The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-12-01
An Q. HENRY Story a Day :Si$$;

ten to Robert by his mother. II was
an unerudlte letter. fun of crops and
motherly love and farm noteH. II
chronicled the health of the pig and
the recent red calf. and asked con
corning Roberts In return. IL whf
a letter direct from the soil. straight
from home. fun OF biographies OF
l-ea. tales OF turnipa, paeans 81 nov
laid eggs. neglected parents and tbs
slump In dried apples.
why have I not been shown youi
mothers iettersy" asked Alicia. Thers
was always something In her voice
that made you think OF lorHneftes
OF accounts at Tiffany's. OF aledEe'
smoothly gliding on the tu.il from
Dawson TO Forty Mile, OF the tinkiina
Of pendant prlsms on your grand
mothcrr' chandeliers. Of SNOW lying
ON convent roof: Of police scr
goant refusing bail. your mother,
continued Alicia, invite. W 20 make
visit 10 the farm. We viii 30 there
for a week or two. Robert"
we will said Robert. with the
grand air OF an associate supreme
Justice ooncurring In an opinion. Il
did not lay IN. invitation before you
because thought you would not
care to no. | am much pleased al
your declsion--
Il viii writ. 10 her myself an
swcred Alicia. with faint fore
shado~inE Of enthusiasm. "ielios
shall pack my trunks AT once Seven
think. will be enough. do not
suppose that your mother entsrtalnf
a great deal DOES she give many
house parti-a1-
Robert arose. and as attorney fo'
rural places filed a ds-nurrer against
six Of the seven trunks. He cndeav
ord 10 define. picture. eiueidate. sci
forth and describe q farm. Ills owr
words sounded strange In HE ears
lie had not realized how thoroly
urb-idlx-d he had become
A week passed and found then
landed at the littia country station
five hours out from tho city. A
Krinning. stcn,orlsn. narSustic youth
driving mule 10 a spring Wagon
hailed Robert savagriy.
Halo. AFR. Walmsl-y. Pound your
way back at last. have you Sorry
couldn't bring In tho automobile
for you. but dads bull .tonguing THIS
trnacrc clover patch with IL today
Guras you'ti excuse my not wearina
n dr~as suit over 10 meet you--ii
alnt . O'Clock yet. you know
~fm chad TO a~c you. Tom ~nid
Robert. Rraarenr his brothers hand
Yes. I've found my way at last
You've right 10 say at last us
been over two years since the las,
Time. Hut q win 10 ostencr after
this. my boy
Alicia. cool In the summer heat as
an Arctic wrath. white as a Morse
SNOW maiden IN her fiinwy muslin
and fiuitertnK lace parpNol. came
round IN. corner OF the station; and
Tom was ~rripp~d Of his assurance,
Ito became chiefly syesiwht clothed
In blue jeans and on tho honeward
drive 10 the mule aion, did he con
fids IN language the iawardnaas OF
bis thoughts.
They drove horn~ward. Tho low
sun dropped a spenathrift flood OF
gold upon the fortunate fields OF
wheat The cities ware far away
The road lay curling around wood
and dale and hiil like a ribbon los,
from IN. rob> Of careless summer.
Tn. wind followed Hike a within fng
colt in -he track Of Phocbns' rtc~sf-.
By and by tn. farmhous. pe~pcsi
gray out OF Its faithful grove: they
zaw the long lane with its convoy
OF walnut trees running from the
road 10 tho house: they smeii-d the
Wild ron1 and tho breath OF cool.
damp willows In the creeks bed And
then In unison all the voices Of the
soil began a chant Addressed 10 the
soul Of Hohert waimsisy. Out OF
the i~afy ainle- Of tho din, wood
they cams hoiio~iy. they chirpcd and
blurred from tho parchcd grars. they
triiied from tho rippies Of the creek
ford: they floaied up In clear Pans
pipe notes from the dinming
meadows: the whippoorxilis joined