The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-19


The sun had into troubled red sky and the
light of the early morning lay yellow upon the faded
hills that banked the horizon the south In front OF
the little unpaincd house. the ground rcd-brown with
dwarf oak and elm, dropped sharply TO the Souris
River below, that shallow over its sandy bed TO
JON the Assniboin the long long march to the sea
Inside of tho little house. a tired woman coorlcss
the faded hills and fields. listlcssy prepared the
breakfast The wind was rising already and the trail
before the door smoked with dust She looked wcary
across the fields The harvest was over, the summer
was ended Bands OF black powing crossed the fields
for the preparation for years sowing had begun
Yellow straw piles through which herds OF cattle
foraged. touch OF color to the unending gray
dcadncss
1t had been an abundant harvest wonderful Yield
they said but it all WEAKNESS 10 her, Her eyes
achcd her shoulders were bent like old womans, her
hands were roughened and sore-she looked at them
ptyinGly- And still Tom loved this country this great
busy hurrying, pltiless country How could he' She
could not understand 1t
Tom came in for his breakfast He was a handsome
big fellow ccar-cyed and wholesome, with face of
beamng good nature, man born for OF doors. for
the blue sky and the OPEN He walked brISkly across
"Wc haven't had much time for chat lately, Mil
drcd" he said, as he washed his face in the little
cnameed basin that stood on box in the corner But
isn't it hnc to have all the gram safe the elevator
Four thousand bushels, Mlldrcd Not bad, IS it,
Not too bad" she repeated isdessly She was look
ing of the little nyspcclsed window the dust lay
thick upon the si-shc could smell II
The dead grass was rolling pillows the wind
swept screaming past the litte house. and the dust
Isng-always the dust; oh, how she hated 1t
Tom did not notice The smell of frying bacon was
sweet 10 HIM The country gorious-h had planted
the seed and he had seen 1t grow-it was great
Try free and fruitful, and many broad acres OF 1t
his! He loved 1t
How would it be if We went into town to-day. Mil
dred7" he said he finished his breakfast =" | want
about some new machinery and maybe there's
something you want. l going to try Of those
now disk harrows-thcyre the best thing to cut the
sod"
But Mildred was not listening. Neither did she
look at him
Hurry up, Mildred and we'll go before dinner" he
WIS
mo. i don't want to 60" she said at last Il am
not going; | can't 60 Tom
Tom looked at her with distressed look on his boy
What's wrong, Alildrcd' What's wrong old girl"
Nothing, she answered, and her tone came near to
being shrewish
Tom went out and hitchcd his horses to the plow in
silence He wouldn't go to town without Mlldrcd-he
had lost his ambition to sec about the disk harrow,
For what could be wrong with Mildred? She had al
ways been so chceryl When the hail had the
year before and battered down his crop and with all
his hopes he remembered how he had come back 10 the
house after looking at his ruined fields and cried like
a disappointed child 1t was Mildred who was brave;
she would not let him despair. He thought OF it
how She had put new life, hope, i'll him II Miic
went back OH him, what good was snything2
The long furrow stretching the even mile lay before
hm Overhead IN the crisp October, air, V-shapcd
flock Of wild geese honkcd flying so high they seemed
like tiny specks beneath the blue, The steam of a
thrcshcr made cloud against the Tiger Hills IN the
distance and its industrious hum TO hs The
gintcd the shining subblc praiT'e-cheken ran
IN the urrow ahead Of his horses, and then, wrring,
rose and circled over his head
1t is lovely country" he thought he brcathed
in the freshness of the morning % sTs3t big lovely
country-but what can be wrong with Mile!
Indoors Mildred worked listlcssy. The silence
heavy broken only by the flies that buzzed unceasngy
oycn the clock had stoppedshe had forgotten to wind
il in the busy days before She wondering vaguely
,yha, had happened to all her ambons-she had had
so many plans so many hopes She had even told her
self that she liked the country She thought OF those
first dayS-it seemed ages ago-wbcn she and ON had
thought it such fun be keeping house lhc little
stove with funny little Tin pots and pans had all been
The crctonnc- covered chars-how proud she had been
of theml Now they all dull and and grimy.
their beauty gonc-ke her own she thought saay put but
pitilcss hurrying busy country She wiped the dust
scssly from the window-ledGe. a slip OF paper iell
10 tho floor she took 1t and blew the dust from IT.
/, was cutting from newspaper, and Inc met her
eye;
"The brides going-away dress was of scabrown
roadcoth with smart brown toNue to match and she
made charming picture as shc-
sudden impulse seized her She lifted the stove
lid and threw the paper in, and in doing she caught
a glimpse of hcr face i'll the little mirror that hung
above The wash h-basin 1t looked worn and hard and
old She sank into a chair and sobbcd
\ yyecl; later letter came from home. Couldn't
Nilc come home and make them visit Three years
was a long time to be away from her famly--the c%-
-,ron rates would start the middle Of December, her
mother wrote Then Edith, her younger sister wrote
paecs. Come home, Mile, the letter ran you've
brcn a mossback long enough Come home and hear
and see something. Everybody Is expecting you thS
Christmas for sure 'Psrsal Is 10 be given here the
FIRST week OF January. Think OF that, you d%eler OF
thc planl Eva Brown has come back from Germany
and don't know how many musical evenings have been
held for her She can't play as well as you. though,
%T;Id,cd and that's the honest uttcrauce OF near
relative who never hacrs But Eyas gowns arc poems
and symphonies Gerald Brown IS rather nce too you
know lie is going to Europe III March. and lie mas
asked father and mother if they will let me go WIN
him and subsequently, TO other paccs-whercver he
RooS-swayS and evcrmore .
But VIC decide Gcrads case uniil you conc
You and mother will have hold consultation
Father is getting awfuy lonesome for you, and mothci
too you know how mother is. Father is going TO Seq
you the money mind trying to save II OUT OF
the butter and eggs Just say goodby TO the stock ana m
come on Won't we have fun? am gong 70 o., DC
bridesmaid for Ethel Middleton tomorrow. You should