The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-07-22
THE EVENING STORY
H A 7 TASTE.

She laughed dryly. 81 guess he likes
his cattle better though" she added.
Now, what makes you say that,
chfld?" The old woman hitched
nearer and lifted hand and laid it
upon Christmas knee. What makes
you even think Of such a thing?""
Christina was moved. After all,
talking relieved more than any
amount of mere thinking. "Ill tell
yol. Mrs. Finley" she said. There's
things l want-thinss I've always been
used to having, and instead of Thad's
giving me money to get then he goes
off and takes it'all to buy feed for the
cattle. I've always earned my money.
l don't like this having to beg a man
for a cent" Her voice sank. Il guess
l made a mistake in marrying him.
l begin to wish 1 hadn't. Love!
What's love when the real things Of
lifecreep in?. You ran live without
love. You can't live without some
other things"
She had spoken explosively. The
old oma merely listened, patting
the girls knee. As Christina ceased
she nodded refiectively. II see" she
said. After a moment she went on
slowly. II guess I'll tell you some
thing since YOU seem to kind o. need
1t. was young once myself. That
was some time back-a good many
years. 1 was young nj I was pretty.
l lived up there in the town you came
from. l worked in a millinery store.
and 1 always had the prettiest clothes
a girl could wish for. / earned EN-
honest and l had ZEN. But there ON
a time whea clothes wasn't everything.
l wanted something bigger and bet
tern I'd ever known. I got it in Jim
Finley" She paused. He was a
farmer-something like you farmer.
He come into the store one day to buy
a hat for his man. and l helped him
pick it out. So we got acquainted.
And we were married right away. I
went to live with him on his place.
Do you see it ove there?"
She tapped her s%unbonnet in the
direction of a gray o or two show
ing above a cleared hill. The poorest
place in the section, Thad called it.
Christina had never been there.
We'll, it was kinda nice them
days" the old m continued. 81
went to it in the spring of the year,
Just about this time. l thought 1 was
going to be awfully happy. I didn't
know any more'n you do about farm
plenty. 1t wasn't long before I begun
to think different. The first time the
season changed and there wasn't no
money for new clothes l got pretty
disguised. I missed the goings-on in
the city. Why, nights 1 used to sit
out and look at the stars and listen to
the peppers till 1 was just about crazy.
1 don't suppose Jim understood. He'd
been used to such all his life, and
words. We had a lot Of EN-. 1 got
SO I hated the land and the house and
the cattle. Seemed though every cent
Jim got was wanted somewheres.
There was a bin allus empty OF some
thing give out somewhere. I couldn't
have a thing 1 wanted. l got madden
and madden. You hold IN. Jennie
he'd say; Wen get out OF this SOM
day. I'll be on my feet next year
He really believed that. I didn't. 1
lost faith and heart both. The city
seemed to call-call-call. And one
nice day-like this-I answered. I
ran away from Jim and went back
She drew her hand from Christmas
knee and clasped it with the other
hand. II got a job in a store where
1 thought he wouldn't be able to find
me. But he did, He hunted till he
But I ' had my sral Weeks x" psy a and a
brand new hat and T~hadn't got over
leave me alone. He went. finally, and
do you know what he did? I hate
to tell you. He went right straight
home n hung himself"
She waited. Christina had started
and turned pale. "Oh, poor woman!"
she gasped.
"No, poor Jim! I drove him to it.
I found out quick enough what I'd
done. And then-' she gulped.
Ever want something you know you