Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-18
The Daily Story
The Farm Handy Mary G. Etheredge.
co,vr,vbtea 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau.

| How long do you expect to wo,,
hereT'
"As long as I'm wanted-tiIl the an.
Of the season. ] reckon"
The man made several attemnfs !,
start his team, but every time va.
stopped with a question which Ma
Burrows contured up for the occasio,
At last she permitted him to 90 M
with the injunction that theresfta,
when a lady asked him for informaflo.
he was to stop his team and listen DEF
erentialIy-
Mrs. Burrows one morning. sftttns
| at window reading a novel, saw he,
daughter emerge from the house Loot
| about her frresolutely, pluck a spear ~
| grass and chew on IL, then Process
| down into the wheatdeId where m
| farm hand was driving the nowfn9
| machine. On Nancy's arrival the ma.
| chine stopped, and q brief dialogue toox
| place between the man and the pir
| The man descended from his seat and
+, helped the girl up into it. Then b.
| drove from the ground. walking besbss
| the machine for some distance. when
Nancy held out her hands for the rein.
They were passed up to her. and witt
difficulty she maintained her seat and
drove the team.
"Great heavens exclaimed the
mother, 1.-THE child Will fall Off and ba
cut to pieces"
But Nancy managed to maintain her
balance, and her mother, having held
her breath till her daughter descended
from her perch, breathed easier.
eff he were any one but country
pumpkin" said the mother doubtfulIy.
81 should feel worried"
The country pumpkin remained about
the farm for some time. though he did
not appear to work very steadily.
Nancy found him far more useful to
amuse her than the scarecrow and Wis
tied him frequently while he was at
work. But she usually did so when
her mother was busy or taking siesta
so that she wasn't observed.
One day the farmer said to his hand:
"I didn't hire you to amuse city board.
ers. I reckon you can light out. Here's
what's due you" The hand made no
reply, but, taking his wages, departed.
The next morning. seeing Nancy leave
the house to go to the wheatfield. ne
sauntered toward the fence. She saw
him and, approa ching, asked him why
he was not at work.
I'm discharged" was the reply.
"Dischargedi What for?'
1.-The farmer says l spend too much
of my time with you"
"You don't mean it, That's too bad.
I'm awfully sorry. 1 didn't mean to
take you away from your work"
Cant be helped now. Besides, IL
he'd take me back I'd do it all over
again.
Its very nice of you to say that"
said Nancy, lowering her eyes. I'm
indebted to you for a great deal of
pleasure. It's very lonely here. I'm
awfully sorry you won't be here any
more. Where are you going"
II don't think I'll go right away. III
stay where l am for awhile to see II
1 can't get more work about here"
I'm glad you're not going right
away"
About the time Mrs Burrows was
thinking of taking her daughter back
to the city Miss Nancy was missing one
evening from the supper table. The
but did not find her Seven. S,
o'clock came and no Nancy. Mrs. Bur-
rows went over to some scattered
houses across the road TO make inqu-
ries. She was informed that about
o'clock in the afternoon the diSchars-
ed farm hand. driving on the road In
motor. picked up Nancy
and disappeared in a cloud of dust
Mrs. Burrows was very mad.
Nancy didn't show up again at the
farm, but in a few days her mother
received n letter from her stating that
she had been married after a courtship
hat was lust too romantic for any
hing" 4 young man she had never
;een, but had long loved her. so ne
;aid, had gone to the country disguised
Is a farm hand 70 win her. But man.
ma needn't worry. because he belonged
o one of the best and wealthiest faml-
les in the city. was a member OF the
clubs and one of the best
fridge whist players in the country.
"Can it possibly be that man in
AIDED straw hat and without collar
an be gentleman said the mother
o herself.
The object for which she had tsheh
er daughter TO the country having
nded, TO say the least. peculiarly, MIS-
Burrows took the next train TO the
ity. Before even announcing her pres
nee there to her daughter she mace
lquiries about the man who had run
way with her child ana learned that
fancy had spoken the truth. but hot
II of it. for the groom had drawn the
nancial part of it very mildly. he
-as heir expectant TO several millions.
Mrs. Burrows on getting this infot
lation sent for the couple and forgave
lem.
1t has been said that the next sum-
Ter no fewer than dozen ladies. VINO
nd heard of this episode. took Their
lughters to spend the season gu
rms. But it does not appear thas
nv of them married rich man. wiiiie