Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-11-14
HIS ASH WEDNESDAY
By E. n.

The discussion had begun while
they-AlIan and his sister Maria
waited for breakfast. 1t was the morn
ing OF Ash Wednesday.
"Oh, OF course. you don't approve Of
fasting because you can't do it. Men
like to think they are a great deal
stronger than women, but the truth ID.
they are the weaker vessel
"Wcll. my Lord, Maria! If nothing
else will satisfy you. | will try it I'll
go down town nov Without my break
fast and stay there till dark. You
needn't have any dinner prepared for
me-. or supper either.
Allan departed for his office for the
first time in his life without Il good
breakfast inside OF him
by twelve o'clock Allan's head was
raging with pain and feeling as heavy
as though loaded with lead,
by four o'clock he vas feeling sick
and wrotched. lie put on his hat and
went out to seek relief from fresh air.
His flight carried him to the resi-
dence districts. into a quiet street
where d gray old house looked over
II rusty gaze hI1'l' All Gil PlJ "NiS~- -
Myrtle Fleming lived In that house.
She opened the door to him herself
because the rest OF the family and
their one servant had gone to church.
She did not look at Alan's coat, but at
his faded eyes; and by way OF greet
ing, she said gently:
You have a terrible headache,
haven't you? Come into the lining
room and let me fix up some coffee
for y0n"
Thank you-but don't BOTHER he
protested family.
DO YOU" she ventured doubtfully,
Fever eat scrambled eggs?'
THE kind you cook with chopped
ham?" ne asked with interest.
Myrtle turned that he might not see
the quick tenderness that filled her
eyes. NO." she said, the kind yoe
serve on slices of cold boiled ham.
1t was a square meal before they
got done with 1t, and The strong coffee
cleared Allan's head like magic. When
il was all over and he was leaning
against the mantle with his cigar, Al
Ian looked down on Myrtle in a
chastened spirit.
Tell me" Allan said unexpectedly.
do women suffer 50 much?'
Myrtle started. Suffer, why?"
Maria said this morning that a
man didn't believe in fasting because
he couldn't do it. l tried it" he added
laconically.
And 1t made you III? am not sur.
prised."
Il don't see" Altar murmured, how
fasting could ever take the form OF a
good thing"
We'll in times OF great mental an
guish, fasting does take the edge of
of suffering"
Allan looked down at her thought
fully. Did you eve break your
heart? Oh, I didn't mean to be i'm,
pertinent. But-all girls do, don't
they?"
Il don't think ever exactly be
lIcved in broken hearts" she told him.
mo-" he said decidedly, I've al
ways felt that way about you; that
you were the sanest woman | knew;
that it would be like heaven to live
along with you day after day; that you
would always be gentle and rehneo
and CONTROLLED; that you wouldn't turn
the whole house into cosy one
week and The next send all the beds
into the garnet and expect a man to
sleep on pillows; that no matter how
down on my luck ! might be, the feel
Of your fingers in my hand would
make me a man again in a minute;
that-MyrtIe, | didn't mean to wound
you! | wouldn't have brought tears
to your eyes for the world. Don't
YOU know that?" He ben down anX-
iously with his hand on the back OF her
chair. az d try my best to do the
straight thing by you"
81 know It."
But you think you couldn't learn TO
care for me-that wayf"
"Oh, of course I could"
Then what is it that distresses you
so, dear? II we care for each other
nothing else matters, does it,"
81 am not distressed" she satd.
but you were ready to cry a min
ute ago"
"Oh, well!" She smiled with a touch