The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-10-07
HeSter'S Old
Farm
By BRYANT C.. ROGERS

Farm
BY BRYANT C. ROGERS
|
She closed the barn door, then
turned with one hand upon the hasp
TO gaze about her. From within the
barn came a comfortable sound Of
munching az the old gray horse ate
his supper. He did not know that his
mistress had scraped the bin with her
hands to get him that last small meas
ure Of grain and that there was no
money With which to buy another bag.
tul
1t WAS sundown-thatd ishearten1ng,
gray time Of tho mountains. Crickets
were beginning to CHATTER in tho fields,
birds to call from the woodland. Where
ever Hester looked. desolation met her
despairing eyes. It had been a dry,
hot summer, and the scanty crops she
had put in had failed her utterly.
The buckwheat was just coming to
blow; the corn was hardly worth the
cutting; the potatoes would not yield
handful to hill. Yet vagrant things
aourished.
Behind Hester the barn doomed
gray and gaunt, with warped siding
showing daylight through the roof
sinking weakly in the middle. The
house was not much better. 1t, too.
was implanted. Window lights were
broken; the chimney in ruins; the un-
derpinning scarcely able to support
the ttmbers. About 1t the flowers
which she had set in the awakened
hope OF springtime were fading on tho
stalk.
Red leaves dropped softly from the
maple before the door. It was fall
lat. Soon it would be winter. And
them
She drew long breath and the
lines Of hardship and heartache deep
sned on her face, making her look al
most old. She had made = good fight
for naught. After all, she was but
I woman to treat with soil that be-
grudged and nature that would not
aid. Her hands showed to what use
The had put them; her slim figure had
not an ounce Of flesh to spare. She
had worked herself down to mere bone
md muscle, and now bono and muscle
were rebelltng. She was giving out;
she could not work through another
year like last. And all she had to
'how for her brave toll was the pros-
pect Of winter of privatton.
In that moment Of desperation the
girls heart failed her and she cringed
before the future. This farm was her
Ill, and 1t had refused to support her.
As for selling it. who would buy? The
and was not marketable. A hundred
.hings came to her mind-the loneli-
ness Of long nights; the terror of
some. with only her dog for compan-
ion: the days of toll; the eager en-.
deavor; her watch cry. II will not be
beaten!" hope springing anew each
spring and each fall. All! it was all
bitter, but not one half so bitter as
the future!
Stay on the farm" her father had
hidden her with almost his last
breath. And she had stayed But now
he time had come when, if she would
i've, she must stay no longer. Where
could she go? What could she do!
She dreaded contact with the un
Known world. Work did not dauut
aer, but humanity did. After all, she
nod HIT a uunynon'o hoor< o~S - +a-sl
! ,ne. As she realized how timid. she
turned her face to the gray boards Of
tho barn door and broke into passion
ate weeping.
A sound Of furious barking aroused
her. Her dog. hunting his own meat
1t woodchuok hole on the side hill
had become aware Of something I'm
usual and was racing houseward. Al
she lifted her head she saw him and
The disturbing object-a man climbing
he orchard fence. He carried a kur
lpon his shoulder. When the dog wal
almost upon him, bristling with threa,
for he was an ugly brute wher.
strangers were concerned-the mar
spoke to him reassuringly. The dos
ceased to bristle. wagged his tail ant
'ell into step at the mans heels. Al
The man approached Hester he uftet
his cap and. with keen, kind eyes
swept her forlorn. tear-wet face.
Are you Miss Craig?" he asked.
YES" Hester answered.
DO you own this farm?"
YES"
That's your upper line, isn't it?'
He pointed toward row Of posts tina
climbed northern slope.
YES" Hester replied for the thirt
time.
She was wondering why he askes
her so many questions, and who h,
was.
He turned and looked the other way
where's your lower Hne?" he asked
Hester pointed.
1T runs past that little hemloc]
ree," she explained.
Il see. 1t joins onto Hardy's land
That's just what thought Do 20,
farm it alone?"
Il hire-when l can"
EARNINGS too hard for q woman
alone" he unused, scanning the poo
fields, the brake. desolated pasture
empty of cattle. Would you soil I
anybody made you an o6er1'' 10 II
quireu.