The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1907-09-21

Il don't wish you to paint my
house" she said with all the dignity
she could muster.
Don't your" he asked, and calmly
stepping up a few rungs Of the ladder
he began painting with long, easy
strokes.
Il appreciate your kindness, Mr..
Flint she said, but you must see
that can't take favors from a stran.
ger this way"
He went on moving the ladder, and
when he had placed it to his satisfac-
ton and shaken it to e If it was
firm, he deigned to answer her:
You are making a mountain out of
an ant hill, Miss Fairchild. l shall
get this done in time to do my chores
tonight, 'Tis nothing worth making
a fuss over"
1T hurts my %self-respect, just the
same"
Not as much as it would mine to
let you do it," he retorted %imperturba-
bly,.
When the paint on the house was
dry Mr.. Drake and John Flint put on
the blinds, and the effect was very
pleasing.
Mrs. Denham, John Flint's aunt and
housekeeper, had early called on Eli.
o and her mother, and had struck
up such a friendship with Mrs. Fair.
child that hardly a day passed with.
out a longer or shorter visit from her.
Nearly always she brought some deli
cacy from the truck garden or berry
patch, perhaps a mess Of early peas
some ears of sweet corn, a bunch of
crisp radishes, a box of r~aspberries OF
a basket of "blackberries. Ii made
Elinor very uncomfortable to receive
so many favors, but as each Offering
was prefaced with: Il thought Mrs
Fairchild might like some of this OF
John said Id better bring Mrs. Fair
child some of that" Elinor could only
express thanks and help eat whatever
it was.
The vegetables from her own little
patch left no had taste in ha- ~c:tt
till toward the last Of the summer
when happening to say to Mrs. Drake
that she wondered why so few weeds
had grown in her garden, that lady
began to laugh.
I've seer John Flint scratching
about there with a hoe once or twice
when | CHANGED to be up uncommon
early-perhaps that accounts for it,
she said. "oh, you needn't feel sc
bad about it," she added, as Elinol
colored with vexation. He does jus,
such things right along for old Miss
Pennock and the Widow Sampson
You amt the only one"
September came, and church serv
ices began again. Elinor had practiceC
daily and her voice was in better con
dition than ever before. She looked
forward to the church singing Will
unalloyed pleasure.
She had overheard Mrs. Denhan
tell her mother that John had taken
notion to go to church, but had no
thought of it as being the church a
which she was to sing. The opening
Sunday proved very rainy, and Elmo
was on the point of starting out
dressed for the weather, when Their,
at the door was John Flint. and in
1iry she was sitting beside Mrs. Den
ham on the back seat of his carryall
riding to church.
81 will walk home" she promised
herself, but when she came out at tn,
close of the services, there was Johl
Flint waiting, and he took her books
held his umbrella over her to the car
riage-all without speaking-and sh,
rode home.
81 can't bear it," she said to hersel
Indignantly, He paints my house
hoes my garden, mows my front yard
sends me things to eat, and now in
sists on carrying me to church-an
1t is all done from a sense of duty.
he only liked me, or even respecte,
me, | could stand it better; but h,
despises me He never looks at m,
or speaks to me if he can possibl,
help it,"
The next Sunday she was permitte,
to walk.
"oh, it is only stormy Sundays,
she thought, and on the next storm,
n she started very early, and ha,
the satisfaction of reaching the churcl
just as John Flint drove up. Blu
when she tried to escape, afte
church, she was intercepted.
why didn't you wait for us thi
m%orning?" he demanded. Didn't yoI
know we would stop for your"
Il thought possibly you might" sh,
answered d%efantly.
so you thought you would get tn,
start of me? l don't think you nee
resent so very microscopic . favor.
is no trouble at al to me, and it ma.
save you from a cold, and the loss O
your voice for a Sunday or two"
Elinor took the scolding meekly
and after that waited. When col
weather came and the walking wa
rough, or icy, or sloppy, John insiste,
she should ride every Sunday, an.
often also of a week day, when it har