The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-06-02
A Chapter from Lifef.


The wagon drew up at the farm. and
a man jumped down and knocked on
the open door. In reply voice called
out to him to come in. 1t was a ouri-
Gus voice, fiat and strained. as though
1t were an effort to speak. Expecting
to see an invalid, the stranger stepped
into the room.
A man of not more than thirty-fiye
lay back in a rocker. his thin, sickIy
hands extended on his knees, his face
pinched and grey-looking.
I'm afraid you're ill.," the visitor
said. Il was going to ask your hes.
pitality fer an hour or two. We've
been travelling since daybreak and the
horses want a rest but il you'd rather
not be bothered, don't mind saying
So"
mo, don't go-stay," the man said
eagerly. I'm bit OF an invalid, but
That doesn't matter. It's treat TO
see somebody from the outside world.
and you don't look as II you belonged
to these parts"
Il come from Winnipeg My names
Drummond, and I'm going up to Black
foot Creek on business. | suppose
you've heard that they've struck oil
there"
L hear nothing. One might as we'll
be dead as live here-better.
Mr.. Drummond glanced around the
room It was little whitewashed
place, with the usual stove in the CEN
ter, its long pipe piercing the ceiling
to warm the upper rooms. Through
the window he could see the potato.
patch and the fields beyond, beginning
to sprout into greenness.
Il suppose it is a bit dreary in the
winter" he said. There wouldn't be
much to do then"
There's nothing. You feel like n
castaway on desert island. Nobody
comes near you. and you hear and see
nothing. You sit over the red hot stove
until you're half-baked on one side
While the Icy wind finds its way
through every crack and freezes you
on the other. The days are long
enough, but the nights are worse when
you lie awake listening to the coyotes
bowling down by the spring, and the
wind tears over the prairie like a de.
mon let loose"
You don't look fit for the life"
Drummond said compassionately. look.
Ing at the thin. refined face and list.
less figure. You need the comforts OF
civilization. 1t takes strong man
10 Iace this sort of existence and get
any good out of it,"
It's not any choice of mine. I'VE
never been used to 1t. My wife had n
fancy to come up here, but l think
she's almost had enough of It,"
i shouldn't have thought there
could be any attraction for a lady i'm
such place. There's isn't even much
sport He concluded that the mistress
or the house pust be of robust phy.
sique with manly tastes to take to the
wilderness from choice.
He altered his mind when no saw
her come in.
She was tall and slender. with rather
hard face, which had probably been
pretty before toll and exposure TO all
weathers had aged and roughened II
Hers was the slenderness of strength
and clean proportions: she was as
straight and upright as a dart. Drum.
Inond thought what a contrast she
made to her husband. hut though he
was not prepossessed by her appear.
ance-and her chilly greeting in
creased the feeling-she was oulto
digerept from the loud, sporting wo.
man he had imagined
She put bowl of potatoes down by
her husband
This gentleman will excuse You
getting on with these" she said. with
nervous laugh They are wanted
for dinner. Shall show your man
the stables?" che added. turning To
Drummond. You will want a shake.
down for the horses."
Don't let me trouble you. can
find them myself. or anybody can
show me the way"
There is nobody but me and Grant
and he IS engaged just now. nv nus.
Band. as you see, is not strong enough
to do much. so we have changed
places. lie looks after the house and
does any little Jobs he can"
DrummOnd could say no more. Ito
caught a half-shamed, half.pieadlng
look on the mans face az he followed
MS wife outside. and he wondered
what II all meant. II seemed strange
household. He could not but admire
the way the place was kept Every.
thing was 70 clean and tidy. there