Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-06-08
II Story Of
Farm Life
and talked until the night was far
Copyright. 1910. by American
Press Association

!
| hitched Mollie to the cutter and drove
Beth back TO town. Harold came
down to the gate as he saw them
drive ND. He lifted his cnp in the
same old jnunty way. and the same
smile fingered about the corners Of
his mouth as he talked. but IN many
other ways he was greatly changed.
Hc had grown and was superbly mus
lied. AS he lounged against the gate.
post with the careless grace of
young athlete Mabel could not help ad.
miring him.
Yet there was half wild. shifty
look in his eyes as If some secret was
hidden behind them that Mabel noted
with quick disapproval. His mouth,
) too, when not curved upward In Il
smile had an uncertain droop that In
dicated weakness and a desire to be
led rather than to lead.
Where have. seen that horse be-
fore?" he asked as he helped Beth to
the ground. "Oh. yes. remember nowl
Gladys rode her up to Uncle Grcy's
one night about two years ago, and l
drove her home" He hesitated mo.
ment. II haven't had sleigh ride
this winter" be said, looking up at
Mabel with that comically pleading
look Of his that seldom failed to get
him anything he wanted.
Does that mean that you'd like
one?" Mabel asked. III 1t does Mollie
and are ut your service-that Is. II l
may so along"
"Of course l want you along" he
said as he stepped to the seat beside
her. "A sleigh ride alone isn't much
fun"
you've changed great deal since
saw you last" he went on after they
were out in the road again. IL thought
you were Gladys when l saw you
drive up"
What compliment" laughed Ma
bel Don't you wish l were"
Harold hesitated a moment. NO"
he replied; II don't know that l do,
Gladys expects too much Of q fellow.
and she has such way Of making
him feel SO deuced uncomfortable"
Maybe It's good for n fellow to feel
uncomfortable once In awhile" said
Mabel. looking at him gravely.
Harold shook his head. Not too I'M
comfortable" he said. 1T may make
him reckless"
WAS that what was the matter"
asked Mabel.
Harold looked up quickly. did
Gladys tell your he questioned.
Mabel shook her head. NO" she
answered. but l guessed. It's too
bad, but do you think things like those
that happened last term are going to
help til"
"Of course not" Harold answered.
But what's the use Of trying to be
anybody? | felt like wanted to just
cut loose and have good time and so
to the devil" he added recklessly.
"And so you cut loose" Mabel inter
posed land almost went to the fellow
you spoke OF. But did you have good
timer
"A good timer" he cried. IL was
crazy. and when l came to my senses
enough to realize what l was doing
hated myself"
Mabel sat thinking for a long time.
"You are going back" she said at last
--"back to the same old crowd of fell
lows, the same old associations and
temptations. Can you-will you-keep
the promise you made your father and
mother and Beth?"
Harold caught his breath sharply. A
vision Of the parlors Of the Rau Ia
Snipsilon house rose up before him.
He could see the blue smoke curling
upward to Join the haze that hung
over the heads Of the excited forms
that hung over the card table and he
could hear the sneers Of the fellows
and their cries Of "quitter" as boy
threw mis- cards into the fire and went
upstairs to study.
Then he turned and looked into the
sweet face beside him, the delicateiy
nodded. sensitive chin. the serious
mouth and then into the clear depths
Of those questioning. trusting brown
eyes.
do you believe can?" he asked.
81 know you cam" she answered.
"Then ! will" he said.
The next semester was repetition
of the first for Gladys and Mabel.
with more work. more achievements
and if possible more enjoyment
Gladys, with her self reliant, mas
terful way Of meeting and settling all
problems that came to her, quickly be-
came a leader among the girls. and
Mabel's quick sympathy and eagerness
to be doing something for somebody
made her the contidant and adviser Of
almost every girl in the dormitory.
The weeks passed quickly and soon
brought June and another vacation.
The clover had killed out the winter
before I'm the orchard. and as soon as
the girls reached home they packed
away their books and their college
dresses and. putting on their calico
aprons and broad brimmed straw hats.
set to work to kill the weeds and pre-
pare the ground for another crop of
clover.
I'VE can afford to take good care of
st." Gladys told Mr.. Pearson as he
stopped by the fence on his way to
town one day. tits doing enough for
u.s."
The top CRAFTS began to bear that
year, and the trees were loaded with
a plentiful supply OF fine fruit. /,
seemed as IL every one else had plenty
of apples that year. too, and the bot.
tom dropped out Of the apple market