Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-31
BY JANE d, -

- -, :. E,l A 49,
with him I plan it all out-what he
must have been and why he fell to
the level of this sort .of work; then
the next time 1 see him he says some
thing that makes me change all my
ideas. am sur he is concealins
something-he simply will not say
one word about himself! I don't be-
it's anything as bad as murder
or forgery or-anything like that. be-
cause he has such honest eyes, and
they look right straight through you.
It's probably some sorrow or-or dis
appointment. Sometimes his eyes
look very tired. as though they had
seen some terrible tragedy, though
mostly. always they're just jolly.
He's wonderful with Monte and
Davy-they adore him. He thinks of
so many nice things for them to do.
He. Gays once he vas a scoutmaster in
the Boy Scouts. I think he almost
gave something away then, for. after
wouldn't say another, word.
He treats me as though I was an
other boy just a little older than
Davy.. And after the silly men we
knew in college it's a relief to find
anyone like Peter Hyde, even though
he is a hred man. I suppose it's be-
cause he's probably had a hard time
has had to make his way, he's had
all the nonsense knocked out of him!
dance and then set him down in the
middle Of your mothers living-room
you'd ~ go crazy over him. Now
isn't that some Hired Man? Dear
me. I spend more time wondering
about him.. Then I laugh at myself.
Do you remember the Russian who
came to college last year-how we all
thought he must be a Russian prince
and then we found out he'd been born
on the Lower East side?" "
There were other doubts concern.
inE Peter Hyde hat Nancy did not
confide. to Claire. For the past two
years and more. in Nancy's !, honest
soul. all men between twenty-one and
fortv were divided into two classes;
those who had gone over to France
and those who had not. If Pete,
Hyde had gone there was nothing in
any act or word that signifed It; II
he had not gone. why not? Was tina,
what he was hiding?
She had resorted, feeling very con.
temptible as she did SO. to little traps
to draw him out, but he had invari.
ably escaped them-sometimes
changing the subject abruptly, other
times openly laughing and saying
nothing. Very much against her viii
she felt growing within her a con.
tempt for him; almost a dislike O.
his ;peEsonal appearance. SO obviously
health ,and able to have fought TO,
hts country! And! yet, loyalty had
kept her from confiding this to- Claire
A sense of fairness, too, urged hel
to give Peter the benefit of the doubt
until she knew. 'I'l just ask him.
she decided resolutely. It'll ask him
right out-the very first chance ]
get" "
The opportunity to learn the truth
had come on the cry afternoon fol.
lowing the night she had written tt
Claire. Monte and Davy had not ap'
gested a walk. He wanted Nancy t
80 over, with him. the new work h,
had started on the Judson ten-acr,
piece, the improvements in the barns
the rotary gardens. y" ~:
1T was the first time that Pete,
Hyde had talked much about hi
work. Nancy, who would have salt
turnips grew on bushes. for all sh'
knew. found herself. under his in
.SSA uSSAOus SuuuCuIy dUoO1 UCu al III
scientific growing of beans and corr
and potatoes; in the making Of on,
strip Of garden produce three differ
Ient food products in rotation; in irri
cation. and drainage; in sanitar!
stables and electrically lighted chick
en- houses.
you. know there's poetry in thes
growing things" Peter cried, wavin,
his hand out over the tender stalk
Of corn. You get all the Art yo'
want! Can you find anywhere a NOR
field Of oats-pale green against tina
sky? And in a few weeks it'll b
yellow. See hat lettuce green, toe
And music-you can stand in a feel
of corn when the wind is blowing
little and you will hear a symphony!
Nancy, surprised. watched hi
glowing face with interest. Here wa
indeed "a new side of the Hired Mar
He went on:
teal side to this farming hat ough
to satisfy any man. Wits. scienc,
strategy. instinct. plain common
fsense-it's all as necessary right her
as in the biggest business concern i
the world. And if a fellow want
fght-well. he has it. when he goe
up against Mother Earth. We're use
! TO OF her as Kindly. Eenel
Gus. lavishing her favors! I've ha
another picture-she's worse than
, Gar! She's exacting. she's mood,
she's indispensable. at times. I SUI
pose she does it to try out her chi
{ dren-but anyway, the farmer has
, fight every minute!"~
/ He. stopped suddenly. I'm BORN
yous.to death, maybe!!" He laughe
, apologetically. Its always been
hobby of mine-this working with til
earth. I lever thought I'd, do an,
!, thing with it-until the war! Then
realized how much a nations pro!
perity depends upon how it's soil
) used, And that's where our govern
ment's been short-sighted. The
: haven't paid enough attention to tn
! feathers