Lower coast gazette., 1913-10-04
The Harvest.
BY Elsie %Singmaster.

BY Elsie Singmaster.
In the broad, low bedroom of the old
farmhouse, Elizabeth sat by the win.
dow. She could look out against the
dark trees of the woodland, behind
which the moon was rising, or back
into the dim room, where her father
lay on his bed. The woodland was in
deep shadow; her fathers face, with
it's closed eyes and set mouth, was
even darker and more grim. From far
away, but clear in the still summer
night, floated the sound Of music, a
waltz played by %violins.
Tonight the music troubled Eliza
beth, although usually it filled her
with delight. When even the word mu-
sic was mentioned. Elizabeth's shy
blue eyes danced and her serious face
| lighted with smiles. The week before,
when her father told the piano man
that he could not buy a piano, Eliza
beth thought her heart was broken.
Join Blake's house stood high
against the woodland, where it COM
manded a view over the whole val
ley. 1t overlooked the wide Blake
fields, now. covered with a bountiful
crop of wheat, ripe for cutting; it gave
a view of the winding river, and in the
distance, the great summer hotel, with
its golf links and tennis-courts and
| beautiful lawns. It was from the sum
mer hotel that the music floated to
the ears of. Elizabeth. The hotel was
always crowded; its guests often stop
ped at the farmhouse for a glass of
water, or of milk, and Elizabeth was
constantly meeting them in her walks.
Sometimes in the evenings, when all
the guests were gathered in the ball
room, she v%entured down the road to-
ward the hotel, and occasionally she
drove past with her father and moth
er. Usually she did not have much
time to go about. She and her mother
made part of the supply OF butter for
the hotel, and there was always work
to do. Even now Elizabeth sighed
with WEAKNESS.
MIR. Blake had set out his broad
acres in wheat, and the wheat had
grown like no other crop that he could
remember. 1t seemed as il he had
been especially favored by the wealth
er. A terrible hail-storm that had
beaten down the young plants Of his
neighbors had passed him by; the
heavy rains that had done great harm
to the crops in the West had not pre-
vailed in his part of the country.
There was every promise that, with
the proceeds Of the magnificent crop,
Mr.. Blake would be able to pay the
mortgage that a succession Of misf0r-
tunes had fastened upon his farm. He
had not always been SO lucky as he
was in this fine crop. There had been
lean years, he had unWisely Endorsed
the note of a friend who had proved to
be dishonest, and, worse than all, he
had lost his only son.
Now, as Mr.. Blake's health and cour.
age and faith were gradually re-
turning, he had been smitten
once more. He had slipped from
a ladder in the barn and had
broken his hip; he had to lie a prison
err on his bed. Helpers were not to
be had for the harvest; the great hotel
in the valley had so raised the price
Of labor that workers by the day were
not to be found. Mr.. Blake had sent
letters to acquaintance in neighbor.
ing towns; he had advertised in the
newspapers; his wife had driven from
place to place, in the hope of finding
a few men willing to work.
But the search was vain. The July
sun grew hotter and hotter; the heat
turned the fields to tawny yellow, and
the heavy heads of grain began to nod.
The weather was perfect harvest
weather, the harvest lay waiting, but
there were no Taborers. On his bed lay
the master; he had been moved to the
| side of the house away from the gold
en- fields, SO that the sight of them
might not torture. him.
Elizabeth, sitting beside him in the
twilight, rose presently to get him a
| drink. He did not ask for 1t; he asked
for nothing. but Elizabeth knew from
her own parched throat that his must
be dry. She slipped her hand under
his head, and lifted it from the pillow
while she held the cup to his lips. Sud
denly he started.
is that t%hunder??
"No, father. 1t is only a team cross
ing the bridge"
us there any sign Of rain
mo. The moon is rising as clear as
can be-"
| Mr.. Blake turned his face away