The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-11-06

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Of more than trees and rocks and foot
prints of the wild things Of the forest
your father Is getting along well"
he said. at length.
YES" she answered. He has had a
good holiday, even with his broken
leg"
you will be goin' away before long"
he continued.
yes" she answered, and waited.
Things about here amt goin' to be
the same after you're gone" he went
on. He wore no coat, and the neck of
his shirt was open. for the day was
warm Had he caught her sidelong
glanceS, even his slow, lf-deprecating
mind must have read their admiration.
But he kept his eyes fixed on the green
water.
you see." he said, before you came
it was different. didn't know what
was missin', an so it didn't matter.
Not but what 1 was dog-sick Of it at
times, but still I thought I was Twin
thought this was life, and, of course.
now 1 know it amt. At least, it won't
be after you're gone"
That's strange" she said, not In
direct answer to his remark, but as a
soliloQuy on it as she turned it over in
her mind. ''This life, now, seems
empty to you. All my life seems
empty to me. This seems to me the
real life, out here in the foothills. with
the trees and the mountains, and-and
our horses. you know"
She might have ended the sentence
in way that would have come much
closer to him, and been much truer,
but cOnventionality had been bred in
to her for generations and she did not
find it possible yet freely to speak the
truth.
Its such a wonderful life" she con-
tinued. zone gets so strong and hap
by in it."
YOU'D soon get sick of it," he said.
''We don't see nothin'. We don't learn
nothin'. Reenie, I'm eighteen, an L
bet you could read an write better'n
me when you was six"
did you never go to SCHOOL," she
asked, in genuine surprise. She knew
his speech was ungrammatical, but
thought that due to careless training
'Where'd 1 go to school?' he de-
manded, bitterly. ''There amt a school
within forty miles. Guess 1 wouldn't
have went if 1 could" he added, as an
afterthought, wishing to be quite hon
est in the matter. school didn't seem
to cut no figure-unt1 JUS lately"
"But you have 1earned-sOme" she
continued.
"SOme. When 1 was little kid my
father used to work with me at times.
He learned me to read little, an
to write my name, an a little more.
But things didn't go right between him
an mother, an he got to drinkin'
more an more, an JUS making h
of it. We used to have a mighty fine
herd of steers here, but it's all shot
to pieces. When we sell bunch the
old man IL stay in town for a month
or more, BLOWN the coin and leavin'
the debts go. I sneak a couple Of
steers away now an then, an with the
money keep our grocery bills paid
up an have a little to rattle in my
jeans. My credits good at any store
in town." and Irene thrilled to the note
of pride in his voice as he said this.
The boy had real quality in him. But
I'm sick of 1t ALL" he continued. "Sick
of 1t, an 1 wanna get out"
you think you are not educated, -
she answered, trying to meet his out
burst as tactfuIly as possible. per
haps you are not, the way we think Of
it in the city. But I guess you could
show the city boys a good many things
they don't know, and never will know