The Connecticut labor press., 1920-11-06

a square meal an sleep an bit or western hospitality. Places. too. If you like, where there are men to say that suit you?'
 Harris took his friends hand in Q warm grip. He rightly guessed that McCrae was not bartering his services for hospitality, but was making it easy for Harris to accept them by ap. bearing to bargain for a service in re- turn. So they shook hands together on the side of the bank overlooking the little coulee, and as they looked in eacE others eyes Harris realized for the first time that McCrae was still a young man. A sense of com radeship came over him-a feeling that this man was more of brother than a father. With admiring eyes he looked on McCrae's fine face, his broad shoulders, his wonderful phy- sique. and the question he asked sprang from his lips before he could arrest it.
 "Why don't you get married, Mac" "WhO, me?" said McCrae. laughing; but Harris detected tone in his voice that was not all happiness. and the thought came to him that Mo Crae's craving for hospitality might root deeper than he supposed.
 Its long ride to the land office" continued McCrae, "an' you can't file minute too soon. We'd better find corner post an make sure of the num- Der of this section. an put as much nd i0hf
 After filing at the land office Harris returned at once to the Arthurs' home stead. The news that the Harrises were to be neighbors within 40 miles was received with enthusiasm by both Fred and Lillian Arthurs. But Har- ris was now consumed with a burning energy; he allowed himself only a precious half day at the home of the Arthurses, bade his wife an affection ate farewell, and, with a cheery good by to the warm friends on the home stead, he was away down the trail to Emerson.
 On arrival at Emerson one of the first men he met was Tom Morrison. The two pioneers shook hands warm ly. and in a few words Harris told of having selected his claim, waxing en- thusiastic over the locality in which his lot was to be cast.
 'T must get out there myself" said Morrison.
 "Do," Harris urged. 'There are some other fine quarters in the neigh borhood, and nothing would be better than to have you on one of them"
 The west-bound trip was made in good time, although not without difh- culty at some points in the road. and before the tenth of April Harris was roof He was for pressing on alone in the morning, but he found that his wife had made all her plans to ac- company him and would listen neither to persuasion nor reason.
 ''But, Mary, there's no house, and no shelter, and no neighbors-nothing but sky and grass as far as you can sec
 "A11 the more reason I should go," she answered. "If you have to rough 1t in the open you at least deserve your meals cooked for you, and such other help as a woman can give. really must be with you. I really must, John, and you know-Pm go- ing"
 So at last he consented. The sup plies of provisions were increased, and together they set out to wrestle their fortunes from the wilderness.
 On arrival at the homestead the young wife immediately gave evidence that she intended to bear her full share of the pioneers duties. A com paratively dry spot was found among the little poplars. and here she built tent with blankets and bit of rag carpet that came in most handy for such purposes. Their stove was set up, and although it smoked stubborn Iy for lack of draught, it furnished heat for cooking, and when Jack re- turned from tethering the horses the smell of frying ham and hot tea struck his nostrils.
 "Weu, that's better than rdstling for I will admit" he said.