Lower coast gazette., 1913-11-15
Her Day Of White
Bread.
Continued from last issue.)

Continued from last issue.)
Il bought them once when l went
to Olney," she said, %reverently. "But
l can't use 'em for every day. Jake's
mother generally washes the dishes
and she won't fool with them. Will
you watch the chicken a moment?'
She ran outdoors, and came back
presently with a bunch of goldenrod
which she thrust hastily, yet lovingly
into a cup. eff | could have my way
I'd have flowers in the house every
where she said. Nov we're ready
They sat down at the little table.
Il reckon I'll just have to call you
Joey. You like coffee??"
A Clipped oatmeal dish served as
saucer to the heavy cup that she
handed him.
Joey" she said, after some little
silence, when you marry a girl, don't
you ask her to go live with your
mother. Don't you ask her to fix her
new tides, and sofas, and teapots in
your mothers house-you get a home,
If it amt but one room!"
Two red spots had come into hel
cheeks.
There, joey, I've surprised you. You
eat some more Of this gravy and I'll
explain. You see this house? Well
Jake brought me to IL ABOUT twenty
years ago. He was too poor to build,
he thought, though l wanted a house
on the ten-acre piece so bad. You see
.hat front room? It's Mandy's, and
always has been since she was porn,
and that was the year after Jake and
l came here. Her being the last child,
and coming so long after the others
seems like she was a bit spoiled. You
see this kitchen? That's Jake's
mothers and always has been. Oh, /
tell you, a new bride doesn't fit into
a house that's used to her husbands
lamily's ways. 1t amt that I'm com.
plainin' about Mandy and Jake's
mother. Only can't have g~oldenrod
in the house, and l can't do a thou.
sand and one little things just be.
cause the four walls amt mine.'
The guest had been thinking.
$50 it's your birthday to-day?"
Yes. Land, seems as if I ought
to be settled down by now, and not
always playing things out in my head,
You know, after I'd done all the chores
this morning and sat there sewin' rags
.Aa ee,ri.. rs.se, hopt Wiphine ]
could have a day of celebrating, and
mere you came, dropping down from
heaven"
If you'll get your hat on" said the
guest, springing up boyishly from his
chair, you'll haye-I mean, will you
go with me to Olney this afternoon?
think I'll run down there, and it's
mighty lonesome riding over the coun.
try alone. can have you back by
nightfall. Do say you'll co."
At the look on her face his heart
gave a queer wrench; he had no,
though that people could so easily give
precious gifts.
"Oh, | want to- never did ride
the work-what will Mandy say? And
you've got to go on selling pans!".
He drew a notebook from his pocket
tore out a leaf and wrote on it:
Dear Mandy-If you do all the work
and get supper tonight, there'll be q
package from town for you tonight
Dudley bennington"
"That,ll interest her." he exclaimed
gleefully, "and you run along ant
dress! You don't need to worry abou'
the pans"
AS she still stood in trembling hest
tation, he explained fully: I'm onl!
doing it as a sort of a lark-Harri!
and | are, that is. You see, a fellow
in our class at Champaign had THU
job for the summer-a thin, oyerMOrk
ing chap, but dead game Just befor,
exams he came down with typhoid; b,
worried a lot, and we took the route
for him. We've already sold enough
to pay his expenses next year. Nov
won't you run along and dress?"
She went, and in an incredibly shor
time anne back in a gray cotton frocl
and a black bonnet with very I'm
pansies on it. She touched the ca
~reyerently with her hand, and climbed
in. Like a happy child she sat bacl
among the cushions, and, folding on,
worn hand softly over the other, dranl
in anew the beauty Of the forest road
A cardinal famed in the little papay
grove, brown rabbits scurried across
the path, and in the shadow of a 10,
a land tortoise drew III his startled
head. She saw within the fores
deuths the delicate wild touch-me-not'
she loved, and in the open spaces there
grew thin stalks of goldenrod. II
every living thing the woman's hear
cried out a greeting.
On the outskirts of the little city h,
boy ran the car more slowly, and TO,
the first time in that golden ride sh.