The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-02-08
Their Wait

l
were only two Merrifelds. In due time
however, there were six and then sew.
en-. In those latter days there was a
great eXpanse of dining table in the
Merrifield farmhouse.
The years skipped by so rapidly that
you could hardly count them. and pref.
ty soon one of the young Mcrrifields
heard the ase-old call of the "land
further on" and he married and moved
fur away. Ere long another followed,
then another, and then another. That
left only their first-born, and when, one
wintry day, he left them and took the
long trail, there were only the two who
had started out alone in the Merrifield
place on the hill.
The dining table shrank to its origi.
nal size. It seemed very small. And
the house seemed very still. Some
thing was gone, and loneliness crept
in. Mother said nothing. Neither did
father. But at times their eyes met,
and they understood.
Several lonely years dragged by. Then
one day father came home from the
city with little boy who was very
dirty and very ragged, and, quite prob.
ably, very wicked.
He was about nine years of age, but
his eyes bore the look of a tired, sad,
old man. And he was very small.
They gave him warm bath, sup.
per of fried chicken with hot gravy,
thick slices Of homemade bread with
lots of jam. and don't know how many
mugs of good, rich milk.
They put him to sleep in big bed
that looked so clean and white that the
boy was almost afraid of it, especial
ly when he dropped down so far he
was almost buried. Then, to the boys
wonder the old mothers soft hands
tucked him in lovingly, and her soft
lips gently touched his forehead. 1t
seemed to him a dream; to her 1t was
living memory, memory of years
that could not return.
Father and mother quietly descended
the stairs to the parlOr. He told her
that the boy was runaway from the
Orphans home, but had been caught
and would be returned unless home
was found for him. The little fellow
seemed to have horror of the place
and father had decided to keep him
awhile. II don't believe he'll bother
you much" said father, a bit worried
Bother" echoed mother. "That
dirty little boy will be- bushel Of
bother. He'll break things, and he'll
lose things, and he'll hurt himself, and
he'll eat more'n two hired men. Both.
err! Why, he'll bother me all the time
And if he doesn't, Jim Merrifield, you
can take him right back quick, for T.
just want to be bothered"
In the morning they fed the little
fellow mush with real cream, fried
eggs, "taters," and big plate of pam
cakes such as, suppose, they make
n the New Jerusalem, and more mugs
of milk. The Merrfields never had
had hired man who could eat half
as much as that boy who had been
starved all his life.
Before he went to bed that night.
tired but happy, he had been all over
the farm and had found dozen
strange and wonderful places. He had
romped over the hay NOV, but had not
disturbed the pigeons nests-just
looked and looked. He had waded in
the creek and chased tadpoles;
climbed the highest tree on the farm;
knew where the best apples were in
the orchard; helped feed the hogs;
thought it great sport when Mr.. Mer-
rifield squirted milk into his mouth;
sat on the fence and let the young
lion questions; and ended by putting
his face on old Barney's soft, warm
nose and telling the wise old horse all
about what 'rippin' time" he was
having.
After supper he had thrown wind
falls like naughty boy, and, horrible
To relate, had missed his aim once and
broken the kitchen window. He had
stood paralyzed for little while. Then
he walked slowly into the house. Fa-
Their and mother awaited him with So
Der faces. Il done it," said he.
Well, his hosts must have been get
ting old and childish, for they didn't
spank him even one little spank. In
stead, they patted him on the head and
clapped him on the back and declared
it didn't matter because they were tired
of that old window, anyway.
In the cozy bed, the little lad
stretched his limbs and yawned Sleep
lily. He was all tired out; but what
fun he'd had!
Downstairs, father and mother were
sitting in the parlor looking out over
the mOonlit fields, and thinking. Re.
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