Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-01
1.-THE BARN|
- A SPIRITED ROMANCE - s.
BY GRACE L. H. LUTZ. Author Of The Bnt Mn s

ham anticipated he,s necessity hat HI he
said in a matter-of-fact way ,et him
hoped Mrs. Hollistery would ' HE car.
T 5axs n nshi 70 1sr e 1ss s sHet with tears RS
Of gratitude. She knew her moar hlv
was not yet able to travcl connioF a. 10y =
in a trolley-car, and the price o.
taxicab was more than she fal ,acret
ought to afford: yet sin her ~ Get
heart she had been Intending " 30.
one; but now there would be III
cessity.
shirley's words of gratitude eo Moee
few and simple. but there was shano to
thing in her eyes as she lifted o a'eu, in
Graham's face that made q s sor his
trouble.
The last thing they did when they
left the barn that night before The
were coming to stay was to SCI oozv
table, and it really looked very .oA +
and inviting with a white clom W ho;r
and the dishes set out to look .mH ;,h
best. Shirley looked back at ~ WI" the
a sweeping glance that took III the
great, comfortable living room, III. nv
open door into the dining room h;te
one hand and the vista OF WIZ. nv
bed on the other side through snnn ire
bedroom door. She smiled n a,pctr;c
and then switched Off the ele caet
spring night. Graham, who ndt
stood watching her as one misht
watch the opening of some strange;
unknown flower, closed and locked
the door behind them, and followed
her down the grassy slope to the car
"Do you know" he said earnestly,
"its been a great thing to me ee e
watch you make a real home out ol
this bare barn? It's wonderful! Us
like a miracle. I wouldn't nave De.
lieved it could be done. And !ou
have done it so wonderfully! can
just see what kind of 9 delightful
home it is going to be-"
that made Shirley forget he was rlcn
and a stranger and her Landlord. She
lifted her face to the stars, and spoke
her thoughts. I
You can't possibly know how
much like heaven it is going to be to
us after coming from that other aw-
full little house." she said; land you
are the>one who has made it possible.
If it hadn't been for you l know
never could have done it,"
"Oh, nonsense, Miss Hollister! You
mustn't think Of it. 1 haven't done
anything at all, just the simplest
things that were absolutely neces-
sary."
"Oh, I understand" said Shirley;
land I can't ever repay you, but
think God will. That is the kind Of
thing the kingdom Of heaven is made
Of"
"Oh, really, now" said Graham
deeply embarrassed; he was not much
accustomed to being connected with
the Kingdom of heaven in any way
"Oh, really, you-you overestimate it
And as for pay. I don't ask any bet
ter than the fun my sister and
have had helping you get settled. !
has been a great play for us. W
never really moved, you see We've
always gone off and had some one d,
it for us. I've learned a lot since ",
known you"
That night as she prepared to Ii,
down on the mattress and blanke
that had been left behind for hersel
and Carol to camp out on, Shirley re
membered her first worries about Nj
IGraham, and wondered whether
: could he. possible that he thought sh
had been forward in any way, an
what her mother would think whe
she heard the whole story of the ne,
landlord; for up to this time tn
secret had been beautifully kept frol
mother, all the children joining
clap their hands over waywal
mouths that started to utter tell.ta
sentences. and the mystery grew, al
became almost like Christmas-tin
for little Doris and her mother.
must, however, be stated that Nj
Hollister, that last night, as she L
wakeful OF her bed in the little ba
room in the tiny house, had maj
m%isgivings, and wondered wheth
perchance she would not be sighi
to be back even here twenty-fo
hours later. She was holding
peace wonderfully, because there re;
~ was nothing she could do about
even if she was going out of t
frying-pan into the fire; but I
tumult and worry in her heart h
been by no mean bliss. So the mi
night drew on, and, the weary fam
slept for the last night in the cram
ed old house where they had Ii,
since trouble and poverty had CO,
upon them.