The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-02-12
CHAPTER XIV,
BACK TO THE OLD TOWN.

Spring comes about Rome by simple
tokens. In the black bottoms the will
lows gently free themselves from the
soiling snow. bend upward ever so
lightly. and presently are wands of
furry gray. In the clay gaps of the
hills one hears the tinkle Of water I'M
ger Ice n over rock. answering the
first call Of the robins. The rabbit
to mere muddy markings in the snow
and then are lost in the first faint
green. Also. in town, housewives hang
their rugs on the porches and beat
them, stopping to loo up at the blue
and breathe. as if the winters housing
had taken a bit out of their souls which
now was coming back: and one sees
the children digging their toes in the
mud on their way to school. testing
eagerly its release from the frost.
But Chiefly. in Rome people know
spring has come when RUDE Van Hart
disappears. When the former eague
ega to climb the hills in February
and look Off south: and when his WORT,
In CarmfchaeFs stable grew slack and
MS eyes vacant and his romise to
scoach the nigh school ball team more
vague; and when he came silently in
the News office to reg the pink uns'
OF the Chicago papers. paid no atten-
ton to Jim Minis. the tramp printer
asking for a chew. or to Wiley when
he asked who looked good for the sec
~ = 4 Lie SuOS SllCe IJel9
hanty was sold-paid no attention To
any one at all. but wandered down to
the junction and dreamily read the
names of the box cars Jogging down
the cut. why then it was safe to set
out garden truck-spring had come.
Then he News announced that Ru-
jfus Adrian a Hart, one time catcher
with the Cubs. had zone south to help
with the spring try-outs at San An
tonic n would also get himself in
condition. This pleased Rube and all
the town kids inc hurt nobody. Poor
old RUDE was merely slowed in a box
car getting away Just because spring
called and baSebau was here and he
could not help it Among the Van Harris
there was no accounting for Rube.
And when Rube came back to town
the women knew 1t was near time to
take in house plants and let the chill
dren go for hazelnuts, and resume the
|lapSed work OF the Shakespeare club.
With Rube watch for a nip OF frost.
But now spring. and Uncle Michigan
spad1ng up Mr.. Curran's garden. dis
putting with his -housekeeper while they
knelt in the black damp earth over a
package or seeds magnaniInously dis
tributed by the Honorable James S.
Hall. IA. q. Their voices came to the
editor at his desk. Jim Minis had gone
to the blind tiger in the haymow of
CarnichaeTs livery stable; and Aleck,
the press boy had stolen off to Sin
creek to see IL 1t was vet good bullhead
fishing.
IF I'm going to congress-" murmured
the editor. II must fire this spring fever
n scold everybody into working" He
was watching Janet Vance tie her
team OF colts to the county yard hitch
ing rail, her trim, blue figure against
the young elm green. She looked at
her watch d~ecisively. 1t was early for
a county officer to be down town. She
came across the street with her direct
| and springy step and to the News door
The editor took his feet off the desk
and waited his land lazily.
Janet, lSt's go fishing. Let's get Oh.
Mowry's wagon and take Aunt Abby
and Jim Mims--if he's sober-anl
Mich and Aleck and all go fishing
Wiley, chats what you've always