Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-03-03

wives She had help In her house
cleaning, and whenever there was ex-
ira work to be done she had woman
to do, her washing and ironing and
scrubbing. And yet Mary Eta look
ed very tired this fall. Indeed, there
was a faded look about her usually
blooming face that Ben did not un-
derstand and secretly worried about.
And yet his anxiety was not so great
as his pride. He could support his
wife, but he would do it in his own
way. They would board all winter In
the city where he could get fine wages,
and in the spring they would return to
the farm. 49, =
Once In the city streets he did not
know which way to turn to look fol
work. By the time he had bought a.
morning newspaper and hunted its col
umns in vain for advertisements re-
quiring the especial services he had
to offer he was ravenously hungry,
When he had appeased his healthy ap>
petite he was troubled at the inroads
made upon his little store of money,
and this money had been sum that
Mary Eta had produced from some
secret hiding place, for their money in
the savings bank had been drawn upon
to meet necessary expenses. u.
Mary Eta was wonderful man
ager he thought as he left the eating
place and walked aimlessly down the
street. She had planned and contrived
all through the autumn months while
the dread Of going back to the bench
still hung like dark cloud over him.
He paused in front Of gaudily
painted doorway and read the posters
Of a moving picture show. In a few
moments he had yielded to the temp
tation to enter and found himself seat
ed well down in front in the long, mar
row theater. At the moment there
were being produced the pictures of
thrilling rescue from flames as a tall
tenement house burned.
Ben watched breathlessly and cheer
ed as heartily as the rest when the
last picture faded away. He did not
look at the card announcing the next
production The theater was warm,
and he was removing his overcoat.
When he looked up he heard the
family familiar sounds Of an organ re-
produced from large photograph on
the stage, and there flashed into view
on the curtain a scene that took his
breath away and left him sitting in
stunned silence while it lasted.
Before him was the interior Of the
village church at home, rows and rows
Of familiar heads, while up In the pull
pit the thin, angular form Of the new
minister sat stif11y on the red velvet
sofa. while the choir grouped on his
left were singing.
He saw his own grave face beside
young Harry Fray, the tenor He saw
Mrs. Phillips, the pastors wife, and
Mary Eta. Mary Eta, looking very
sweet and girlish, was singing, and
the others should have been Joining I'm
the refrain, for their mouths were
opened. But 1t was only Mary Ett&
who sang, her sweet. high voice rising
like that OF an angel to the very roof
Of the church even now as It was re-
produced from the monograph and
foated above. the heads Of the mixed
audience. who hung breathlessly upon
every word she sang. Now and then
there was; strangled sob as the mean
Ing Of the song was borne TO- the.
hearts Of rhe hearers and touched
some tender chord
Ben listened, seeming to- hear the
broken tri1l OF a robin from the church
yard outside; as had happened the last
time Mary Eta had sung that old
Scotch hymn my Ain Countrie:"
I am far eraa my hame, an, I'm. weary
aftenwhiles
For the Hanged for hame bringing an my
Fathers welcome smiles,
An I'll meier be fu' content until mine ear.
do see
The Eowaen gates o heav'n ant my ain
countTie.
When the last note had died away
amid silence that was more eloquent
than the noisiest applause Ben found
his way to the management Of the the
alter and was sent to- the people from
whom the picture films had been Dur
chased There, after many explana-
tons and some delay, he was informed
that the pastor had granted permission
LOT the picture to- be taken from the.
back: gallery the spring before and that
Mary Eta had: been approached and
asked to- sing the song into a phono-
graph. This she had at first refused
TO. do. and then, tempted by the money
oTered, she had consented and had
made several trips TO. the city to- sing
many other well known songs TO- be-
reproduced for the. entertainment Of
the public.
That explained to Ben Madison hegr
II was that In; spite of the scant re-.
curns fron1. the farm that summer there
mad always been plenty Oh his table.
while his store bills had been proupt-
~ met. The shadow La Mary Etsa'a
NICE was probably the reelection. OF her
troubled conscience, for her gentle
heart must have suffered at deeesvtne
her prosa@ young husband 1870
Thrilled with self eontemps., Ben
Madison hurried home on the last train
that night and awoke the aston,ahea
me- Fray from hia early sleep. Then
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