The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-05-29
THE FARM HAND
AND The MAIDEN
A Romance of BuftermiEk and
Wild Flowers.

He was her fathers farm hand,
hired for the harvest season. She had
come out while he was driving a reap
ing machine to bring him pitcher of
buttermilk.
IF you wouldn't mind telling me-"
what it was that prompted yoi to
bring this buttermilk to me-
THE kindness of my heart. | sup
pose" -
1--WE been farm hand before. but
I never knew farmers daughter to
take pity on me when reaping. I'm
afraid you haven't given me the true
reason"
why did you bring me those wild.
6owers?"
This was counter question that
shifted him from the offensive to the
defensive "'
THE kindness of my heart. T. sup
pose." he said presently
'Oh. well. if that's all. we're even.
But it doesn't seem to me that the two
cases are the same. see you hot and
tired and think h6w refreshing drink
of buttermilk would be to you. so
bring it to you. You see some wild
flowers You don't know that I'm es-
pecially fond Of flowers-indeed, 1 only
like them as other people debut you
gather them for me. you said. and give
them to me. Suppose had been some
one else"
II haven't been used to gathering
wild flowers before for farmers daugh-
tiers where I've worked"
ave often brought farm hands but
termilk when they were reaping."
He looked into her face. It was as
mild as a May morning.
Then why did you ask He
paused. but she replied to the unfin-
ished question herself before he could
finish.
II didn't until you had asked"
He had returned to the starting point
He began anew
81 suppose if any one else had gath
cred flowers for you you would have
liked it just as WE'LL" -.
IT didn't say that" ~
But you said you had often brought
farm hands buttermilk."
II did,
$50 there's nothing more about it." =
Nothing except that you haven't told
me why you gave me the flowers
There was longer pause this time.
He was leaning against the machine;
she was standing on the fallen grain.
'Well. l don't mind telling you,' he
said. though l don't see any use in
doing So l was walking in the woods
when l came on the flowers. was
thinking of you. They looked up at
me innocently and seemed to say,
Take us to her,"
Nov you've told me that much I'll
tel. you what the flowers said to me.
They said. Wasn't it sweet Of him to
bring us to youy and said. why was
1t sweet?' And they said. Because
because-we don't know! Didn't be
tell you why he sent your ! asked.
No. they said. he didn't Then |
said, why did he send you to me with
out a reason?' and they said. He may
have had a reason. but he didn't tell
US what it was OH said |. and that
was the end of it."
''Ho. there. Jerry. Stop that!'
Hes only kicking the flies. You
wouldn't have him suffer their sting
without trying to get rid Of them?"
"I'll tell you what I'll do" he said
without noticing her remark. a"If you'll
just forget for awhile that you're my
employers daughter and some day
coming into this big farm and the
stock and the crops and the money in
bank for many past crops I'll tell you
why gave you the flowers" ~
'"They didn't say that had anything
to do with it, 49,
That's because they didn't know.
They spring up out OF the ground
naturally and remain natural. We
spring from the same ground. but We
are warped by being civilized"
but the minister. said only last Sun.
uay In his sermon that until we be-
came civilized we weren't ready to
receive the New Testament. How.
theI. can civilization kill within rs our
loveliest feelings?''
Again he looked at her and won
dered. How could she by her shrewd
replies continually force him to take
the aggressive and yet be so simple.
so innocent? 81 -,
these are too deep questions for
country folk like us to handle" he
said. "An I,know is that can't speak
all l would speak to your fathers
daughter"
They stood both looking on the
ground. Confused Aunds came to
them-the lowing Of Cattle. the rattle
Of a distant reaper. the neigh Of a
horse. the bark of dog. the hum Of
bees. The horses continued to kick
the flies. but there was Just now moth
ing to be gained by reproving them for
doing so. 1t WAS the girl who broke
the deadlock, between Them
Il don't ASK" she. said. that you
speak ali you would speak; /. only ask
you one thing - =.
"A nd fhat iS o,s