 college If he expects me 10
settle down 10 chopping wood and cook.
ing for the rest of my life? No, mother.
I'm a sophomore now and ! know more
I did once. / am going 10 marry
o, and father IS going TO agree 10 II
too"
Alice looked al her mother sternly.
See your hands. blistered and hard.
You creep out and chop wood every
Ime / turn NY back. Look at my
hands" She held up slender fingers.
Mice things 10 carry back 10 the col
lege this fall. Now. I'm going out to
chop enough 10 get dinner with And,
pulling "a shade hat over her eyes, Alice
walked out into the hot harvest sun
and plc2gl up the AK
Strai.ht up 10 the new brOoder house
she went and with a neat swing of the
ak began battering up the brooder
house door In a few moments the
door had disappeared and in It's stead
on the ground near by lay neat pile
Of stove wood Still not quite satisfied,
Alice looked about her. \ hayrack
hay on the ground waiting for the aft
ernoon trip 20 the oat field. a few
frm blows from the broad of the AK,
and tn side boards showed signs of
weakening Half a dozen clever cuts
with u. blade and the boards dropped
10 the ground In five minutes the
pile Of s.ood by the brooder house was
augmented by pile of heavy sticks, !
and befr~e Mrs Humphrey could catch
breath - inquire the source a brisk
blaze lighted up the front of the old
cooking stove.
little after II Mr.. Humphrey ap-
peared at the door
Mother" - Mrs Humphrey paused. !
with bit Of bacon poised on her fork !
mother. can you tell me what has
happened TO the old huyrack and 20 1
the brooder house door,
Mrs Humphrey looked at Alice. |
why why. father | don't know.
Alice. do you know
Alice poured the steaming peas into |
d chins dish and then glanced at her
father Well" she said calmly. you
will find part Of tie door still In the |
wood box. but the last OF the hayrack |
is Just going up the chimney" Then !
she carried the dish Of peas into the
dining room and set ii carefully down
on the table
Then Mr. Humphrey began: alice, |
II you were not grown up I'd send you
10 bed FOR two days"
Alice squared her shoulders, looking |
into her fathers eyes with an express |
sion strangely Ike his own. Father"
she said. "'you are not fair You give
your men the best sort Of implements
with which 10 do their work. You keep
the horses and cattle in buildings that
are for their greatest comfort but you
expect mother and me 10 find our own
means for doing work that neither of
Us Il strong enough 10 do and to live In !
d building that scorches US IN summer
and freezes Us IN winter. To say the
least. you are not fair"
The great veins swelled In Mr.. Hum
phrey's forehead, and be took a single
step toward Alice and then stopped as
II controlling himself by a physical
effort.
Alice" he said, Il forbid you TO de
stroy any more of my property. Just
how 20 punish you for what you have
already done don't know. | shall wait
until tonight"
That afternoon Alice was left alone, |
as her mother was called away to see a
sick neighbor For awhile she sat
quietly. then suddenly she flushed a 1T
tie Far down the road she could see
the figure OF man and a horse moving
leisureiy through the heat Alice
smoOthed her hair and glanced down at
the dainty whiteness Of her gown. |
Then she waited Soon the rider turn
ed into the yard. with an eager shout at
the sight Of Alice \ fine looking young
fellow was Bob Phillips IN his natty
riding togs. sitting his saddle with the
ease Of q westerner And charming
figure was Alice I'm the doorway with
the color deepening in her checks. her
great dark eyes Frightening and the
dimples coming 10 the corners cf her
mouth
'Oh, Bob" she cried MS he dismount.
ed anl tied his horse, "I'vc been wish
Ing for you Everything Is 50 topsy
turvy IN this horrid place"
Bob looked anxious is It your IA
ther AGAIN. he asked as he drew her
down on the step beside him. Alice
told him Of her mornings experience
Bob's face darkened
Look here, Alice" he exclaimed.
"Tm not going 10 stand this. / knew
things were pretty bad. but | never
knew you had to do this sort Of work"
He took her hand, looked at the pretty
pink palm with the row Of blisters
across It. I'm not going to say any Of
the things 10 you that | think about
your father But this IS going to stopi
This architect business Is slow IN start
ing, but I've got enough TO keep the pot
boiling. I'm on my way out TO the
SCOTS summer home now. They want
me 10 plan an addition for them. But
tonight I'm coming back TO tell your
father that we are going to be married
at once"
Alice shook her head a little fearful
ly. NO. Bob, dear she said. Il can't
leave mother that way, ana want 10