The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-08-28
tsT TULLo sufTroncc." +"

Sopftonia Miranda Powers idly sitting
atop the stake-and-rdcr fence in front
e d OF her fathers cabin. faded, red sun
bonnet pulled her eyes, started so
at the unexpected greeting that she
most tell off hear scat
Then, as she took a fresh hold the top rail
10 steady herself she looked up in delighted surprise
at a little girl before her mounted on pony
IVY, Jane Kooscr," she cried, 'how yc s,ecred Me y"
Didn't I sneak you. though" said Jane She
slipped from the big mans saddle that nearly covered
her tough little pinto and climbed up beside SophTon;a.
WAT yc dom daown herc?" asked Sophronia, cdg-
ing along the top rail Hospitality give Jane plenty
OF room, hit amt mail day"
Il know hit retortcd Jane loftly; "hit amt mail
day Sunday
Sophronia saw at that she bursting with
some important news; but knew that she could not
hold in long so wisely concluded not TO ask any
questions Jane settled herself comfortably AID stuck
ono bare foot behind the lower rail keep from fall
ing off There was long pause,
"Thirs woodtick on yer neck, said Jane finally.
Sophronia removed indercntly and dropped it into
the grass There was another long pause
IVY daon't yc ask Wy | comc2 demanded
Jane at last; "herc be- plump in front OF house
an ayr
Sophronia puckcrcd up her mouth thoughtfuly 1t
was five miles TO James over mountain trail that was
OH end most OF the way, and she knew that ii was
something very important that could bring Jane ont
exceot on mail days and Sundays She vcnturcd a
guess.
"Thir's goin tuh be church.
Mop" answered Jane.
'Mebbc-thrs teacher COMM,
"Nop" said Jane again.
Sonhronia tried hard 10 think of another reason.
But Jane could wait. She got down from the
fence and stood in front of Sophronia her eyes big
and dancing with excitement Guess guess, she
cried hopping up and down
Sophronia shook her head Il KANT she saidi
tell hit"
"SufFronec" began Jane lowering her voice, thir
folks from tn city a-campin at our rauch!
sophronia Strengthened up and let her bonnet fall
"Thir's 6se Nv en-" Janc went on.
"Sal-a-ra-tusl" gaspcd Sophrcnia
"A man an woman an two boys an girl"
"Yc doan' say!"
"I do"
"Cn como an sec 'em?" sophTonia asked presently.
"W-c-ll," answered Janc Importantly, yc KANT to-
day"
"Tcrmorrer?" persisted Sophronia.
lane ierked up her ponys head, put ono bare foot
lesurely into the strrup and then hall turned Soph-
fonia was watching her eagerly
"Oh ,crmorrer will do" said Jane She SWING
herself on by the pommcl and headed the pinto down
thc valley I'm goin tub tn Three Mile Place
She added, "tuh drive up oaow ief the strangers
SO long"
She held her head high as she rode away, Sophrona
looking after her and thinking Of the city folks She
quito excited over the of their coming for,
since her third birthday, she had seen but thirty
1crsons including the four families in the little valley;
tSc mail man, who week as lar as the
Three Mile Place. Miss Freeman, the scliootcachcr,
who spent four months of each year Ill the twelve
1y-fftccn school-housc; Methodist minister. who
frcachcd once a month in Summer the assessor ana
tic schoosupcrntcndcnt from Wcavcrvile, the county
seat Now she was to see five more-and all at once!
fresh breeze from off Mt Shasta sweeping across
,bc foothills tumbcd her hair, puffcd out her apron
and chilled her But still she sat on pIeturing the
happiness tomorrow would bring until when at iaSt
she climbed down. she was cold and stiff and her mind
was so busy that she dragged her sunbonnct oeou N'
by ono string all the way TO the house
She went 10 bed as soon after supper as She could
for she wanted 10 cover up her head and have wake
dreams" She even forgot her regular evening 'a'k
OF driving the turkeys out of the digger pines ana
into their coops so that the coyotes might not scare
them down and cat them She remembered her neglect
whcn lasc in the evening, she heard her mother shoos
and scolding
"Tbot young un,," Mrs Powers was saying. en-
think NV nothin, seems like Ev'rying on IN ranch
I'd jus go tuh grass fer all she cares Went 'uh
I'D thout gcttin these turks daown
hen She heard her fotler iroHl t"C No.. ~
defending her He had been III with tic ch'hS ana
fever "ofrn on for several weeks. He had them every
Summer though and never bothered TO take medicine
for them stayinq in ono day TO Shake and the next
10 Chill" and working whenever he could Just as the
other men in tho hills did or late he mad been worse
than ever before and often dclirious. so that he talked
great deal His low, weak voice at last inIed ooph
ronia TO sleep.
The FIRST two years Of Sopt-oaia's life were s9ent
in Missouri. Then the Powers fo1i'y came 10 an
forni7 in prairie schooner drawn by foiir nucs Dur
ing the iorrney Sophronia spent most of her smc on
her back in the wagon looking up at the cover and
scc.-oh % hcr n .lc hrold y.l:tc canNas was