The Delta independent., 1917-09-21
pIsposING OF THE CROP:
BY JOAN RUGBY.
Observation-Disclosures

ouSly on the desk as timid tapping
came on the door.
Blame that squint-eyed Oriental
What do you want?' he cried.
"Please, Mr.. Landreth, the telephone
rings"
Howard jerked open the door. Well
might the little japanese tremble for
his masters scowl was terrible to be-
hold. Gone was the elusive idea he
had just managed to grasp after days
of futile effort. His mind was just
beginning to yield to the quiet sooth-
ing peace of the country after days of
irritation and unrest following a quar-
rel with Sylvia, and now his chance
Of writing for the day was gone.
He strobe to the phone and jerked
down the receiver. "Hello" he
snarled.
A feminine voice came over the
wire. Have you any potatoes to
SELF"
NO" roared Howard.
"Oh ~ came the voice. "Well, have
you any corn or onions?"
No" answered the master of
Yamasani. II have no corn or onions !"
well, have you anything at all to
sell? Tomatoes or cabbage or apples
or eggs or anything?"
Nothing, madam, but ideas, but
lately the crop has been small"
He hung up and turned away. "What
are you fussing about, Yamasani? ?
We're not running market garden
just because we're in the country"
"Will master come and see? There
is so much potatoes! Men dig all day
yesterday. Outside there is like a
house Of potatoes. And the corn !!
sol" Spreading his arms high and
wide. And onions, SO! And beets and
turnips! Everything there is so much !!
And the eggs! The chickens make
so many fill the basket every night
One day, two days, a week, two weeks !
Some baskets l throw over the hill
when they got old. Mister eat only
one. 1 bake cake. Throw out.
make everything. Throw out. Yama-
sani tell mister many days before and
mister say only, Shut up"
Howard laughed. "All right, Yama-
sani l guess you did say something
me. Well, if the lady calls up again
or if you can find out who she is, give
her all she wants for nothing
Howard put on his hat and went out.
It was a beautiful day in early autumn
and the country was exquisite with
bronzes and reds. Although he had
taken the same walk many times be-
fore he had never been able to see any
thing but Sylvia. After all. perhaps
she was right to go away, if some of
those English chaps in Bermuda don't
carry her off and marry her before she
gets back.
He felt better after his walk in the
cool bracing air and called the Jap.
'Yamasani, have you found out who
the neighbor is who wants the
onions?"
Yes. l think, Mr.. Landreth. A man
drive by and stop. He say there is Il
big house over there with many chill
dren and they eat, eat, eat everything"
"Oh, l see! An orphan asylum or
children's home. Well, get those men
that We're here yesterday and haul
over all the stuff you can find. After
phone rings smash it. Do anything.
but don't you call me-"
The days sped on and Howard lost
track of them. One afternoon as he
reached for his pipe he found some let
ters he had forgotten TO open. He
tore them open without interest at
first, but an itemized bill puzzled him.
and he unfolded the incloSed check
with considerable interest. 1t was
made out to cash for $40, and 1t was
signed Sylvia Farnsworth. Sylvia
Farnsworth, his Sylvia-what could it
mean? 1t announced that Miss Syl-
via Farnsworth was debtor TO "a kind
neighbor" for the following items:
20 bushels potatoes at so cents,
bushels tomatoes at 81, and so on.
But what had Sylvia TO do with all
this? Without waiting to wonder any
longer he went back to the road that
led to his neighbor's farm. As he
came near to the house he heard the
shouts of children. There We're hun
dreds of them, it seemed, all sorts of
sunburned, healthy-looking little boys
and girls.
rs Miss Farnsworth here?" he asked
one of them.
Yes, she's in the house. Just go on
up" advised the small informant.
Then Sylvia came in, not the Sylvia
he had known, the languid society girl
he had accused of being useless in
the heat of the quarrel. This one
was brisk and alert and with an air
of one who enjoys responsibility. $50
Mr.. Kind Neighbor has called at lasti"
II thought you We're in Bermuda -
"The others went hut-M ell | de-