The Washington herald., 1907-02-01


over the hayfieds and hickered across
the group Of men who lolled beneath the
trees enjoying their first rest after a
morning of toll Wainwright sat a little
apart from the others and mOpped his
/ forehead. The muscles Of his arms and
shoulders ached from unaccustomed labor
yet as he looked at the close-cut field
his feeling was one Of pleasure.
Two months before, as assistant pro-
fessor Of political economy in an Eastern
college, he had longed TO put certain
problems to the test; to learn from actual
experience those things which other men
We're content 20 take from the textbooks
So while his brother professors spent
| their vacations in Europe or at the sea
shore. Wainwright tramped the highways
of New England, knapsack on hack and
note book in hand. Routine and cOnyen-
tionality were forgotten. And so much
Is man a part Of his mode Of living
that after his first two weeks on the
road, not one OF WainWrights old con-
freres would have recognized him. His
clothes had lost their hallmarks Of good
tailoring and become frayed and dusty.
almost rimless. and his face tanned TO a
deep bronze.
But Wainwright was young and Wig
orous and had Il keen relish for ad
venture. He liked the freedom OF the
highway: the quest of picking up odd
jobs at the scattered farmhouses along
the route. the deep sleep Of the travel
weary in dim, sweet-scented haylofts,
or. oftener still. in the open. with the
star shimmering through the branches
of the trees.
1t was the harvest season. There
was work in plenty, and in time Vain
wright quilted his hand-to-mouth vag-
abondage for the SOLDERING occupation Of
harvester on the ROlfe farm, where
he was TO receive a dollar a day and
bed and board. The first mornings
labor had proved more exhausting than
he had anticipated but Wainwright
kept on doggedly, though each hour
added fresh blisters 10 his hands and
made the scythe seem heavier to WELD.
The midday rest brought an ecstacy
Of relief.
This. thought Wainwright, as he
stretched himself in the shade, this is
worth dozen hotel verandasi' The rus
tie Of leaves. the talk Of the men near by.
and the drone OF insects through the
warm air, all blended into a confused
murmur. An unconquerable drowsiness
stole over him.
Wont you have some dinner?'' said
a voice beside him, and Wainwright.
,,,er}rer bfs ov-ag 1oolyo5 ,,- q, q, Ill ~ ,
might have been Priscilla, SO demure was
her blue dress and white kerchief. She
wore friIled sunbonnet and Wainwright
wished that he might see the face il hid.
But his desire remained ungratified. for,
after serving him. the girl turned her
attention to the next man, and from that
went impartially down the lire. The
men fell TO at once. wainwright alone
stared after the sunbonneted figure that
tripped across the field and took the
orchard path leading 10 the RoIfe farm.
That night as he took his seat among
the harvesters that scattered around the
Rolfe's supper table he saw with quick
ening interest that the girl Of the noon
hour was fitting about the kitchen. pass
ing huge platters of bread and stone Jugs
of foaming milk Wainwright had leisure
to observe that she had brown eyes and
wavy brown hair cooled low upon her
neck
When supper was over, the other farm
hands strolled off toward the barn Vain
wright fingered
Your daughter must be a great nelp 10
YOU he ventured.
My daughter" laughed farmer Rolfe.
why, she amt my daughteri She's the
hired girl. Though I will say" he added
that If ever I'd had daughter I'd ha'
liked one like Mary Carter She's as
quick and handy as she can be and my
wife thinks a heap o her. Took 70 her
from the first when the girl come from
over by Coopersville way looking for
work. She's so slim and slight you
wouldn't think she could do much. But
land, she's a hustler" Indeed, so alb
sorbed was Mary in her work that VAIN