The herald., 1918-01-03
H0MESICK
BY HIlDA MORRIS.

Christine had come to Stillville from
the city to be substitute teacher in
the township high school. She had
been there only a month, but already
the country air had begun to work
wonders with her pale cheeks and hol-
| low eyes.
"If only it weren't so lonesome !"
she thought, as she walked q country
road one bright, windy Saturday af-
ternoon. But just then she heard
some one calling.
Hi there!" q mans voice shouted.
'Hl there, Miss Gray!"
1t was Richard Harding, greeting
her In the local fashion. Christine
stood and waited as he came striding
toward her, a fine, strapping young
man, clad in farmers overalls and a
flannel shirt.
Are you taking a walk?" he asked
as he caught up with her. His voice
had the easy mOdulations Of an edu-
Gated man. He was a 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 so 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 SUM-
bonnet on her head, was cutting tul-
lips from the rows, that hordered the
garden walk. She Strengthened up as
they approached, and came to the gate.
"Howdy!" she said cordially. "It's
right cool for an April day, isn't It?
Have you been walking, Miss Gray7
Well, do come in and have a cup Of
tea. I made some cinnamon cakes this
morning that must be eaten"
Christine hesitated.
at isn't five o'clock yet" said Mrs.
Harding, royalty sweeping aside the
girls unspoken objections. Richard
was holding the gate open, so almost
before she knew II Christine found her.
self in the big square sitting-room Of
the Harding homestead.
She had not been in a 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 a 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 I was two" said Christine.
"Are your parents livingT" pursued
Miss Lottie, to whom family was ones
most interesting attribute.
mo" answered Christine.
This put somber period on the
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 a driver he called
eagerly. my teams Just over yon.
der"
The girl perked her pretty head az
though considering.
"Why, perhaps" she conceded, "fol
little while"
Presently they were riding of down
winding road bordered with dog.
wood and the picturesque Towering
Judas tree.
'Tm going home next week." she
announced, as calmly as though her
heart were not beating furiously.
Homer he Queried.
Back to the city, where 1t isn't 50
lonesome. only came to substitute
for a month, anyway. and I'm not
used to the country. It's too quiet
for me-"
81 suppose 1t is" Richard assented,
letting the reins drop loosely. II sup
pose you couldn't stand it here. But
I've something to ask you, Christine.
If I should be willing to come to the
city and live your way-give up this
quiet country life-would you marry
me. ChristineT'
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! I was going to leave because
could not stand it to see homes and
f1replaces and mothers all about me-"
SWELL" he answered joyously, you
needn't ever be homesick again. You
have me. all right"