The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-01

Iy Alone.
DO you know what I would like
to do this morning?" asked Eleanor
as Aunt Laura appeared at the
kitchen door.
And what is that you would like
to do?" The tone said, 81 would
grant your wish to the half of my
kingdom"
81 would like to go huckle-berry-
ing. 1 have not gathered berries since
I was a child, and it would do me
good to get away from everything for
a while. Would it be too much work
for you to care for the baby for a
few hours? ?"
Indeed 1 would love to do it. He
takes his nap soon and will not wake
before noon. Run right along and
have a good time" was the cheerful
answer.
"Oh. will get the little fellow to
sleep before 1 go, and 1 shall not be
long after noon"
You stay all the afternoon il you
feel like it. 1 have not forgotten how
to take are of babies, and when
Douglas comes back from town will
send him to take nap. You have
not had a minute to yourself this sum-
mer."
'It does make a difference, never
|
times 1 feel as if had not an idea or
a thought in my head" Eleanor
| tapped the member in question.
Nobody can keep vitality refreshed
and capable of giving to others who
does not have time alone Each soul
must visit its own spring for refresh
ment.' Aunt Laura smiled reminis-
| Gently when my babies were little,
before 1 had gotten used to managing
my farm work and caring tor them"
81 think I have it pretty hard to
manage babies without farm work"
laughed Eleanor.
| 1T was pretty hard till / became
accustomed to it. There was always
\ hired man to cook for, too. / worked
from morning till night. I was strong
and could keep going. When night
came 1 tumbled into bed. too tired to
think BY the time I had kept this
pace up all summer l was nervous
wreck
81 thought you did not have a nerve
| in your body" exclaimed Eleanor.
Zone day 1 broke down and cried
| from sheer exhaustion and John came
| in and found me sobbing my heart
| out. When he asked me what the
matter was I said I was tired. He
1 stood looking at me for a few min
| utes and then said, You put on your
sunbonnet and go over in the back
| pasture by the spring, and don't come
| back till milking time
" But the babies / protested
| It'll take care of them. Don't you
worry about a thing
MY, that sounded good to me.
| loitered across the pasture, taking
deep breaths of the fragrant air. l
| found unusual flowers and stones. ana
when l reached the stream l sat on a
| rock so thickly covered with moss
that it was like a sofa cushion The
birds sang and / lay back and listened.
| and got glimpses of blue sky thru the
trees. l forgot all about my troubles
took a Journey in my mind and
when the sun sank behind the hill and
dusk fell full of fragrant dew / was
ready to go and take up my burden
When I walked into the kitchen John
| looked I'D and said. How goes 1t? Got
| over being sorry for yours~lf?' There
was a kindly twinkle in his eyes as he
added. You see to it that you have a
| chance to go to thai spring at least
once a week. No matter whether
| things are all done or not You are
| more important than things
! "And l did. / found = could do
more work and be less tired by TAX
I ing an afternoon off once a week for
| a change of mind, and now I go off
by myself every day for little while
to my spring. and all the trouble and
| fret of fife drops from me"
well. I will go huckle-berrying for
a change of mind" smiled Eleanor.
When she climbed the hill behind
haze-ceyered landscape of that lovely
August dag she realized that she was
on the path 20 her souls sFring of re-
| freshing.
| tTo be continued