The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-01
JANE SEES 1T THROUGH.
BY Adelaide r. Kemp.

| Copyright, 1921, by Wheeler Syn
dictate, Inc.)
The breakfast dishes had been
washed and put away. Jane, with
her elbows on the red and white
checked tab1ecloth, soberly con-
templated the outside world. Her
gray eyes roamed over the broad
acres that stretched prosperously
from the unpretentious farm house
to the willows along the creek, in
whose cooling shadows the cattle
were standing, leisurely swishing
persistent flies from their sleek
sides. Across the road red barns
showed and the new silo reared
its head. Over in the distant sheds
could be glimpsed machinery of the
latest make.
A sudden humping noise from the
back room made her jump up has
tily. There, her mother in hid
eous print house dress, with her
graying-brown hair combed tightly
back from her brow, was dragging
a heavy old-fashioned churn to the
middle of the floor, and beginning
mOnotonouS plump, plump"
Jane hastily took the handle away
from the rough, brown hands.
You wash the separator, moth
er. I'll do this she said briefly.
The kitchen door opened and she
heard her father come in.
1--WE just been talking with old
man Stevens, ma" he said, land I
guess I'll buy his prize calves to-
morrow"
Jane saw her mother straighten
an aching back and turn a tired
face toward him.
81 almost wish, Tom" she said
patiently, you'd spend a little on
the house. When we were poor
didn't mind Juggling water and
scrimping on butter and egg mon
ey. Twenty-one years is a long
time to work early and Late
Tom turned astonished eyes on
his wife. For a moment he was
speeches.. Then, We'll, of all
things! AS if had money to spend
on gimcracks," And slamming the
door he went stamping down the
path.
An hour later. with the butter
beautifully pressed and set away
in the cool milk room, Jane be-
took herself to the parlor, to think. |
1t was a depressing place, large
and bare, with a thin carpet on the
floor and marble topped table in
the center, supporting a faded plush
album full of old family portraits. !
Jane had read somewhere that
life had its compensations. but az
yet she had failed to see them.
improvements of late years had
been coming fast, but they were al
ways for the outside. Not that |
father was ever unkind or meant |
only blind to the needs of |
the house, having been brought I'D |
in a school where hard. work was
the central theme of life.
James nerves were rather on
edge and as her thoughts were !
surging back through all the |
dreary days she rocked violently |
In the old stuffed chair which had !
once belonged to Grandma Wheel !,
er. 1t was too much, even for the
poor old rocker, left to fade so
long in its dismal. shadowy corner. |
With cresking noise something i
gave way and Jane and the chair
collapsed together
For moment the girl was start
led. One less piece OF furniture |
IN the house now. and goodness /
Knows there had been little enough |,
before. She rose slowly and look L
I'D at the wreck. From the torn /
cushion seat protruded q long pa
per yellow with age. Jane pulled /
Z out and with startled eyes read L
he contents. Grandma wheeler's
ost will. |,
ITO my dear granddaughter Jane
bequeath all my property. real L
Ind personai"-there was a sud I
len cry from the kitchen, a con-
usion OF noises, and Jane, thrust 4