The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-10-10


on the pleasant little south porch
which faced Delos Browns
Martha Gilmore, with her broad hat
tied low over her face, worked every
day In the garden.
"I've got to raise something for win
ter, or we viii have to have help from
the town." she whispered over and
over. when her back ached and her
head felt dizzy from her unaccus-
toned labor.
And her garden did grow surpris-
ingly. Early one morning Martha
went out to look at the plants which
meaut so much to her.
Heading his Industrious fiockamong
her newly hoed rows was the strut
ting red rooster she had watched her
neighbor place in his chicken yard
a few days before All about lay her
tender young plants, torn and uproot-
ed"
"Oh, go away" cried Martha, help
lessly. waving her apron.
why, Miss Gilmore!" Delos Brown
stood aghast at the havoc he had url-
Willingly wrought. II supposed i had
that park chicken-proof."
After much excitement they coaxed
and drove the flock back into their
own territory.
"And now you must let me help you
repair the damages" he declared, for
getting in her apparent distress his
fear of prying eyes and busy tongues.
To his establishment, Delos found
the girl very quiet and attractive. She
knew a lot about gardening, too, and
seemed eager to learn more.
"I declare" he murmured on his
lonely porch of an evening, Il declare
l can't see why she is a brazen thing.
as Aunt Mariette seems to think. |
guess that garden means great deal
to her-more than 1t ought to II
things were comfortable over there.
He began thinking anxiousiy about
the long winter 1.-The cottage needs
repairing to make 1t livable. l could
do it as we'll as not without much
expense. And l always have more
wood from the farm than / can use.
I hope she hasn't heard any of Aunt
Mariette's foolish talk" he thought.
Through the dim twilight he could
see Martha moving about the little
lawn.
Guess I'll go over, anyway" he
said aloud, since Aunt Martha's s
sharp eyes could not penetrate the
darkness.
TT came to inquire about the gar
aen," he said, i'll at ease in her pres
epce. There was something fine In
Martha's manner, even in that hum.
BILE kitchen garden.
"Oh, it Is better than it ever was
before, thanks to you, Mr.. Brown. 1t
is really fortunate for me that my
neighbor's chickens got into it!"
"But I can never quite replace it.
Miss Gilmore, and that is why
want to do something else for you to
even things up little. The cottage
needs repairing before cold weather.
1 can do it as well as not-in fact,
ought to have. done 1t before / let
you have it at all"
"Oh not" cried Martha. "Wtat
would Miss Brown say?"
80 she has been talking to your
groaned Delos. 81 might have
known it. Oh, you poor little girl"
Martha clasped her hands in the
darkness at the tenderness in his
voice.
did not mind" she whispered
with a sob.
mot mind?" He took her trem-
bling hands in his own. To his Joy she
did not attempt to draw them away.
do you know, Martha" he said
very softly, ''how a man feels about
the girl he loves? He wants to pro
tect her from everything that 10 un.
pleasant or difficult That Is why
cannot endure your living in this poor
little house and working yourself to
death in this garden. ! am glad the
red rooster destroyed it, since he
opened the gate in the line fence. Let
us be married tomorrow, Martha. 1t
is going to cause a sensation, and
we may as well have 1t all over with
at once. And want you 80 much,
dear"
at is pity" she protested, hesitat-
ing.
"It is not pity" he denied, taking
her In his arms. 'It is love, Mar.
tha."
The sewing circle met in Miss
Browns parlors next afternoon.
"Delos Brown and Martha Gilmore
are married." cried Luella, rushing
in excitedly.
well" said Aunt Mariette, compos
edly, after one mental gasp. "Pve
said from the day she moved into the
Fleming cottage that this is what
, would come of it,"
Copyright. 1912. by Associated Literary
II Press,)