Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-01-28
HER SACRIFICE
By A q. MEYER.

uc(CospAy
discerning will understand unat ma
bel was mistress Of the house, nor
maid.
Her gaze wandered often from ner
task 70 the view framed by the long
window John had put in above the SINK
for this very purpose. And the view
the garden-kitchen garden, OF course,
but so attractively arranged In neat
plots and so gayly bordered by nooding
flowers that the eye could not neip
but reap Joy and qualification WIN
every casual glance-the low neues
and the fruitful, John-tilled fields De-
yond.
In Mabel's opinion, the whole view
was there for only one purpose-to
form a fitting background for the
hroad-shouldered figure Of John. Shirt
sleeved. with arms comfortably crossed
and supporting his favorite briar IN
one hand, he leaned against the gran
lite gatepost and thought things our.
AS II she could read through nat
thick mop Of hair into his head, she
knew his thoughts. She also knew tney
had been the same for weeks.
She watched him gravely, her hanos
hanging Idly In the cooling water. ne
could never solve his problem alone.
Mabel wiped her hands deliberately
still gazing nxedly from h WINDOW.
She felt that the moment for her 10
act mad come. Leaving the dishes I'M
washed In the pan, she sped through
the door, down the path q haited'
painting at Johns side.
She felt his gaze resting on her; but
she could not lift her eyes. staring
hard at the pipe In his hand. she sought
ya,nly for speech. The tumultuous
thoughts that had hooded her mind 30
recently had ebbed al completely as II
they had never been. At length:
John, your pipes gone out again.
"Bless me-" calculated John. In en-
amused tone. "Is that what you ran
all the way from the house to tell
met"
Angry with herself that she should
be so cowardly. torn by emotions she
could not express. Mabel hid a tear
wet face against her husbands sun
burnt arm.
"Out with It, grille" he said en-
couragingly.
Mabel raised her head and smiled
into his eyes. Then she plunged Into
the very heart Of her subject.
"You can enlist. john"
Her husbands face expressed min
gled emotions. He slowly shook his
head.
you know as we'll as I do that my
duty is here on the farm since l can
find no one to take over the manage
ment. / can't leave and allow my
crops to waste In the fields. What 10
the use Of rehashing these arsumentsf
I've gone over them a thousand times
every day"
st have q secret" commenced Ma
bel abruptly. Last year when l VS.
tied Della. we both took the summer
| course In farming. Naturally. john
her eyes twinkled-"I don't know quite
as much as you; but I have been oil
ears and eyes ever since ! returned.
Haven't you noticed how many ques-
tons I've askedf"
John did not reply. He stood look
ing over her head far of toward the
eastern horizon.
Mabel felt q catch In her throat, but
went bravely on.
az know all about farm accounting,
and testing seed and-and-every-
thing" she concluded comprehensively.
Really, John. dear. I studied awfully
hard, and I've been at It ever since.
I shall never again want to leave the
farm to live In . city. Why. every
time I turn round outdoors now ] learn
something new. think II farmers
wives would all hire women to do
| their Homework. and only had to think
OF meals 4 eat them. they could be
90 c~ontented. and would feel so profess
sional and grow so healthy working
with their husbands out in Gods fresh
air. 1 have grown to love outdoors
10 such 4 wonderful seeing way that
sometimes I can't stand the thought Of
q roof over my head"
As she talked. Johns hands were
tenderly smoothing her soft hair back
from her eager. flushed face.
Little wife. little wife," he whis-
pered.
"John. dear. I honestly feel on.
WINGED that. with what advice our good
n~eighbors would give me II I needed
II. and what ! can always receive from
the university for the asking. I could
manage. And with the whole depart
ment Of agriculture fairly dancing up
and down with eagerness to answer all
my Questions-how could I fall
never dreamed how many friends the
farmer has until I begin TO study and
to poke through your hies Of compiled
information" She looked anxiously
into his face. "You believe met"
"Mabel-yes." he circulated. But,
dear. II isn't easy-even for q man."
She slipped her arms around his
neck.
women are doing q thousand things
today that are not easy-even for men.
Shall I DO less for othersf There IN
nothing to keep you. You can 60
John" His name had never seemed
sweeter from her lips than at this mo-
ment.
he drew her closer 10 him. her dark
head against his heart. For q long
time they gazed deeply into each