Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-11-30
HOMESICK
BY HIlDA MORRIS.

the city to be a substitute teacher In
the township high school. She had
! been there only month, but already
the country air had begun to work
wonders with her pale cheeks and hol-
low eyes.
/ IL only it weren't so lonesome !"
She thought, as she walked n country
road one bright, windy Saturday af-
/ ternOon. But just then she heard
/ some one calling.
/ Hi there" mans voice shouted.
"Hi there, Miss Gray"
1t was Richard Harding, greeting
her in the local fashion. Christine
stood and waited as he came stridng
toward her, fine, strapping young
man. cad in farmers overalls and a
flannel shirt.
Are YOU taking walk?" he asked
as he caught up with her. His voice
had the easy mOdulations of an edu-
Gated man. He was Il 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 all
the People in this town related?'
/ Richard laughed. every nearly. The
Bullits are related to the Emmets and
the EmmettS to the Hardings and the
/ Hardings to the Bullits again. We're
all kin somehow"
"All but me-" said the girl, laugh
ing a little wistfully. ut must seem
/ queer To have 50 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, a sun
bonnet on her head, was cutting tut
lips from the rows, that bordered the
| garden walk. She Strengthened up as
they approached, and came TO the gate.
"Howdy." she said cordially. Its
right cool for an April day, isn't it?
Have you been walking, Miss Gray?
/ Well, do come in and have cup of
tea. made some cinnamon cakes this
morning that must be eaten"
Christine hesitated.
1T isn't five o'clock yet" said Mrs.
Harding, royalty sweeping aside the
girls unspoken objections. Richard
was holding the gate open. so almost
J before she knew it Christine found her.
self in the big square sitting-room of
/ the Harding homestead.
She had not been in q private home
of this size for years and years, not
since her childhood days and before
long arid years of furnished rooms.
/ The house gave her rather an awesOme
impression of vastness and elegance.
1t had been solidly 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 timid
voice. Miss Lottie was an 'Old maid"
who spent her years in making endless
yards of tatting.
"Since l was two" said Christine.
"Are your parents livingT pursued
Miss Lottie, to whom family was ones
most interesting attribute.
mo-" answered Christine.
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
fee.
"Can't you take 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 were riding off down
winding road bordered with dog
wood and the picturesque Towering
Judas tree.
I'm going home next week." she
announced, as calmly as though her
heart were not beating furiously.
"Home" he queried.
Back to the city, where it isn't so
lonesome. l only came to substitute
for a month, anyway, and I'm not
used to the country. It's Atoo quiet
for me''
81 suppose It is" Richard assented,
letting the reins drop loosely. 81 sup.
pose you couldn't stand it here. But
I've something to ask you, Christine.
If l should be willing to come to the
city and live your way-giye up this
quiet country life-wOuld you marry
me, Christine"
leave here" cried the girl incredu-
lous. "Why, Richard, II like you
best here. You belong here. Oh, Rich.
ard" she breathed. II was so home
sick! 1 was going to leave because l
could not stand 1t to see homes and
fireplaces and mothers all about me-"
WELL" he answered joyously, you
needn't ever be homesicR again. You
have me, all right!
rC~T.