Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-19


rugs about her.
NOV, John. drive out the - road"
he directed. as they started off.
Helen leaned back in the wide lesthered
seat with a sigh Of contentment. oh, II
was good to be out! To get away from
the chilled loneliness Of her apartment
into the warm spring sunshine.
They were soon speeding through the
park and then out to the road.
Everywhere were signs of spring. Bare
headed children. barking dogs and far
Their out in the country the smell Of earth
and growing things.
Helen breathed It all in hungrily. II
had been SO long since she had been out
in the real country, and now resolutely
she put from her all anxious worrying
thoughts and gave herself up to the joy
OF the ride.
| A chicken scampered across the road
in front OF them or dog ran out bark
ing at the car. Here and there a
horse bearing the scars OF weekday har-
ness, was taking its well earned Sunday
rest in field or barnyard. Grazing cows
looked up with mild inquiry as they flew
past.
A country church with few people
lingering around the door-probably the
close OF some afternoon service. Then
q cemetery with fresh cut flowers on
several mounds, and a young couple
planting rose bush on a tiny grave.
Then came small village with its closed
shops and sleepy Sunday streets.
SLOW up here. John" called out Mr..
Stevens. There's railroad crossing
Just ahead"
The bars were down and the flagman
stood there waving his red flag as a
freight train puffed slowly by.
The sunlight fell on the glistening coal
with which the cars were loaded and lit
up the grimy faces Of the brakemen. And
when the last car had rumbled by, the
steel tracks shone in a long. gllttering
line around the curve. Helen gazed at
them dreamngly. The sun shining on
the steel rails recalled some vague i'm
preston OF childhood. And Just now
there was a faint odor Of burning leaves
that. too, seemed part Of the picture.
But the bars were raised and they
crossed the track and on down the road
before she could place her memory. On
and on they sped, the soft air blowing
back their wells and bringing them varied
odors OF woods knd fields and fresh
plowed ground.
1t was after O'Clock when they stopped
at a little roadhouse for dinner. and II
was quite dusk before they started back.
But the ride back through the dark was
to Helen as full Of charm as It had been
Through the bright sunlight OF the after
noon.
1t was growing cooler and Mr.. Stevens
wrapped the rugs about her more eloselR
The night air Of the country has a sweet
ness Of its own. and the crickets and
tree frogs made q murmurous back
ground.
1t was almost with regret that Helen
saw the glimmer OF distant lights, which
meant the approach OF the city. 1t had
been a wonderful drive. She had sue
eeeded in putting aside every thought
but the pleasure Of the moment.
She remembered having once heard
someone say:
II only we could learn to take our
pleasures In moments. Life gives up
many Of them-not consecutively and not
perhaps the way we would like most TO
have them. And yet. however dreary our
lot. We all have moments enough to make
life 1iyeable' II only we would learn to
make the most of them"
And Helen knew that this drive had
been one Of her moments-and she had
made the most Of it. She thought of the
desoIste afternoon to which she had
looked forward. but which, after all, had
not been desolate.
She wondered II she could learn to get
her pleasures from moments like these.
Was that the lesson life was trying to
teach her-that she could not have her
happiness in the way she wanted 1t. but
must learn to accept and be grateful for
whatever moments Of pleasure that came
her way?