The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-15

The night wos cold for June. and all
seven Of the Proutas boarders sat about
the kitchen stove chatting Two bracket
lamps lighted the room. on a line be-
hind the range hung certain working
shirts newly washed and drying in the
heat Antonina. climbing the stairs with
n dull weight at her heart, held the pic
ture in mind. seven hearty. jolly fellows.
stalwart In white shirt sleeves, prosper
Gus bachelors all. homeless but carefree.
Truly. America made changes in one:
white soap--beer-rich food and high
wages-store clothes, iron stoves. the
mines. two-story houses-all these We're a
matter or course Nobody but herself
gave a thought 20 the silvered barley
fields. the string OF peat smoke IN the
nostrils. the storks nest on the thatch,
at home The language. 10 be sure. was
sjiu Lthuish; but the chlldren's very
voices took on strange intonations IN this
foreign land.
But now she. Antonina, had come 20
America 10 her brothers house. Worse
than all--for her brother was man OF
promptness and enterprise-there was the
wedding 20 be faced. She might choose
between those two boarders. but one OF
them she must marry within the week,
II was with this view, so she learned.
that JOSEF had sent her the passage
money.
The stairs turned sharply leading into
a narrow hall at the top AntOnina came
up heavily. stumbling. peasant fashion.
Inconsistencies the horrors OF the ship.
the WEAKNESS OF this new life had drawn
all color from her cheeks, all suppleness
from her body.
1T is too early 70 sleep" cried Oracle,
Joszefs wife "Come downstairs. And
tell me: have you decided which you Will
take for your man?'
They can settle Il with josef" spoke
the girl bitterly. They are strangers
have cried myself blind. II I have to. 1
have 10. But I will not have them say
I did st."
Nonsense" JosZers wife said briskly
They are beth good fellows. but there
IS a choice. Come downstairs and pick
out your bridegroom"
IT hate them both"
"Quite proper. But you have 10 marry
one. so you may as well decide. To-day
IS Monday and JOSEF wants TO have tho
wedding Saturday. so that the men viii
be only one day away from work. The
dressmaker comes on Wednesday morn
AIb- 4ouI man DuNS YOU lle QIt-Ss 81
the one you take will have 10 come ont
early from the mine tomorrow to go
buy the goods Then on Friday we be-
gin the wedding. AS for the dinner leave
Il 70 me-oysters. oranges. winc-oh.
thousand things. We have very fine food
in America"
Argument followed argument. and by
reluctant stages Antonina was brought
into the Iiving-room.
The seven boarders with one accord
stopped talking. They htched their
chairs closer. left and right. TO make an
opening in the half circle. Artonina
flushed scarlet Even as she sank into
the chair which Oracle dragged forward
she felt the seven pairs OF eyes upon her.
A dreadful silence fell upon the COM
pany; Gracies determined chatter could
not make them talk. After a long ST.
ience one man brought out the blunt
question:
Which Of you has been chosen. Ka-
lixta?"
Go ont, go out. all Of YOU" Oracle
protested. laughing with the rest. Can
we settle family affairs before every
body? josef you take them of Only
leave large and Kalixta with me"
The room was cleared In a nubhub Of
mirth and chatting. KaliXta closed the
door, taking his stand on the threshold
lie was slightly the taller Of the two
suitOrs his glance as he faced the women
was very steady. his mouth smiling
large, the other candidate, kept 20 his
chair He was a thck-set. muscular
young man IN whom embarra ssment
evinced itself as a sort of suuenness.
Oracle wasted few words upon the sit
UatiOn.
'Of course, she cannot marry both Of
YOU she promised Come. Antonina,
take a good look at them and speak out"
The bride-apparent gazed. then shook
her head. Neither"
Nonsense. JOSEF has made all the
plans"
Let them marry somebody else. then.
II had guessed / would not have come
10 America Hereat the bride fell into
an agony of tears.
do not cry So" urged KalIxta kindly.
Nothing Is as bad as IL seems"
You must draw for Il. II she will not
decide" declared Oracle. with much show
OF frmness. She broke three straws from
the broom in the corner. then measured
and arranged them in her hand.
THE short one wins" said she Come.
large: you draw first Now you. Ka-
iixta"
'My game
The snort mans bit was scarcely half
KaliXta's. The rejected sutton shrugged. |
then yielded. large stepped across the
room and laid his hand on the girls
shoulder
Come. lass. I choose for you. you see.
a kiss. quick. now and
You chose, did your"
sITa drew fha shortest s+ravv hD+oDt,o
1t was all fair; / held them hidden"
But josef said was to pick my man
myself You know ne did"
In heavens mercy. decide on large
yours Elf. then. and settle down 10 it,"
A flash Of cOquetry lighted the girls !
tired face.
"Of course, I hate you both, you know. !
Well then-the longest straw"
THE long straw" echoed largo resent |
fully. But Oracle laughed instead Of IN
terfering to uphold his rights.
Kalixta laughed too. an honest. boy |
fish peal, IN which surprise and pleasure !
Were commingled. Antonind gave reluc- |
tant fingers 10 his outstretched hand.
That's a good girl" said he large |
Isn't the man for you. I viii see 10 II |
that you like me better. Don't mind what
he says. He can get him another girl. |
and we'll rent house OF our own and be /
as comfortable as anybody by Christ /
mas"
Oracle ever prompt in business, threw !
open the kitchen door large Is out OF /
#" she proclaimed; she takes KalIxta. " I
In view OF the wedding shopping Ka- |
lixta did not go to the mine on Tuesday /
morning. Instead he slept late. as is the \
custom for Sundays and came from his /
room at o'clock in his best clothes. He 4
helped himself TO meat and bread from |
the cupboard. and smiled upon Antonina /
as she brought his coffee. She was a |