The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-06-19

R winch sun and WIND an
M frost had offered sthet
kind Offices, meil0wina
pleasantly its orieina
glare OF white. In sum
mer a trumpet-vine draped tn,
ugly little piazza which Emmy,
"art-needle work" had helped t.
build, and which she and hel
mother admired with simple hearts
The big burr oak and the ma
pies hid the house from the road
but the grassy knoll in front of the
house was bare, and from this van
playground one could see the shallow
curve of whitish-brown where the vii
iage street climbed the hill, the chin.
neys of the houses below, and afar or
the trains roaring through the prai.
ries. All the village was interested in
the railway, but Emmy had an es.
pecial and intimate interest because
her sweetheart was the local agent.
He had been her sweetheart during
five years, in any one of which he
would have been proud and glad to
marry her; yet this was the fifth
year of their betrothal, and Emmy
was drearily rejecting that they were
no nearer the chance to spend their
lives together the fifth than the first
Emmy was hanging out clothes. It
was four o'clock in the afternoon, but
she had just brought out the large
basket and was pinning the garments
to the line, while Virginia, her sister.
little girl in short skirts and a blue
checked apron, helped with the less
cumbrous stockings and handker-
chiefs. The child was pretty. She
had a fresh color and curly yellow
hair. Emmy's hair was black, and
twisted in a braid about a shapely
head.
The widow Darter sat on the piazza
In large rockingham. She rocked.
AS she rocked, she moaned piteously.
At intervals she changed the sibilant
moan into hollow groaning sound.
"Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear, oh dear,
oh DEAR" walled the widow. "Um-m!
um-m! um-m-m-m!"
The little girl flung a frown of i'm
patience over her shoulder. 81 don't
see why mamma makes such an awful
racket" she snapped.
"She SUFFERS" said Emmy
well, she needn't holler so If she
does" cried Virginia, rebelliously. II
know she wouldn't let me boiler when
stubbed my toe 1t hurt awful, tool"
Emmy said nothing.
, "Say, are you going to the picnic
with Bert tomorrow afternoon" said
the child.
mo, jimmy, I don't see how I can.
Mothers so sick"
We'll, told Bert was willing to
take care of mamma; and he said he'd
buy me new doll If would. guess
he wants you to go awful" :.
"Oh-h dear! Oh-h dear!" droned
the sufferer on the piazza.
We'll, l can't" said Emmy. 81
wish you'd run and ask mother If she
wants anything"
y s'pose she wants you to read to
her; she says don't read with ex-
preston" said the little girl. But
we're all read out; you put off the
washing to read the end of "A Ro-
nance of Two Worlds and we've got
to wait until No. 9 comes in! Albert
said he'd sent for whooping big pile
of books from Davenport; you can get
'em at the dry-goods stores for five
cents a book. And Mrs. Conner'll
bring them up, won't she, when she
comes? She's got to 60 for her board
err" Emmy nodded. Mrs. Darter
groaned more softly, a sign that she
was distracted by something from her
own griefs of mind or body. jimmy
chartered on. Miss Ann Bigelow told
me Mrs. Corners going to have girl
from the University of Chicago for a
boarder this time, but she's only COM
ing for a week Sibyl Edmunds knows
her we'll. And, Emmy, she takes pic
lures, and she's going to bring her
camera"
Emmy! Emmy! there comes Mrs.
Conner" screamed her mother.
Her words were accompanied by the
vision of white horse and an ancient
phaeton (Which had been newly wash
ed for the occasion) just beyond the
iilac-bushes at the gate. Mrs. Corners
comedy presence filed the better part
OF the seat, but the eyes of all the
Darters travelled at once to the slim
girl in gray covert-cloth who sat be-
side her. The girl looked like hun
dreds of rather pretty American girls,
with gray eyes and brown hair and
dimples in their cheeks.
Mrs. Conner had stopped the horse
She responded to Emmy's greeting by
presenting her to the girl in gray.
miss Doris Keith; she's going to the
Chicago University. She knows
Eibyl." Then she fished out a pack
age from the luggage heaped at their
feet. Here's the books. That your
ma on the piazza?"
= As if in response, a few hollow
means floated from the rocking chair.
"She seems in great PAIN" said Miss
Keith, alphabetically. 1
| Emmy's fair skin Redeemed painful
1y. "No, she-she isn't Eell," she
stammered.
Mrs. Conner coughed a dry, mex
pressive cough.
{ II do wish you would step in and