Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1916-07-12
cause you had it too thick"

cause you mad 1t too tnlcK.
leila hurried along the road, the
bucket of lettuce cIutched tight in one
hand. At the top of the hill she stop
ped, hesitating. She looked at the
smooth, yellow road, then with mis-
giving at the newly plowed field and
the woods beyond. Below her, in the
valley, Back Fork wound it's slug
gish way under the willows. In the
distance, against the sky, she could
see the plain white spire of Mount
Zion. Her mind made up to the near
out, she plunged at once into the plow-
ed field. She was wild to get home.
Sometimes she ran, once she fell, COW
ering her hands and dress with the
loose, moist dirt. In her mind she
could see the disordered house, the
neglected children, the lonely man.
"He needs me and it is hard on him,
too" she told herself, she does suffer
for me. Oh, know it, but I wouldn't
let on. He loves me more-he's so
good to met draws us closer to-
gether." She stopped to brush the
mud from her dress. Nothing mat
ters while we have each other He
does his work-I've got to do mine, .
and presently. "I've been that mean
APPLYING myself all the time. Poor
Lucindy. l couldn't live without Jud
Il don't want him to give up every
thing-I DON'T don't. Mother told
me-it's just bein' a, woman. I'll do
the best 1 can. I'll try not to fail
again. Oh, Cod" she painted, "for-
give me-" and as an afterthought, "and
help me-" She wanted nothing now
but the assurance that her revolt had
not weakened the foundation of home.
She knew before she reached the
house that there was no one there. The
yard gate was open and row OF
chickens were summing themselves on
the porch, calf nibbled the tender
green grass in the yard. She pushed
the door open and stumbled in. On
the table were the remnants Of the
lunch she had set out before leaving
that morning. An atmosphere of des-
olation pervaded the place. She looked
at the clock. 1t was twenty minutes
after eleven.
Hes taken the children and gone
] to pillow. I know he has" But she
could not rest until she had climbed
| the hill back of the house, from
which she could see the cornfeld. AS
she neared the top, her heart pounded
wildly. She pressed her hands tight
over her eyes, then suddenly looked.
She could see Jud's sturdy figure
moving slowly across the field, behind
the pillow. To one side the children
were playing in the sun. AS she
stood looking, the sound of their
childish voices drifted to her on the
breeze.
With a sob of thankfulness, leila
hurried back into the house. A new
light was in her eyes, a wonderful
peace filled her soul. 1t had been
given to her to realize in time, that
in her home, with her little ones
around her, her husbands love en-
circling her, lay her chance OF SUI
preme happiness.
Supper was ready when Jud came
in from the cOrnheld. Wn1le ne LOOK
care of the horses, leila washed the
children.
'What you think Mummy's got for
SUPPER" she asked in her old, lively
manner.
Chicken"
biscuit"
mo, no, that's not fair, you can see
those things. Now everybody think
one more guess. It's in the cellar
cooling. Well, I'll tell you. Custard
pie, that thick" measuring with play
A full exactness on her finger. MIN
won't that be good?"
Jud stopped at the well for a drink
At the sounds of unusual merriment
he turned toward the house, as Zella
came out on the porch, the two elder
children clinging to her, the baby in
J her arms. An instant he looked at his
wife. from the beads on her neck into
the sweetly glowing mother-face-and