The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-06-20
That Summer
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''If," said the girl who likes to talk
you happen to own . two.by.twice
plot of ground outside Of town with
anything standing on It in the way Of
shack with a roof over 1t, your
friends who don't possess such piece
Of property regard you reproachfully
as spring comes on. At inopportuns
times they thrust at you remarks like
these: Well, suppose you'll be leavI
ing soon for your place-lucky crea'
ture!' II We only felt that We. too.
could idle in the country Ill summerl'
you feel horribly apologize. You
know that your envious friends could
buy Q hundred places such % yours
ana dump them into the lake Just to
hear The splash and never miss the
money, 20 II 10 surprise 20 ind your
self regarded - . wretched plntocrat
when the overwhelming reason that
led you to dee from town was that the
bill collector doesn't come around %
often In the woods.
"Two days before I am taking the
boat for Michigan I always get invita-
lions to the opening dinner at the
country club. an automobile ride and .
theater party. all to take place the
week after I am gone. Az wad tis-
sue paper into the sleeves Of the new
gown am packing and which won't
have q chance to wear again all sum.
mer I remember what It cost and
seethe with anguish.
1T is dark when the boat pulls
away from Chicago and II It doesn't
rain soggily when I start I rest a.
sured that It will be raining, when !
arrive in Michigan. It has to rain at
one or the other Of these times, be.
cause I am wearing my best flower.
trimmed hat that 10 too huge to pack
and I have just had my suit pressed.
There seem to be acres Of my luggage
on the Michigan dock the next morn.
new porch rugs, q sew.
ing machine and kitchen stove-and
besides I have to wade around town
in the sand. buying groceries and nails
and mops and matches. before plung.
ing into the calm country ten. miles
from anywhere. ~.
"The boatman who comes for me
does not seem exactly overwhelmed
with the Joy I rather expected him to
show on seeing me again. HUH he
groans. Have you got lead IN these
here trunks?' -
Some time am going to make an
exhaustive study of the psychological
causes leading baggagemen invariably
to be overcome with surprise because
packed trunks cannot be waited about
On one finger. They always are 80
righteously annoyed at this discovery!
1T is raining as usual when I am
shunted of at my own dock with my
luggage. This is particularly good fol
the ironwork on sewing machines and
stoves and is fine for the contents Of
trunks. The cottage seems oddly
yelled and investigation shows the
yelling to consist Of unbroken spider
webs and sheddings from the beech
trees. It does not seem possible that
there are 20 many spiders IN the
world.
The strong.armed scrubwoman whe
was to meet mo 10 beautifully absent
but the full tragedy Of this grows
slowly % I raise window shades and
SO the thick dust ON every inch Of
everything. There are more cobwsbs
inside than outside and at tho sight Of
the pantry shed tears. Spiders rush
from everything touch. In q sort d
desperation I open the box couch to
md . work dress, whereupoa . rattle
OF beech nuts and cherry pits follows
the hauling forth Of the top layer
Then something furry and agitated
darts out and sit down on the floor
and shrek. It was a chipmunk routed
from his winter lodgings and he now
Darts nervously and Indignantly un.
Ger bookcase. I would Just as soon
live In the same house with a man.
eating tiger as with q chipmunk!
"'No,' said the men who brought
up my soaked belongings from the
pier. Mary won't be here. She moved
away. No, there amt nobody else
you can get to scrub. No, we don't
know any man you can get to clean
the yard and tx the pump-every,
Dody's busy planting the crops. No,
there amt no one in town who wants
. 1oD. No. you can't get no lettuos
nor berries nor garden truck-they
amt ripe yet. don't you know thatf
This when people back IN Chicaeo
are rioting in asparagus and straw.
berries and head lettuce and cucum.
Ther may be hundreds Of birds
outside amid the lovely greenery Of
June, but don't know II. for 7 an