The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-20

Leave him there and see the farm
slip out of my hands? My stars, 1
guess mott
In the three years that followed the
renting of the farm. constantly goaded
by visions of a stepmother in the
"bouncin' Wilder Perkins" Mary FL
len saw to it that never under any
circumstances did Rufus visit his ter
ant alone. Too we'll she knew what
A homelike. happy picture the widow
made working about the farm garden,
which Rufus had to pass to visit his
own place. He had never visited the
old home without domineering Mar!
Ellen by his side. Likewise on Satur-
days. when the Widow Perkins. who
could have given him all the news he
longed for, anne into own to shop.
Mary Ellen invariably Went to the
%postoffice and made the round of the
stores with him.
On the May day in question, as Ruff
us sat in the sunshine. seeing in fancy
his broad fields seven miles from him.
where he longed to he turning up the
rich. steaming soil. thinking a little
wistfully of the Widow Perkins and
his other neighbors. busy from early
morning until shutdown with the spring
rush. he longed for courage to brush
aside Mary Ellen's orders that neither
spade nor trowel must ever he put in
the grass for the back yard. because
she wanted it for the waShings.
Suddenly the sound of metal strik-
ing again and again on hard earth
broke in on his reverie and sem his
eNes swiftly to theback yard adjoining
Mary Ellen's. 1t belonged to the place
rented by Miss Sharpe. the dressmak-
err. and. to the surprise of Rufus. it
was Miss Shapes unaccustomed
hands which welded the shovel that
seemed to be making little impression
on the soil that for years probably
had never been turned.
In a second Rufus was off the We
the yards. why. I want to know,
Miss Sharpe. Fer the land sakes.
what YOU dom" he asked.
Miss Sharpe's pale little face went
crimson. but her head was tossed in
dependently. almost defiantly. I'm
maxim garden. Mr.. Blanchard" she
answered. Folks says greens is goin'
to be awful high this summer, and
them that's got the ground orter use
it. So A rather discouraged glance
at the little Roadway she had made
OH the patch she had selected complet-
ed her sentence.
sAAHS ol'SiCa iV Sdlc. ttS size ndu
talked he remembered Mary Ellen had
said only h a morning that work
with Miss Sharpe was awful slow
since the new dressmaker had come
to town. and that she didn't know
"how in the world she'd make ends
meet if people kept pourin' into the
new ones like she heard they was
With quick intuition Rufus knew that
it was the new one who had set lit
tie Miss Sharpe to work trying to coax
part Of her living out of her back
yard. His voice was very gentle as
he took the shovel out Of her hands.
Jus let me take a try at this. Miss
Sharpe After a moment he forebore.
Mercy me-" he cried. his eyes crink-
ing in a way they had not in three
years. You'd never make a garden
In forty years with this here thing.
Tell You, Miss Sharpe, you Jest let it
be till ] get uptown. Ill get a spade,
and We'll have you a garden all right
in no time"
He turned away with the old brisk
Rufus Blanchard step, a happy
thought uppermost. Here at last was
gardening which Mary Ellen could not
object to. He Went UP Main street to
the hardware shop, bought a spade,
hoe. rake. trowel and ten minutes lat
err came jubilantly back through Mary
ElTen's gate under Mary E,llen's
amazed eyes.
Father Blanchard!" she crieo,
amazement giving place to wrath as
he whisked by the front of the house.
Receiving no answer, she followed, go
ing on. MY stars, what's come to
you? You look as hot as a piece Of