The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-12-25
CHAPTER VII.
Cephas Speaks.

vas so beautiful it seemed as if
no one could be unhappy, how
v er great the cause. That was
what Waitstill Baxter thought as she
sat down on the milestone step for Il
word with the old joiner, her best and
most understanding friend in all the
village.
1--WE come to do my mending here
with you.' she said brightly, as she
took out her well filed basket and
threaded her needle. Isn't it a wOn
derful morning: Nobody could look
the world in the face and do u wrong
thing on sue Il day. could they, Uncle
Bart?"
The meadows were a waving mass of
golden buttcrcups; the shallow water
at the rivers edge just below the shop
"a blue with spikes OF arrow weed;
a bunch of fragrant water lilies. gath
cred from the mill ponds upper levels.
lay beside WaitStilrs mending basket.
and every foot of roadside and field
within sight was swaying with long
stemmed white and gold daisies. The
June grass. the friendly, humble, COM
panionable grass. that no one eve
praises as they do the flowers, vas Il
rich emerald green, a velvet carpet fit
for the feet Of the angels themselves.
And the elms and naples. Was there
ever such a year for richness Of foil
age? And the sky, was it eve so blue
or so clear, so far away, or so com
pletely like heaven, as you looked at
it's reflection in the CLASSY surface Of
the river?
Yes, it's a pretty good day" allowed
Uncle Bart judicially as he took a
squint at his T-square. Il don't
knows l should want to start out an
try to beat it! The Lord can make a
good many kinds O. weather in the
course Of a year, but when he puts
his mind on to it an kind O. gives him
SELF a free hand he can turn out a
June mOrnin' that must make the dew
IL sick to his stomach with envy! All
the same. Waity, my cow amt be-
havin' herself any better'n usual.
She's been rampagin' since sun up.
I've seen mother chasin' her out O.
Mis- Days garden patch twice already!
1t seems real good an honey to see
you settin' there SEWN while I'm
wOrkin' at the bench. Cephas is down
to the store. SO | s'pOse your fathers
off sOmewheres?"
Perhaps the June grass was a little
greener, the buttercups yellower, the
foliage more lacey. the sky bluer, be-
cause Deacon Baxter had taken his
luncheon in Il pail under the wagon
seat and departed On an unwilling
journey to Moderation. his object be-
ing to press the collection Of some
accounts too long overdue. There was
something tragic in the fact, Waitstill
thought, that whenever her father left
the village for Il whole day. LIE at
full. One could breathe freely, speak
ones heart out, believe in the future,
when father was away.
The girls had harbOred many delight
full plans at early breakfast. AS it was
Saturday, Patty could catch little Rod
boSItoH IL uc NuuIc " luc IueC VII
errands as usual. and if Ivory could
spare him for an hour at noon they
would take their luncheon and eat it
together on the river bank as Patty
had promised him. At the last mo-
ment, however, Deacon Baxter had
turned around in the wagon and said:
Patience. you 60 down to the store
and have a regular housecleanin' in
the stockroom. Git Cephas to lift what
you can't lift yourself, move every
thing in the place, sweep and dust 1t,
scrub the floor. wash the winder and
make room for the new stuff that
they'll bring up from Midtown bout
noon. If you have any time left over
put new papers on the shelves out
front and clean up and FIX the show
winder. Don't stand round gabbin'
with Cephas. and sect he don't waste
time that's paid for by me. Tell him
he might clean up the terbaccer stains
round the stove, black it and cover II
up for the summer If he amt too busy
servin' cust'mers."
1.-The whole day spoiled! walled Pat
ty, ninging herself down in the kitch'
en- rocker. Fathers powers Of inyen'