The L'Anse sentinel., 1917-12-29
HOMESIcK
sy H,LDA NORRIS.


been there only q month, but already
the country air had begun to work
wonders with her pale chee'-s and hol-
low eyes.
III only It weren't so ionesomei"
she thought, as she walked country
road one. bright. windy Saturday af-
ternoon. But Just then she heard
some one chilling.
Hi there!" mans voice shouted.
.H there, Miss 0rayis
1t was Richard Harding. greeting
her In the local fashion. Christine
stood and waited as he came striding
toward her, ffne, strapping young
| man, clad tn farmers overalls and a
| flannel shirt.
"Are you taking q wa1kT he asked
as he cnught mp with her. His voice
had the easy modulations Of an edu-
Gated man He was graduate Of an
eastern college
"Yes, I'm going through your ceme-
terry. It's SO quaint! I'm only used
to crowded city cemeteries that reach
for blocks and blocks Tell me, are oil
+ the people in, this town relatedr
Richard fnughed. Every nearly. The
Bullits nre related to the Emmets and
the Emmetts to the Hardlngs and the
Hardings to the Bullits again. We're
| all kin somehow"
"All but me- said the girl, laugh
ing little wistfully. "It must seem
queer TO have so many relations"
Richard did not appear to have
heard her remark. He was looking
ahead at the big square red brick
farmhouse where he lived with his
mother and sister. His mother, sun
bonnet on her head, was cutting tul-
lips from the rows, that bordered the
garden walk. She Strengthened up as
they approached, and came to the gate.
"Howdy!" she said cordially. "It's
right cool for an April day, isn't It?
Have you been walking, Miss Gray?
Well, do come in and have cup Of
tea. l made some cinnamon cakes this
morning that must be eaten"
Christine hesitated.
at isn't FIVE o'clock yet" said Mrs.
Harding, royalty sweeping aside the
girls unspoken objections. Richard
was holding the gate open, so almost
before she knew II Christine found her
self In the big square sltting-room of
the Harding homestead.
She had not been in a private home
of this size for years and years. not
since her childhood days and before
lop1 ovid x,oorc of f,rn;chad ronrns
The house gave her rather an awesome
| impression of vastneSs and elegance.
1t had been sofidly built for posterity
by forebear from New England. Its
furniture was mid-Victorian.
"Have you always lived in the city?"
Miss Lottie Harding asked in her timld
voice. Miss Lottie was an "old maid"
who spent her years in making endless
yards of tattlng.
"Since / was two" said Christine.
"Are your parents fvingg" pursued
Miss Lottie, to whom family was ones
most interesting attribute.
mo" answered Christine.
This put somber period on the
conversation, broken only when Mrs.
Harding brought In the tea.
In spite Of herself the girl presently
began to feel the homelike warmth
Of the place. When she left, stepping
out into the damp spring dusk, 1t
seemed as though the chill wind struck
her with redoubled force. She shiv-
cred, and hurried back to her dingy
room in the village hotel.
The next day Christine met Richard
Harding on the corner by the post Of
flee.
"Can't you take a driver he called
eagerly. MY teams just over yon-
der"
The girl perked her pretty head as
though considering.
"Why, perhaps" she conceded, '.for
little while"
Presently they We're riding Off down
winding road bortlered with dog
wood and the picturesque Towering
Judas tree.
SIN going home next week." she
announced. as calmly as though her
heart were not beating furiously.
Homer" he queriod.
Back to the city, where ii isn't so
lonesome. I only came to substitute
for month, anyway, and I'm not
used to the country. It's too quiet
for me-"
'I suppose 1t is," Richard assented,
letting the reins drop loosely. II sup
pose you couldn't stand 1t here. But
I've something to ask you, Christine.
If I should be willing to come to the
city and live your way-give up this
quiet country life-would you marry
me, ChristineT.
Leave here !" cried the girl incredu-
lous. "why. Richard, II like you
best here. You belong here. oh, Rich
ard" she brcathed. 81 was SO home
sick was going TO leave because l
could not stand 1t to see homes aud
fireplaces and mothers nll about me-"
"Well," he answered joyously, ''you
needn't ever be homesick again. You
have me. oil rightv'
frSoo,~t~hx vo11 hx, th~ EoCIur~ N.u~xo