The Newark journal., 1908-08-28

they sat silent by the fire for long
time then. Presently the old man rose
and lifting her he said, with a smile
such as she had never seen on his
face:
"Yas-for sefy's sake-come!
Nowl"
1t was night. But he led her from
her own house to his. And that night
She slept in Seffy's bed.
One of Sally's duties was the nightly
reading of the Farm Journal. And
just now this paper, edited by a gen
tleman who knew nothing about farm
ing-and by him edited well-was full
of the great meeting of the National
Farmers League Of the United States
cf America, which was in session at
Omaha
by far the most intelligent and
interesting paper of the session, thus
far" Sally read one night, was that
on The Proper Succession of Crops in
Maryland by the youthful president
of the Kansas State league, Mr."
Sally rose suddenly and vanished to
the kitchen where there was light.
What was it," asked the old man
when she returned.
II choked," said Sally quite
truthfully. and went for drink"
"Yas-don't read no more. Well
find out about the succession to-mor-
row night But what was the smart
feller's name?
She pretended to look for it, and
when she pretended to have found it:
Mrs. P Brown" she read
"a Kansas man-about Maryland!
HUH"
But that night, after Seffy's father
was In bed, Sally wrote a pitiful letter
perhaps the first she had ever writ
ten
Dear Seffy Qt RAM
Please come home. Come as soon
as you get this. Your pappy wants
you. He is old and sorry. SO please
come right away.
"Sephenijah P. Baumgartner Senior"
But the envelope was addressed to
Mr.. S. P. Baumgartner, Jr..
President Kas. State League,
Kansas"
The post-mistress smiled indulgently
as Sally handed In the letter the next
day.
"A long way off" she said.
YES" said Sally, fdgeting with her
bonnet How soon do you think it
will get there?"
The post-mistress reflected.
About a week." she said then.
so long,"
But, as a matter of fact, she had
thought it would take longer. Kansas
was vague place IN those days. and
vast distance away.
Well" said the post-mistress COM
fortingly, "mebby not quite so long.
But better not count on its getting
there sooner. III give it good start.
III put it in the mail bag now"
Thank you,' said Sally.
She watched her put it into the bag
and then went dreaming home, and
for all of the two weeks of waiting she
was very happy-dreaming always.
Poor girl-she had made her life so
unhappy that joy seemed divine She
was sure of Seffy. Sometimes she won
dered with blush and a start if he
might not come himself in answer
She would not have been surprised to
have him steal up behind her-that
was his way, she r.emembered-and
call out softly her name So she went
about almost on tiptoes so that she
might hear him if he should. 1t was
a little difficult 10 keep it from the in
quisitive old man, who did not quite
understand her sudden happiness. But
she did it,
And finally, the two weeks were up.
She was quite sure Seffy would not
waste a moment with his answer. And
he might use that mysterious instru-
ment, the telegraph. which she under
stood would not take more than an
hour from Kansas. She supposed his
message. even If he used the tele-
graph, would come to the post-office.
The ceremonial of a letter, with
simple people, is as much a matter of
concern as a treaty between two ma
lions. And NOW, as she dressed her
self in her best clothes to go to the
postoffice, she felt, somehow, as if
she were to be In Seffy's personal
presence, and must be as Immaculate
as always. She wondered how he
would address her-forgetttng that his /
answer must come to the one whose /
name she had signed. She had heard |
Of various most dear headlines to let
tiers. / am afraid she blushed at all I
this. For. as she looked in the glass,