Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-07-09
The Evening Story

OR NOT.

copyright, 1914. by w. Werner.)
Ebert heard it as he swung through
the usual crowd Of loafers that clut-
tered the sidewalk in front Of Wakes
general store. His arms were filed
with groceries and he was hurrying
to get O restraining hand upon the
near horses bride before q big red
touring a scared it. That roar in
years had not learned to control
her heels at sight Of the whizzing
things. So he did not notice what
they were laughing Ill naturally over
TIL one sentence banged into his
brain. He saw Del on State street,
and he said she certainly did look un-
prosperous. Skinny and white faced,
and she wouldn't tell 10 where she
was working. I guess" Then Ebert
was s%o-so-ing the angry horse and
wishing he had not heard.
He put the groceries in, and, re-
Numbering his mother had asked him
to be sure and not forget a spool Of
black No. so, went back to the store.
But now the men had seen him, and,
with remembering that plump. pretty
Del had flung him over to try her luck
IN the city, were silent Although
old man Highers had said. laughing
hastily, Il should think he'd be glad
to know she amt on her uppers. 10
doesn't deny that he's just as we'll
pleased to know that the impudent
JADE is hard up. She used to spend
q lot of time laughing at Jo.''
Ebert climbed to the seal of the
wagon, nodded briefly to the gossipers,
and drove off. He wasn't 10 White.
and he wasn't glad. He was heartsick.
Del had v laughed at him. She
confessed regretfully hat she loved
him as we'll as an inherent f%iickleness
would ever permit her to love any one.
But l couldn't live on a farm!" she
said, t%earfully. "I'd die! And, Ebert,
I'D learn to hate you because Of the
monotony, and you'd learn to hate me
because l nagged. And so I'm not go
ing to teach next fall term, I'm going
TO Chicago and live! I can get along.
And you'll get along without me-" she
coolly prophesied.
Well, he had got along, a dreary
getting along, though. He had tried
to resent the towns mockery
when Del packed her gewgaws-she
was a frivolous dresser-her fussy,
frilly gowns. her bangles. bracelets,
rings chains, lowered hats, fluffy
brown hair, and impudent brown eyes
and set out for q gayer life than he
could offer. He hadn't reproached her.
exceedingly fine principles. His heart
ached. but he couldn't convince him
sell lHaC the acne was a sufficiently
strong reason for holding a girl to a
promise when she wished to be free.
He told her to keep the small white
stoned ring that he had given her. "I
don't want it. n it looks pretty on
YOU hand" he said, quietly.
She kept it. Del loved jewelry, and
h had pretty white hands that
needed rings.
Elbert's mother was a tolerably
good natured woman, but she rallied
until Ebert asked her not to say any
more. It was Del's own business, as
1t was Dels w life. So she subsidized
and took out her natural anger in
cooking extra dishes for Ebert. He
found 1t hard to forget, but it was not
his own loneliness hat lay so heavy
on his mind as a sickening fear that
Del would come to harm. Even in
the small country town men regarded
her a pretty. frivolous jest, when they
did not resent her impertinence. Del
liked to make fun of people.
So now, hearing the gossip, he felt
that his fears were realized. He drove
nome very slowly, allowing the horses
to take their time. He wasn't con-