The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-06
u N N IA "a M m ~ ~ M m na,6
SON OF The SOIL =

BY IzoLA FORESTER.

Agatha naQ fOund MIN bore, dnt
usually his little impromptu disserta
tons amused her. Just when they hat
all wanted to relax and listen t6
Ovens beautiful music he had insist
ed on talking Of subsoils and fertil
Tiers.
"The government is just beginning
to realize that its wealth lies In Its
soil" proclaimed Paxton. 1--WE got q
little old ten-acre lot up in Rhode Is
land that / haven't even looked at In
years. Now I'm shipping up some seed
potatoes, and I'll probably follow them
in another week"
Just at this point the slender girl
In the odd dress leaned forward from
her chair.
"What kind of seed potatoes, Mr..
PaxtOnY she asked with sudden in
terest.
Don't notice her, Steve" interrupt
ed Charlie.
Charlie was Agatha's husband. used
principally as background for her
artistry.
"But I'm in earnest this time" the
girl insisted.
"'Tis a rare trait nowadays, my
child" responded Charlie. "Steve is
good boy. He was in Rhode Island,
and much of its soil adheres to him
still. theoretically"
"What part of Rhode Island?" asked
the girl, insistently.
Paxton was trying to remember
where he had seen her before-not In
that lizard-colored dress with a tulle
scarf and sequinned belt, but some
where in the open.
-Four miles from Naponsit. and
then you take the boat over to Fare
well island. There used to be little
school there"
II know It," sighed the girl, laugh
ing, too. "New York is the funniest
little place 1 ever lived in. You're
always running into people you've
known somewhere else. Do you re-
member mel"
81 do" answered Steve promptly. Il
met you on the northwest corner OF
the rainbow back in the golden age"
"You did not" she retorted. Here
In New York ! sign my stuff Sheila
Gardy, but I'm Lidy Peck"
my dear" called Charlie, "forbear.
You're doing this of your own free /
will"
"Oh, don't care" Sheila answered.
TITS the truth. Do you remember me |
now, Steve?" Steve promptly got /
down from his perch on the window
seat and eliminated the rest OF the
party from his consciousness. They
talked of home until Agatha laughing
ly said she had not dreamed that lit
tile "Rhody" could possibly have pro-
duced two such geniuses
The next day Agatha had long
talk with the girl they called Sheila,
telling her of Steve and of all that
he seemed to miss In life.
"Charlie and l have been so inter-
ested in the boy. All he needs is en-
enlargement. Someone to believe in
him, don't you know?"
mo. don't" replied Sheila. fatty.
II don't believe in propping and shor-
ing up genius. My mother used TO say
UP homo to wait patiently after the I
eggs were Matched instead of trying ,
TO guess what they were beforehand. l
II he's a swan, so much the better; :
but IL he's a turkey, he belongs In the
barnyard.
They were riding on Riverside
bus together Just two weeks later.
When two are from the same town
understanding and intimacy ripen mar.
yelously in a short time. 1t was c
wonderful day.
-Isn't 1t rather late for your pota-
toesf" asked Sheila, a little teasingly.
"They're In long ago. You know
why I'm staying here. It's just on ac-
count of you-because 1 wanted TO do
big things for you. 1t isn't an easy
thing to try to fill the measure wom-
an like you demands of man. You
know, Sheila-" it
"Oh, drop that, and cali me Lydy as a
you used to-" she laughed. 'They all a
do back home. How many acres are i'
there at your placer y
about ten, but they're all good, .
cleared land, you know"
She nodded.
81 have thirty-fve-that old Hill
farm of Uncle Abner's. He left ii to
me last year. Now, listen, Steve.
We've known each other all our lives,
in a way, but really only in these last
two weeks. like New York, and I've
succeeded here, but after all It's the
home acres that pull you back where
you belong. You go home tomorrow.
You can take my land and do what
you please with ii. I'll be up in har-
rest time, and If you've made good,
I'll say yes. Are you willing to serve
or Rachel? Just summer span, IN
stead of seven years"
A taxi passed them. its top thrown
back. Agatha sat on the seat and II
waved her hand to them.
81 wonder if she guessed from my
ace" said Sheila. 81 wanted to keep -.
{ q secret until we were sure you had "A
made good. l wonder what could tell an
Ter we were talking about" fro
Steve's hand closed over hers tight mi
Y. With his other he pulled his hat els
rim further down over his eyes and cat
miled with the air of a conqueror at ito
-