The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-02-12
CHAPTER xr1r-tcontlnuea, .

the hearts of men. his awakened ambi-
tions, his power to be himself. The
entranchised and free companion, de-
manding freedom, giving it; that was
woman could bel! He was awaken
ing to this magnificence in Janet.
And yet she must love him
she could do that also! And
slowly his dream grew to a vision of a
love past the common call of sex, a
passion ennobled by the riches of her
personality. There would be none Of
h parasite clinging to q man, the
need of sentimentalizing shelter and
protection. The helper to power, the
counselor to a widening life-this
would be the woman to come! This
would be Janet!
He met the elder Vance next day,
Jake, the political farmer, the mall
content, ar original Greenbacker, a
mugwump, party trouble maker, for
ever given to standing about the
Square Saturday afternoons in his
motheaten. old buffalo coat arguing
with the countrymen. He could not
have been elected to n office, but he
had not soured. His children had in
herited his reasoning unrest. but they
had disciplined it to achievement.
Somebody to beat Hall-somebody
to peat Hall" he roared. Folks say
it's comm to be you, Wiley! I get 1t
everywhere except in the News, and
in the banks and warehouses and the
court house! The county amt what 1t
used to be-there are mines and
fac~tories--and libraries and labor
unions! The old gang doesn't real
lie that. It's YOU, Wiley, all the kick
ers want. And / hear you amt got the
money? Amt some of these new real
estate men and boomers over in Earl
Vile close to you for thatT"
hENnf rn11ah Col pfnn md ThaH ora
in with 'em on most of their deals"
Jake went out in the frosty sunlight.
Don't forget" he growled. that
there's a sight Of people who amt in
any deals! Arne, let's go home and
feed stock with that contraption of
off across the Square to h window
of h school superintendent's office:
Il guess that girl OF mine is ready to
go home, tool"
Wiley watched the Vances drive off,
the three of them in Jake's old buggy.
Jake used to travel to political con-
rV%entions in the smoker, and, at II
O'Clock, put a basket up between his
legs, spread a newspaper on his knees,
eat his chicken and sweet pickles, n
then pitch the paper out the window,
but when Arne comes back from coll
lege he eats in the diner and uses a
finger bowl" he told Aunt Abby. And
tIAC9 AldNS IVY IlESu BlIl6 " lIt0 LdEL1!
Janet and Arne make up the price Of
the dining a and the maids by fgur-
ing out soil analysis. or new school
methods and don't bother their heads
with picking chickens, or putting up
lunches" IT.. .~s.-.
"Well. therein come an end" she
warned; ''tain't in nature for q farm
to stand two hired girls, or even one"
He laughed; Get On the band
wagon, Aunty!" Then behind her, in
the fragrant kitchen, he saw Old
Michigan warming his leg across the
wood-box. Michigan grinned ex-
pectantly:
Done got q letter from our little
girl, Mr. Curran!" And I done brought
1t up here first thing for you to read"
"Aurelie?" Wiley RAJ conscious OF
a disappointment that she had not
written him. She had sent a post card
from some town, with a blithe COM
thing was all right. Now he reached
eagerly for the letter in the old soldiers
hands. Aunt Abby stopped her cook
ing as he tore 1t open. Then they lost
the world in Aurelis tale Of wonders.
What she done say, Mr.. Curran?"
Fine! Says you'd look good to her.
now, Uncle Mich. She's having the
time of her life. Bverybody's good to
her, n helps her, and the McFetridge
boys are just grand and everything's
grand" Wiley looked shinning-eyed
around: That's h most Of it--Just
grand"
Wiley" said Aunt Abby severely, II
did hope she'd not get her head turn
edl" -
Not a bit. She says: Uncle Mitch,
the first night l was scared, and when
/ walked out there and tried to see
over h lights l just wilted-inside!
Mr.. Crate stood in the wings with the
LnN1r a- IL - z-a
waving to me not to cross so far, and
Mr.. Feldman kept whispering some
thing from the other side, SO / guess I
must have. looked scared. l tried to
speak and couldn't say q word, and /
looked hopelessly off, and there was
Mr.. Hamburg having a regular fit be-
cause was going to spoil his play. He
kept shouting to himself and dancing
around: Dried knew it," Then
that made me mad, and l glared at
him, and then l heard what Morris
Feldman was trying to whisper, and
l said, Father, I am here" And Just
right, too, Sol Gratz says-just like the
naughty young beauty l was supposed
TO be, who's under suspicion Of being
a thief. Because l was mad at MI.
Hamburg and his old play! And every
time / lost my lines they all helped
me-every one, and you ought to have
een what the papers said" cried Mr..
SuITdu- i WISH 4 u seen That pdpSTs'
Go on" said Uncle Michigan.
"When's she coming homer"
Don't say" answered Wiley. Says
the hotels are pretty bad. and the
theaters r cold and dirty, but it's just
a glory! Oh, lord-Aurelie!"
Likes it?" queried Aunt Abby, from
her d~oughnuts.
Says she's got a mission! To up
lift the stage! Oh, lord-AurelieI"
but when's she comm homer"
Quavered Uncle Michigan.
And looking in Michigan's eye. Mr..
Curran saw a tear.
She doesn't say Uncle Mich. She
just says she's sending a number of
things for you all" out at the Pocket
with the first money she ever earned!
Christmas presents for you and Knute
and Pete and the baby, and Albert and
Mrs. Lindstrom-and for John"
And John, he prayed so mighty hard
he chased her off the placei Reckon
she's the same old girl, Mr.. Curran."
Sure. / think so, Uncle Michigan"
Don't reckon this yere stage bust
ness'n aver change her a mite, Mr..
CurFan?"
Hope not, Uncle Michigan. Darn
the smoke-it's getting in our eyes,
amt it," Mr.. Curran coughed and
spluttered; he didn't want to see the
tears on Michigan's whiskers. The old
man thumped the wooden leg on the
box and against the stove preparing to