Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-09-23

hay field. Lafe commented on the fact
a day or two after his arrival.
They're going to lose their second
crop over there" he pointed out. you'd
think Olson'd get back and tend to it."
.''Of course his wife's SICK" l excused
him. 'Serve him right, anyhow" /
FASTENED, to cover up my weakness.
By another day there was no ques-
ton as to the need of immediate cut
ting if the alfalfa were to yield good
grade of hay. From end to end of the
field the feathery purple blossoms wav-
ed above the green. 1 was less ut home
than LATE In ranch matters, but even l
could see that the strength needed in
the stalk was rapidly being spent upon
flowers. Secretly each of us sent many
anxious glances along the road by
which Olson must return.
When he had been gone a week, LATE,
staring at the brilliant field, suddenly
announced his intention.
"I'm going to cut it," he declared,
and at once flung round to forestall my
protest. 81 suppose you think it's all
right to let good hay spoil, but tell
you it isn't only Olson it hurts. If
that hays spoilt, there's that much less
hay in the valley, and everybody's cat
tie" IS
How'll you cut it? Your fathers
got the mowers" 1 interposed, prac-
tically.
"Olson's mowers here. Come on,
let's get a start on it."
With LATE, to decide was to act-es-
pecially when his father was absent.
Our own chores were but half done,
but in twenty minutes we were hitch
ing our horses outside Olson's wagon
shed.
The man in charge came up from the
calf-pen as we finished Harvesting, and
stood about, watching us. He was a
boy only a year or two older than LATE,
and a Norwegian in good earnest, with
out a word of English to his credit.
He did not object to our taking out the
mower, but when we turned it in the
direction of the hay field, he suddenly
became vocal with protests.
II expect Olson told him to look out
for u.s." LATE interpreted. He swung
his whip in a wide circle.
"Its all right" he shouted back.
"Good work! Amigo"
The Spanish word did not seem to
clear the maZes of the Norwegian mind
to any extent. The boy followed, call
ing after us until LATE whipped up the
horses and left him breathless in the
background.
The field was fairly level and the
cutting not hard work. LATE rode the
first swath, the second, and SO on,
and at the end of every row we stopped
to exchange comments on our progress.
We had covered perhaps a quarter of
the field when suddenly we heard be-
hind us sound like the explosion Of
many little, closed buckets of boiling
water. We turned, and Olson was
standing at the gate, just dismounted,
watching us. His mouth was open and
his face brick-red
''What-what-" he began, STAN
mering.
LATE faced him in the strength of
conscious virtue.
Were cutting your hay for you. You
let it stand so long it'd been spoiled by
the end Of the week"
He picked ZIP a stalk, on which the
blossom was already beginning to
II 20
Olson took it. He crumbled the top
between his fingers for moment. Then
the power of speech came to him.
'You were cutting my hay, We're
you? And wass raising alfalfa for
seed" 80
Ee picked up his horses bride and.
started out of the field. We followed.
slowly. We were nearly at the sheds.
before any one of us spoke. Then, IT
II should think you would be mad!"
LATE gulped forth.
"Wass it your father sent your" the
owner asked, without turning his head.
"He's up the creek. We just saw
your hay was going to spoil, and we
knew your wife-Is she better?" LATE
thought to ask.
"Much better" said Olson. He turn
ed round toward us. beginning to smile.
81 cannot stay angry to-day. Tell
your mother it ISIS a boy"
"A-boyw we gasped, in concert.
Then LATE rose superbly to the situa-
ton.
"Say, call him after mer' he begged.
81 don't mind if he is Norwegian"
This time there was no doubt about
Olson's smile; it was almost a grin.
But he is named already" he explain
ed. 1--WE call him for my father, who
came to Minnesota before the war, and
wass killed at Chattanooga"
1t was not till we were in bed and
I'm tho doply that o0v comment on tho