The Glenwood post., 1916-04-29

remembered an art and filled in the
frame with plated thongs. Work in
spires emulation. The women got out
their store of cloth. They made clothes
for Gerry and fitted out the new bed.
Pillows and mattress were stuffed with
dry bur-marigolds that family scented
the whole room. With each achieve
ment the somber house seemed to Take
a step toward gayety. Ruin and dilap-
idation put forth green shoots. The
gayety was reflected in the household.
They were united in achievement.
Quiet smiles were their reward to
each other and sometimes burst of
wonder as when Gerry found some old
bottles and with the aid of bit of
string cut them into serviceable mugs.
Margarita was happy. Her cup was
full. All the dreams Of her girlhood
were fulfilled in Gerry. A silent and
strange lover. but man-such a man
as she had dreamed of but never seen.
To herself she sang the old songs he
should have sung to her and then
laughed as he nodded mild approval.
One evening he sat on bench on
the veranda, fitting handle into a
dipper made of cocoanut-shell Mar
garita sat on the steps at his feet.
She leaned back further and further
until she sank against his knees. He
stopped over her. She threw up her
arms around his neck. locked her
hands and drew him down. He kissed
her lips and sighed. .-,
"Ah, do not SIGH" she walled.
Laugh! Laugh but oncer
Gerry did not grudge the months Of
toll in the ditch. AS he worked he
thought and planned. This ditch was
the very real foundation for the attain
ment Of his vision. Deep and strong
and carefully graded it must he be-
fore he cleared the sand barrier to the
rivers surge. The ditch was slow Of
growth but there was something about
1t which held his faith. It was rugged
and elemental. It was the ugly source
Of coming resurrection.
When 1t was all but done he took
Margarita and showed her his handi-
work. he pointed out the little sluice-
ways, each with Its primitive gate. q
heavy log hinged on thole-pin with
prop to hold It up and a stone to
weight 1t when down. On the Faxenda
side were fnnumerable little trenches
that stretched down into the valley.
But not until he led her to the cleft
in the river gorge and showed her that
half an hours work on the sand bar
rier would let the river into the great
ditch did she understand. And then
she caught his arm and burst into vio-
lent protest and pleading. "No, no."
she cried, you shall not do 1t. You
shall not let in the river. The river II
terrible. You must not play with 1t.
It does not understand. You think II
will do a. you wish but it will not Oh,
II you must, please, please play with
I It below the rapids. There 1t IL kinder.
It let's one battle. It lets one wash
clothes"
Gerry got over his astonishment and
laughed. Then he soothed her. Al
ready the simpler phrases Of he.
tongue came easily from his lips. He
told her that she was foolish and q
little coward. She must watch and
see how tame the river would be-
The next morning Gerry was up
early. He was excited. From this day
the ditch, the parched slope, the val
ley would know thirst no more. With
the long dry season even the green
bottoms had begun to wilt He called
Bo0ifac1o and they started OF to theil
~nWk e..
Under direction Bonifacio was DIG.
gtng . great hole Just 1t 'ths hack q
ths. sand-bank. Gerry msasured IL
/ se6Dadt1 end Nhaliy satlea ~ ~
80 ~ u: = a'.sr-f