Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-07-01

Did you learn The Farmer Boy in
a little red school house. toof" he
wondered, and at the honest wistful-
ness In his voice the last remnant of
Sally's caution melted.
Foolish, reckless. horrid." The
worlds thousand voices crooned 1t
warningly In her ear, but she smiled
back into the boyish eyes.
1T was a gray stone school house
with a boys yard and a girls yard,
and a pump In front where we all
waited our turn for the tin dipper."
But there was a boy who cleaned
your slate and left pink, mint hearts
on your desk"
Engraved I love you,'" she as
sented. And IA there a girl you
made cart wheels in front of all the
way home-all whirling hands and
legs?"
Gee, / wished you'd gone to my
SCHOOL," His eyes were shining de-
lightedly. and Miss Stiles sobered sud
denly.
But we're grown-ups now" she
sighed. only sometimes we forget"
+ Wouldn't 1t be great to slide back
to those kid days. when everything
was what 1t seemed. when we cried
when we were hurt and laughed when
we were glad, and believed In, every
body we knew and everything we were
told?" he asked.
Nov l smile when I'm hurt and cry
when I'm glad" she said.
"Well?" he challenged, his hands
still thrust deep in his pocket and his
eyes dancing eagerly. you don't
look like a girl who would take q
dare"
I'm no 'fraid-cat," she boosted.
II know where there's a birch" The
laugh in her eyes f1ickered anXiously.
"Oh-o!"
Her little squeal of delight was gen.
uine. And we might find some win
tergreens. Tough, old ones, O know,
with red berries. Oh, it's fine to be q
kid"
"Yuh betchyu. 'Tain't no fair to
talk like grown-ups, though" he pro-
tested.
To think there was a man like this
in that grubbing city beyond! Her
eyes were as childish and blue as the
autumn sky as she protested.
I'll beat you to that sumac, there,
little boy" pointing with outstretched
finger. "One. two, three, ready-go."
With that mad scamper, Sarah Stiles
began an afternoon of unalloyed, fool
ish fun that never tagged until b
was homeward bound, loaded with the
gorgeous foliage Of the autumn woods.
They paused at a bend in the road,
where cottages below were glimpsed
through the leaves and a sky of molten
gold poured itself into a glittering
river. The laughter curves fell away
from Miss Stiles's lips in q tired, salts
fed sigh.
But it must be good-by." she was
insisting. Miracles cannot bear repe.
tition. It's a rainbow afternoon for
memory-let's not touch it with the
stupid finger of reality and shatter it,
boy. Besides. II fate is G and
willing"
You're a silly. little girl" said the
man softly. You're cruel. toe. Haven't
we grown up together"
Very improperly-in ono after
noon.' she pointed out. "But. don't
you understand? l can't be the little
girl any more. Any way, I'm afraid.
IAknow-it wouldn't last"
Il can't lure you N more" he said
ruefully. But I am sorry. Here" he
drew ~ a card and rapidly wrote a
line upon it. "At least, you'll take
this. And II you relent-Iu be wait.
ing"
Running lightly. she started down
the road. Then she looked back and
while he watched, with 4 wistfully re-
gretful smile, she tossed the card into
the wayside bushes.
She had paused a scant moment in
the boarding house hall to survey her
tumbled hair when through the cur.
tanned door she saw him coming.
fumbling . bunch of keys in his hand.
With = smothered cry, she ned up to
her own Dom and waited. peerinG
breathlessiy through a tiny crack.
It was the same gray figure. with
hands deep III his pockets-the very
whistling man into whose arms she
had almost fallen two hours before
His heavy tread mounted slowly and
sounded In the room overhead, where
J the crash of a trunk had driven her tc
despair that same day. She buried
her head n the cushions. laughing
Historically. Then arising. she sur
veyed her radiant face in the tiny
mirror.
What a dear. sweet. lovely ole
thing fate is" she murmured.
Il The Last Word.
, Creep into thy narrow bed,
Creep and let no more DO said.
vain thy onset! All stand fast, e-s