The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-23
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, THE DAILY STORY 0
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APRIL RAIN.

'dhS ttS NVHidu HtdIl lHe persistent
co0-coo OF some one calling to the
bossies from beyond Without the
April rain dripped ceaselesslt from
/. the window frame and a branch OF
one Of the orchard trees creaked
mournfully as the wind moved it, with.
gentle monotony, back and forth,
/ beneath the caves. 1t was a dull day
and a heavy one, with no suggestion
Of brightness.
The growing darkness seemed to
disturb the woman at her desk. for
after insistent urging onward OF flag
glng pencil, and closer STOPPING over
enshadowed pages, she suddenly arose
rom her work and walked inpatient
" coward the window. She flung
back the lattice, ostensibly seeking
more light, but with the simp.e change
OF cramped position she Immediately
realized that she was unusually tired,
fatigued in body and brain. Mind
/ less OF the soft drizzle, she knelJ up.
on the floos, her head upon her hands
gazing outward toward the distant
haze of woodland beyond the rain
soaked fields.
She was tired--she fully realized
that. She also knew that she was
unspeakably foolish to kneel there
upon the floor, while the cold pene-
trated TO the very marrow of her
bones. Spring rain was lovely
/ enough and undoubtedly poetical.
i when viewed from the other side OF
an old-time dormer window.
| The woman knew that she was i'm
prudent, yet she laughed at the outer
chill, for withith relaxation, from
/ mental labor, the cold emptiness,
within her heart overwhelmed her
with afearsome blight, compared with
which the outer dreariness was -as
inaughts
i @lt was all very well to write Ito 90
orr when town pleasures began 10
interfere with concentration on art,
TO bury herself at this old farm, away
from the annoyances Of flattering ac-
quaintances, in order to gain full CON
troll of latent faculties--all ve!y well
theoretically, but, for all practical
purposes It was dreary and unutter-
/ ably lonely at times.
In spite OF repeated commands, old
friends would persist in writing and
renewing old scenes, stirring up mem-
les that would otherwise have died,
long since. 1t was lonely when she
compared her fame, her several novels
and the tiny book OF verse, the drama
/ yet to be, and the stories OF her
4 dreams, with the love, the warmth
and comfort which she had sacrificed
for them.
! Was 1t worth the price?
Then, in spite of the afternoon
spent in fie. ce determination to for
get, the words of disturbing little
note received a few days before, FLAIR
ed, as In letters of fire, across her
wearied brain.
Dear, have found where you have
hidden away. ! would not hurt you
by my presence, but write If you
want me. will come,' it said.
The woman knew that this man s
words rang true; that as he spoke.
so would he act She valued real
worth and she realized that in spite
/ OF the flowery Establishments of her
many followers this man with his
frank simplicity, his marvellous ten.
derness. was spiritually as we'll as
( physically head and shoulders above
them all. She cherished and wonder
/ ed at his friendship, but his love she
had always feared. 1t was so strong.
She t embed lest in abandoning her
sell 10 her ever growing desire, she
/ lose her art-and losing her art, her
I self. the keynote to her own develop.
ment. She dropped her head upon her
+ arms, abandoning herself to the old
/ questioning, the old despair. And
without the rain poured down, re-
newins its strength, no longer the
mist intangible, but the beating of all
/ elements.
For long she knelt then raised her
head as over the green fields resound-
I ed again the coo-coo Of the homing
cali.
Joseph, the farmers son had a
wonderful voice, full toned, powerful
/ ly sweei. She remembered how, at
/ the Sunday worship a few days be-
fore, his flawless endering of the
simple hymns had filled her heart
with peace, and how at her question
ing the proud mother had confided
that Joseph's voice had charmed Won
Stahl, The great musician from the
I city He had tested Joseph during
4 his summers visit and promised great
things If he would but go with him
back to the city.
But he will never co. the mother
/ had said, and sh ugged her shoulders
/ as with annoyance as she pottered on
about her work.
What reason could he have for re,
fusing the great Won Stahl's so gem
erous offer? Was ii entirely stupidity
or was there some deeper cause for
his Indifference to this opportunity
/ foe betierment?
Below in the orchard now, the boy
was letting down the bars. The wo-
man watched. through break in the
trees, as the cattle wandered con-
tentedly onward, steaming, dripping
chewing eternally as they strolled.
she smiled at the awarkwardness OF
the d pping calf things, an dthe moth
ers nosing them as they went.
"Coo-co0," came a harsher voice
! from the direction OF he barn, and
the boy put back the bars and whistl-
ed as he worked Then he reached
upward with his great strong arms
and with the care and insight of an
artist selected slender spray OF
sofl pink blossoms He shook away
the great hanging drops. and few
petals Il ifted behind him as he came
his huge boots slushing through the
rain-bOWed grasses, his heavy should