Evening star., 1914-02-09
THE EVENING STORY.
THE NOON HOUR.
tcopyr.ght. 1914. by W. Werner

Vt Il o'clock Elihu Merritt un-
tdtched his team from the plow and
started toward the house. H. had
been plowing since 3 and needea rest
and food
At the edge of the field he made
the team pause while he looked back
ever his long mornings work. Elihu
piowed as he lived-preciseiy. There
vas soodly piece of land still await
liis his attack full two days of
work yet. he reasoned. He was de
t"rmined TO double his crop next
spring
Elihu, looking back. saw a pretty
light II reminded him he was we'll
te-do and had a farm worthy of his
labor But when he started up the
lam and set his eyes ahead he sighed
sare r'r lay the buildings Of mis-
ferm. All were neat and in good re-
r.. tut from the chimney of the
hous'' 10 smoke curled and none
EllAu, half dreading To 90 home,
- knowing he must. attended TO his
horses beforr he turned toward the
House. He noticed as he passed along
the little wrIgsliug path how =. d
the rose apoles eiea1ned where the
birds had lett any. There was some
tAiuG sad to him III this sight of his
l@at!tss rose bushes. AS he neared
his house the back door opened and d
Dor Job Elderkin.
Hello. Elihu." said Job just get
ilnS in, ch. The woman sent me over
with 4 little trash for your dinner.
She said YOU likely wouldn't have time
10 prepare much, working out in the
'i@!d 50. Hows plowing?"
Good replied Elihu, Frightening.
Say. hold on minute, job 1 want
Job chuctled. 4 tell You she's got a
watchful eye over YOU, Elihu. If she
had her way you'd be having some
one 10 cook YOUR victuals for YOU"
Ellhu flushed and made a little en-
harrassed movement with his shoul-
ders. Il don't want any woman he
said.
You can't old batch it always,
Job called as he reached the road
Elihu entered the house. The room
into which he stepped was his kitchen
and an odor of onion and other ap-
petizing things reached his nose. Il
'.spected to have to cook potatoes
! Ly eracky, this here's better than
either
a. vent 10 the sink and made his
buttoned his wristbands and sat
Gown at his board. His dishes were
sat 81 one end OF the table on a clean
lew> paper. which he used instead Of
= Iableeloth. He had washed and
s.rrauSed them neatly after his morn
ing meal His plate was turned over
mis- knife and fork and spoon. his
cup was turned down in its saucer.
There were, besides. a covered dish
OF crackers and an open dish of ap-
piles and grapes. salt and pepper
shakers and q jug OF maple sirup.
Elihu bent his head and muttered
hanks for the food which kindness
sad provided Then he uncovered
the bowl and began TO eat slowly, tast-
ing every rnorsel
The house was very still Elihu, eat
ing soberly and silently. was aware
OF another presence in the house. 1t
was, he often thought that feeling &
which made him so unwilling al times
70 enter it. He had that same i'm
mothers grave. Yet she seemed more
lere than in the churchyard. Elihu's
mother had been well meaning g
woman. After his father died and he
was left TO run the place they had
been all in all to each other. She
lad governed him and he knew it,
yet he did not complain. even when
she tinkered with his one piece of
~oTnance and spoiled it When she
died he had lived on, keeping things
.-eIag as she would have liked them.
Itdoors and out Kate Elderkin was
the only woman whom Elihu ever al
lowed in the house handling his moth
.r's things, and she did not come be-
eause he wished her to do so, but be-