The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-11-12

NOW sdlu the UOys A III gun loi
the doctor. It's forty miles to town,
and it'll likely be mornin' before I'm
back, but I'll sure burn the trail.
There's grub i'm the house, and you
won't starve-that is If you can cook "
(This was evidently for Irene. There
was a note In IL that suggested the
girl might have her limitations) dig
into anythin' In sight. And I hope
your fathers leg won't hurt very
much"
"Oh, I'll stand it," said Doctor
Hardy, with some cheerfulness. "We
medical men become accustomed TO
suffering-in other people. You are
very kind. My daughter may remain
in this room, suppose? There is
no one elseT
mo one but the old man." he an
swered. Hes asleep in the next
room, safe till mornin'. I'll be back
by that time. That's my bed" indi-
eating a corner. make yourselves at
home" He lounged through the door.
and they heard his spurs clanking
across the naru eartn.
The girls first thought was for her
father. She removed his boot and
stocking, and, under his direction. slit
the leg of his trousers above the in
jury. 1t was bleeding a little. In the
large room of the house she found a
pail of water, and she bathed the
wound. wiplng ii with her handker-
chief and mingllng q tear or two with
The warm blood that dripped from IL.
you're good stuff" her father said.
pressing the fingers OF her unoccupied
hand. Now II you could find a clean
cloth 10 bandage it."
She looked about the place some
what hopelessly Her father read her
perplexity.
at seems as though you would be
in charge here for a while, Reenie,"
he said, $50 you will save time by
getting acquainted at once with your
equipment. Look the house over and
see what YOU have TO work with
"Well, l can commence here" she
answered. "This is Dawes room. |
suppose / should say Mr. Elden's.
but-what was ii he said about mis-
tering'? 1t would be splendid If il
were cleaned up" she continued, with
kindllng enthusiasm. These bare
logs, bare floors, bare rafters-we've
got back to essentials, anyway. And
that's his bed" She surveyed a
framework of spruce poles, on which
lay an old straw mattress and some
very gray blankets. 81 suppose he
is very tired when he goes to bed"
she said, drolly, as though that could
be the only explanation OF sleep amid
such surroundings.
In the south end of the larger room
stood a fireplace, crudely made of
slabs of native rock. The fires Of
many winters had crumbled the rock,
so that it had fallen in In places and
was no longer employed for its origi-
pal purpose. A very rusty and greasy
stove now occupied the space imme-
diately in front of the fireplace. the
stovepipe leading into the ample but
tOttering chimney. Near the stove
was bench supporting tin wash
basin, wooden pail and certain frag-
ments of soap-evidently all the equip
ment necessary for the simple ablu-
tons of the Eden household. The
remnant of grain-bag, with many evil
dences OF use and abuse, performed
the functions of towel, and broken
piece of looking-glass gave the faintest
intimation that strain of fundamen-
tai relationship links the sexes. BY
the western wall was q table, with nu-
merous dishes, and to the wall itself
had been nailed wooden boxes-salmon
and tomato caseS-nOw containing an
assortment of culinary supplies. A
partially used sack of flour and an
other Of rolled oats leaned against the
wall, and a trapdoor in the floor gave
promise of further resources beneath
There was q window in the east anC
another in the west, both open and
unscreened; myriads of flies gave the
only touch Of life to the dismal scene
Irene looked IL all over, then leaned
against the window sill and laughed
Her father had brought her west for
holidays, with the promise of changed
surroundings and new experiences, but
he had promised her no such delight
as this. With the Eden kitchen still
photographed In her mind she called up
the picture Of her own city home-the
order; the precision; the fxedness
the this-sits-here-and- that-stands-th there
ness; the natness and emptiness and
Formally Of 1t all; and she turned
again to the Eden kitchen and laughed
"a soft, ripping. irrepressible laugh.
as irrepressible as the laughter of the
mountain stream amid the evergreens.
Then she looked again from the open
window, this time with eyes that saw
the vista Of valley and woodland and
foothill that stretched down into the
opening prairie. Suddenly she realized
that she was looking down upon q pic
ture-one of natures obscure master
pieces-painted In brown and green
and saffron against an opal canvas. II
was beautiful. not with the aoIeusnitv