Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-08-10
COPYRIGHT 90 ooO eLeoAs, eAee O CO


lawn. 1t did indeed seem to draw in
the sunlight to this level spot before
the dwelling, even though it rose from
the brown earth instead of rich green
sward, and even though beyond it was
but the unsightly, half-fnished, naked
trellis. Even as we watched, a bird
came swooping across the lawn alight-
ed on my knife handle, and began to
carol.
"Oh, the darlingr cried Miss Good
win. ''He understandsw
I was very we'll content I had I'M
expectedly found a pedestal, and was
experiencing for the first time the real
sensation of garden warmth and init
macy and focused light which a sun
dial, rightly placed, can bring. I did
not speak, and presently beside me
heard a voice saying, But | forgot
that I am angry at you"
"Why?' | asked.
Because you had no right to leave
me to pick out the paint for your din
ing room," said she.
"Why not?' said l. ''You picked out
the name of my house ard the styla
of the rose trellis."
''That was different" she replied.
Il don't see why"
'Then you are extremely stupid"
she answered.
Doubtless" said l. "But that
doesn't help me any to understand, you
know"
Come" she replied, "and see if the
paint suits you. Then must go home
and write some letters"
I went back to my sundial, between
two rows of caulifiower plants Bert
had given to me- and which Mike had
set out thus early for an experiment.
between threads of sprouting radishes,
lines of onion sets, and other succulent
evidences of the season to come. AS
marked out the beds around the pedes-
tai, found myself wishing Miss Good
win were there to advise me.
By then the hour was nearly
twelve, and consequently too late to
spade 1t under, so | plOdded up the
road to dinner. AS passed my potato
field. [ saw rows of green shoots above
the ground, and out under my lone pine
1 saw a figure, sitting in the shadow
on the stone wall.
[ climbed through the brambles over
the wall, and walked down the aisles
of potatoes toward her.
at is time for dinner" [ said meekly.
She looked up. us it? | have been
listening to the old pine talk"
what was he saying?" l asked.
Things you wouldn't understand"
said she.
about W W"
She shook ner neaG WET st all;
nothing quite so stupid-but nearly as
saddening" She rose to her feet, and
her eyes looked into mine, enigmaticaI-
ly wistful
81 missed you after you went away
from Twin Fires said l suddenly. 81
profile. She was so intent upon her
task that she had not heard me enter,
and I paused a full moment watching
her. Then 1 dropped the cushions and
cried, Come, here's your seat! That
is no task for Pho"
81 don't want a seat" she laughed.
I'm having a grand time, and don't
care to have my erudition thrown in
my face. [ love to wash windows"
'But The Foundations of the Nine
teenth Century'?" said I.
''The whole nineteenth century is on
these windows" she replied. I've got
10 h +n iEc do
But you'll get tired again." I
laughed, though with real solicitude. ST
didn't want you to come to work-only
to be company"
81 don't know how to be company.
Please get me some fresh hot water"
My piano, which had stood in the
dining room ever since the furniture
had arrived, we unlocked, wheeled in to
fill the space between the small east
windows, and took the covers off.
I looked around. Already the place
was assuming homelike air, and the
long room had contracted into init
macy. The girl dropped her rag into
the pail, and stood looking about.
"Oh, the nice roOmr she cried
"And oh, the dirty pianow
I went out to begin on the books, and
when 1 returned l brought the piano
bench, as well. The girl was busy with
the east window, and | set the bench
down in silence. She was seated upon
1t, when | arrived with the third load,
and through the house were dancing
the sounds of Bach gavotte.
She stopped playing as I entered,
and looked up with little smile of
apology.
please go onr' I cried.
She wheeled back and let her hands
fall on the keys, ripping by a natural
suggestion into the old tune "AmaryI-
lis The logs were cracking. The
gay old measures flooded the room with
sound. My head nodded in time, as
stacked the books on the shelves.
Suddenly the music stopped, and
with a rustic of skirts the girl was
beside me. She began to inspect titles.
pulling out books here, substituting
others there, carrying some to other
cases.
wheeled in load after load. Lord. :"
l cried, ''of the making of many books.
eft cetera! I'll never buy another one,
or else I'll never move again"