The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1916-07-21
that ia walk from here /.
ley If you say the word.
Hopefully yours,

Hopefully yours,
BART WILLIS"
Il think you're taking fearful risk
on your shoulders, Sue" her mother
said after she had heard the letter.
You could hire the farm work done
-"
Il won't do that this year, mother
dear Last spring we tried it, and it
was d perfect frost"
Accordingly, Spring Valley had q
thrill the end of the week when tall,
determined-looking young man swung
OF the early boat train with a suit
case and asked the way to the LoOmiE
farm.
Old Mrs. Loomis saw him from the
sitting.room window and went out to
greet him. AS she said later to Sue,
she Just couldn't help taking to him
right away.
You'll have to suit Sue more than
me-" said Mrs. Loomis. I'm sure L
like the hook of you real we'll"
Suititig Sue was curious Oecupa.,
tion, Bart found out She liked him
at first sight, the same as her mother
hS9, but she had no intention Of let
ting him know the fact
The first day Of his arrival she led
him all over the forty.seven acres. He
found that day by day she was beside
him when he least expected TO see
her, advising, correcting and consult
ing with him.
you see, love the land and want
10 build it up," she told him. Father
just took and took from it year after
year and wondered why it didn't
bear for him, but I'm running it diff
feyently never liked the house,
though It's so bare and lonesome
looking"
Perhaps toward fall there1l be time
80 do something with IT," Bart said.
''Yot can do wonders with cement
and paint and IDEAS"
But" Sue hesitated II thought
you only said you'd stay until tha
summers work was done"
Il like it here" the city boy an
swered briefly, lifting bis head TO the
sun and air and beauty Of it all like
the horses, Bess and Ready, out in the
pasture. 'Ill stay as long as ] suit
you, Miss Loomis."
Under his care the old farm seemed
to put forth it's very best efforts to
make good. There had never been
such garden crop, even Mrs Loomis
said.
Don't it seem good to have man
around?" Mrs. Loomis said to her one
early morning as Sue cooked break.
fast. It'll be right lonesome when
he's gone"
Her own heart echoed the words,
but Sue laughed. Wasn't she the man
around the place? They wouldn't need
any assistant manager after the crops
were harvested and fall had come.
She hurried out of doors and down
the lane with food for the turkeys,
and met him half way with the milk
pals.
"The land glows this morning,
doesn't it?" he called to her happily.
81 was slow because went over to
look at the lower meadows. Wish
you'd forget aboGt your hay down
there next year and give me those
lush fields for prize cattle. I'd start
with six and buy more land as we
needed 1t. Don't you want to take on
a partner, Sue?"
He spoke her name unthinkingly,
quite as if he we're accustomed to it,
and Sue was silent, looking away from
him at the stretch of home acres.
IT'S such a bully little place If It's
treated right I've been planning
some new things for next year"
Sue looked up at him quickly, her
eyes full of surprised acknowledgment
Of what his words meant to her.
Il thought sure you'd go to the
dairy farm They want you and they
can pay four times as much as l can
down there"
mo, they can't Sue" His voice
lowered until it seemed to her the
whole world must hold its breath to
catch what he was telling her. Il
want to go shares on the farm here
with you. I've got some money saved.
enough to put into the place and stock
It up right for us And l want you,
too. won't take the farm without
you"
Mothers waiting for the milk for
her breakfast, and forgot all about
it," she faltered. ooh, Bart, some
bodyn see you from the road"
But Bart never appeared even to re-
member the road. There was just the
lane in its dew-drenched sweetness
and the fragrance next to them, and
Sue held close in his arms.