South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-28
HOMESICK
BY Hilda Morris

Christine had come to Stillville
/ from the city to be a substitutl
teacher in the township high school
She had been there only a month
but already the country air had be-
gun TO work wonders with her pale
cheeks and hollow eyes.
IF only il weren't so lonesomer
she thought, as she walked a coun-
| try road one bright, windy Saturday
afternoon. II was her holiday, and
she was endeavoring to make the
most of it, but lonely walks are not
exciting Christine kicked a stone
in her path a little viciously. as
though it were responsible for her
! boredom. But just then she heard
someone calling.
Hi there!" a mans voice shout
ed. Hi there, Miss Gray"
IL was Richard Harding, greeting
her in the local fashion. Christine
stood and waited as he came strid-
ing towards her. a fire. strappinS
young man clad in farmers over
alls and a flannel shirt.
Are you taking walk - he
His voice had the easy modulatiOns
of an aducated man. He was a
graduate of an eastern college.
Yes. I'm going through your
cemetery. It's 50 quaint. I'm only
used 70 crowded city cemeteries that
reach for blocks and blocks Tell
me, are all the people in this town
related ?"
Richard laughed.
Very nearly. The Bullits are
related TO the Emments and the
Emmetts TO the Hardinss and the
Hardings 10 the Bullits again. We're
all kin somehow"
All but me-" said the girl. laugh
ing a little wistfully. 1t 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
farm house where he lived with
his mother and sister. His mother
a sunbonnet on her head, was cut
ting tulips from the rows that bor-
dered the garden walk. She
Strengthened up as they approached,
anu came 10 the gate
"Howdy!" she said cordially. It's
right cool for an April day. isn't
it? Have YOU been walking. Miss
Gray? Well, do come in and have
a cup of tea. l made some CHINA
mon cakes this morning that must
be eaten"
Christine hesitared.
Ire
Harding. royalty sweeping aside the
girls unspoken objections. Richard
was holding the gate open. so al
most before she knew IL Christine
found herself in the big square sit
ting-room of the Harding home
stead.
She had not been in a private
home OF this size for ye; RS and
years. not since her childhood ,ays
and before long arid years Of fur
nished rooms. The house gave her
rather an awesome impression of
vastness and elegance. II had been
solidIy built for posterity by a fore
bear from New England. It's fur
niture was mid-Victorian. A mas
sive black walnut bookcase against
one wall held rows of volumes in
mellow old bindings. The carpet
floHered into strange blossoms of
tropical proportions. a CRATE fire
flickered pleasantly. illuminating a
faded print OF sleek-haired maiden
in decollete reading the Bible. EV-
erything seemed unbelievably gen.
erous in its proportions.
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 was two" said Christine
Are you parents living pur-
sued Miss Lottie. TO whom family
vas ones most interesting attribute
No" answered. Christine.
This put a sOmbre period on the
conversation. broken only when Mrs
Harding brought in the tea The
women talked comfortably OF
church sacials. gardening. fancy
work and the like. while Christine
tried politely 10 join in. But she
felt strangely aiien-they spoke OF
things and ways OF life she had
scarcely known existed. Richard
sat silent He scarcely took his eyes
of Christine. and hc absently emp
tied the plate of cookies which stood