Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-09-25

-r,s rnws Gone hoai." shs said
aloud. Its a good days work But
I'm plumb tired"
Throwing the hoe across her shout
der. as she had seen her father do. she
moved YEARLY toward the cahin- On
entering she found Betty in the act Of
setting the supper Of grits and mo
Iass.s upon the table. Her father look.
ed up quickly rs she came in
You've been a long time" he said
We've been lookin' for you right
smart"
Il WAS busy" she answered. AN
couldn't spare time for dinner After
this III try TO he roun' come noon
But how're you been all day. daddy
"Toler'ble peart" Then as she sat
down beside him he reached out and
took one OF her hands I'm his aud look.
ed up into her face. Her eyes were
clear. and she met his gaze with
little smile. What did It mean: Had
he been Judging her too harshlyi He
| drew her hand closer and noticed that
II trembled us though with pain. He
raised II 10 the light.
why, LOBBY" and there were won
der and dismay In the voice, your
| hands are NIL solid blister
Its only cause they Amt used It.
| the work" she answered hastily. "Ive
been that lazy my hands are act'ally
gettln' soft. few days in the field
an they'll be good hands for work"
"An'-an' you've been workin' In the
field all day" he said slowly. IAN |
a-lyin here an misjudgln' YOU. But
YOU mustn't do II. LOBBY, honey. Its
too hard. II you low on helpin' you
mi ght look after the truck patch"
But LOBBY shook her head.
I'm the oldest" she said. IAN must
took out for the mans work. lf Betty
an Molly have time from the house
work they might help In the truck
patch"
As the weeks went by I.oolzy's
hands became accustomed to the work
and the blisters disappeared. When
she had finished hoeing the tobacco
she went TO the cotton field. From
there she went 10 the melons.
One day LOBBY came in with glow
ing face.
"The melons are ripenin'." she said
AN there's goin to be more'n we al
ever had before"
A few days later LOBBY reported
that thieves had entered the field thu
night before and taken some OF thu
peated. Several days passed. ant
more OF the melons were missed.
II wouldn't care IL they want 81
pertic'lar." said LOBBY, but they jus
pick the biggest nm best"
Late that night she was awakened
by small figure at her bedside.
What is It, Mollyf" she asket
drowsily.
"lve done cotched EN-" was tn,
startling answer. After you all wa
Sleep tust crept ont the cabin an hit
'mong the melon vines 1t seemet
most year fore they came. an wa
plumb sleepy, But Just pnched my
} self. an when they did come | up an
told em bout we all workln' an 'bou
the land an pap bein' sick an 'bou
you lowin' they might take the SINAI
melons an leave the big ones"
"Molly" And LOBBY sat upright 1
bed. She was wide awake nov
Amt you yarnin'?'
II reckon not" confidently, "'caus
I've got 50 one OF the young men CAV
me for the melons. Theys nice me
an lowed they'd be roun an st
you tomorrow. They's campin owe
to Long pond"
The next morning as LOBBY was G
her way to work she was met by Sc
eral young men.
Miss Louise, | suppose?' said OF
" of them. raising his hat
: "Looizy they call me-" was the qui
answer.
well. IL suppose that queer sist
Of yours has told about our raidlI
!" the melon patch?" hesltating and &C
:, oring little as he spoke. But | Il
sure you we meant no real harm.
>, we had known the facts In the case v
would never have entered the feel
a Somehow melons and apples have t
ways seemed different from 9th
property. However" quick. frau
, smile coming to his face. that isr
=, what we're here for. We wish to aIt
q ogize and to make some arrangeme