Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-05-06
CHAPTER iv-continued.

"Jim," she said, after while, when
he noise Of the milking was drowned
ln the creamy froth. I'm getting near
me end Of this kind of thing. Fathers
getting more and more set on money
Ill the time. He thinks I should slave
along too to pile up more beside what
he's got already, but I'm not going to
DO 1t much longer. I'm not afraid Of
work, or hardship either. I'd live In
shack II I had to. I'd"
would you live In shackr said
gim.
She shot quick look at him. But
be was quietly smiling into his milk
pail, and she decided to treat his
question impersonally.
"Yes, I'd live In shack. too, II
had to. put In my first years in q
sodhouse, and there was more real
happiness romping up and down the
tand then than there Is now. In those
days everybody was so poor that
money didn't count It's differ
emit now"
Jim did not pursue the subject, and
the milking was completed In silence.
Jim finished first, and presently the
rising hum Of the cream separator
was heard from the kitchen.
"There he goes. winding his arm of
flor me-" said the girl, as she rose
from the last COW. "Poor JIM wish
knew whether it's just human kind
ness makes him do 1t, or whether"
Sha stopped, coloring a little oyer the
thought that had almost escaped into
words.
When the heavy grind Of the sepa-
rating was finished Jim went quietly
to his own room, but the girl put on
a clean dress and walked out through
the garden, At the lower gate she
stopped to pick flower, which she
held for moment to her face; then,
toying lightly with 1t in her fingers,
she slipped the latch and continued
along the path leading down into the
ravine. To the right lay the bench
where the sodhouse had stood. not so
much as mound now marking the
spot; but the thoughts Of the girl
turned yearningly to 1t, and to the
days Of the lonely but not unhappy
childhood which 1t had sheltered.
Presently she reached the water,
and her quick ear caught the sound
Of muskrat slipping gently Into the
stream from the reeds on the opposite
bank; she could see the widening
wake where he plowed his swift way
across the pond. Then her own figure
/, stood up before her, graceful and 1.-THE
as the willows on the bank. She sur
veyed 1t minute, then fiicked the
flower at her face in the water, and
turned slowly homeward. She was
not unhappy. but dull sense Of loss
oppressed her-a sense that the world
was very rich and very beautiful, and
that she was feasting neither on Its
richness nor its beauty. There was a
stirring of music and poetry In her
soul, but neither music nor poetry
found expression. And presently she
discovered she was thinking abou,
Jim Trayers.
AICi iuOtiCi cah Az NAAN oAhAh6 AOoAAA
knitting by the light Of the hanging
lamp. Her face seemed very pale ant
lovely in the soft glow.
Don't you think you have done
enough?" said the girl, slipping into
sitting posture on the floor by hel
mothers knee. you work. work
work, all the time. suppose they'll
have to let you work in heaven"
ave value our work more as WI
grow older" said the mother.
ut helps to keep Us from thinking"
'.Thcre you go." exclaimed the girl
but there was tenderness in he
voice. worrying again. wisl
they'd stay home for change"
The mother piled her needles II
silence. "Slip away to bed, Beulah,
she said at length. II will wait VI
for a WHILE"
Late in the night the girl hear
heavy footsteps in the kitchen an,
bursts of loud but indistinct talking
CHAPTER v.