El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-21
Her Lord and Master
(By Richard Aberliers.)

=
over the ground there. 1 don't
- like no hay wasted. See
! Bobbie. there's some the fowls have
scratched out by the side of the barn.
an some in the bottom of the wagon.
An there's some shed oats there, TOO
good bit O. horse feed, that See 1t
amt wasted. Hi, Molly, fling over that
hayband. Confound yer. a carnt yer
reach the tarpolin, It Ain't down
enough on the west side-the weather
quarter. There, you, Maggie, shin off
and tell mother to ave some water
hotted: I'm nearly ready to ave me
cleanup. And 1 want tea by eight.
SOS to git to Dryers before dark II
you kids had flung yourselves round,
I'd ha' been off now. hang yer! Tom
my. YOU take a handful O.. hay and hal
ter and ketch Diver for me. He. won
kick yer Or If he do kick, kick i'm
back"
Evening"
Slavin paused long enough from
twisting a corner of the tarpaulin TO
nod to the stranger, who loafed, with
half quizzical smile, on his horse by
the fence And yet 1t was hardly
pause, for Slavin improved the other
wise wasted moment by dashing sun
dry straws from his shaggy beard
Immediately he was tearing away at
some loose stuff at the far end OF the
stack that to his eye spoiled its SYM
metry He had not listened for the
responsive Good evening" However,
as it happened, the stranger contented
himself with a nod anywhere in the d.
rection of the stack, being in mood
evidently to observe rather than TO
talk. Slavin worked rapidly round the
stack, clawing down the loose straw
to arm height, or below the tarpaulln
that was thrown irregularly over the
stack AS he went, he shouted injunc-
tons as TO 'clearin' up. and takln
care of the straw" and other things.
4 carn't go away with an easy mind.
as long as things amt straight and
safe. I'm not that kind. Casey, now,
he takes his spell leav4n' things no
how"
Then there was more clawing.
Hi is the fountain hot, and the
tea ready? ?"
TIE stranger looked sideways along
the fence to the figure that answered
Slavin Slavin was already again half
way round the back of the stack and
the stranger got the. answer es'
Dan; and your clo'es laid ready.
The watcher from the saddle beheld
the thinnest brownest woman that ever
Australian climate and mans hard
work turned out. She had, like the wo-
man of Nordsworth's ditty, "a baby at
her back and another at her breast,
also one at her side. Even lover OF
the drab in life. like the old poet could
have done little with Mrs. Slavin in
poetry. She was plain, weary and
dirty. as well as thin and brown
The lounger in the saddle wondered
idly at the shrimp of an infant in the
mothers arms.
st beg your pardon" He realized
that the brown slip of woman had
addressed him. "Slavin's a tidy man,
a great worker. He don't leave no lit
ter when he goes-stop that, she
broke off, speaking to the tiny one by
her side. :.
NO, I suppose not Yes, tidy man.
His answer was vague-unsatisfacto
he realized, as a reply to the woman's
terse statement. But Slavin, reappear-
ing round the stack at the moment,
looking like frowsy mailman, all
straw about the upper part, and his
lower limbs jerking about in pair
of perilously fastened pants. had rath-
er unnerved the rider.
The lady was for monologue appar-
entity. and did not heed his vagueness.
without the kids help he couldn't
of got away this season.
Hes that perticuler, is Slayin, to
have everything redded up first. With
out the harvest safe he wouldn't Of
went at all It's his one treat. 1t
would of been a shame if"
roar from Slavin turned their eyes
his way. us Tommy got the horse
YETI" he demanded, still clawing the
stack, and splitting the taste Of mus
tard seed out of his mouth.
'TYeh."
S1avin, emerging presently, like the
moon from eclipse from the opposite
side of the. stack, poured out instruc-
lions meant, for wife and children in
discriminatory. up at Aur. no later.
Dye hear? Milkin' over by seven See
to that, mother. You, Bobbie, I'll skin
yer when come back if them weeds
amt cut down in the crick paddock.
And mind the calves in the bush Sc
lection is watered and counted every
day. Take the taters TO the barn that
is for seed, and see the sprouts is
off 'en- Mary is to go to school But
she can help with the milkin' mornin'
and evenin.' Hear that. mother. Smith
nil ha1p T,ar4,rou r old arxra