Chicago eagle., 1917-09-15
SON Of THE SOIL
BY iZoLA FORESTER.
IN ea IN Pa ~ "a - "a "a FL 81

! w "a "a "a "a 70 I'd - - "a eas Hl Wy
| Paxton had made himself partcu-
larly obnoxious that evening. Even
| Agatha had found him n bore, and
usually his little impromptu disserta-
tons amused her. Just when they had
| all wanted to relax and listen TO
| Ovens beautiful music he had insist
| ed on talking of subsoils and fcrtil-
| izers.
| "Thc government is Just beginning
| TO realize that its wealth lies in its
soil" proclaimed Paxton. 'I've got u
little old tcn-acre lot up In Rhode Is
land that I haven't oven 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..
| Paxton?" 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 Il rare trait nowadays. my
child" responded Charlie. "Stevc Is
n good boy. He was In Rhode Island.
and much of its soil adhercs to him
still. theoretically"
"Whnt part of Rhode 1slnnd?" asked
the girl. insistently.
Paxton was frying to remember
where he had seen her bcfore-not In
that lizard.colorcd dress with u tullc
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"
"I know IT," sighed the girl. laugh
ing. too. "Ncw York Is the funniest
little place I ever lived In. You're
always running into people you've
known somewhere else. DO you re-
member me?"
~ do," answered Steve promptly. II
met you on the northwest corner Of
the rainbow back in the golden age"
"You did not" she rctor,ed. "lIerc
IN New York ! sign my stun Sheiln
Gnrdy. hut I'm Lidy Peck"
"My DEAR called Charlie. "forbear.
You're doing this of your own free
will"
"Oh. I don't care" Sheila answered.
"It's the truth. DO you remember me
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
tie "Rhody" could possibly have pro-
duced two such geniuscs.
| The next day Agatha had long
telling her of Steve and of all that
he seemed to miss In life.
"Charlic ana have been so inter-
cstcd In the boy. All he needs Is en-
courngement. Someone To believe In
him, don't you know?"
"NO, I don't" replied Shclla, fatty.
81 don't believe In propping and shor-
ing up genius. My mother used TO say
up home to wait patiently after the
eggs were hatched instead of trying
To guess what they We're beforehand
IF he's n swan. so much the better ;
but if he's u turkey, he belongs In the
bnrnynrd.
They were riding on Riverside
bus together just two weeks later.
When two are from the same town
understanding and intimacy ripen mar
velously In n short time. 1t was a
wonderful day.
"Isn't It rather late for your pOta-
tocs?" asked Shclln, II little teasingly.
"They're In long ago. You know
why I'm staying here. It's just on ac-
count of yOu-bccause wanted to do
big things for you. II isn't an easy
thing to try to fill the measure Il wOm-
IN like you demands Of II man. You
know. Sheila-"
"Oh. drop that, and call me Lydy rs
you used to-" she laughed. "They all
do back home. How many acres are
there ut your place?'
/! "About ten, but they're all good,
cleared land, you know
She nodded.
~ have thirty-five-that old hill
farm of Uncle Abner'. He left 1t tn
me last year. Now, listen, Steve.
We've known each other all our lives,
In way, but really only In these last
two weeks. ! like New York, and I've
succeeded here, but after nll 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 IT, I'll be up In har"
vest time, and If you've made good,
I'll say yes. Are you willing to serve
for Rachel? Just II summer span, in
stead of seven years"
A taxi passed them, its top thrown
back. Agatha sat on the seat and
waved her hand to them.
~ wonder If she guessed from my
face" said Sheila. ~ wanted To keep
1t Il secret until we We're sure you bod
made good. ] wonder what | could -
her we were talking about"
Steve's hand closed over hers tight
ly. With his other he pulled his hat
brim further down over his eyes and
smiled with the air of conqueror ut