Evening star., 1921-10-09
EPHzIBAH PRESTON scraped
into the earthenware crock
the leavings Of cottage cheese

|" Into the earthenware crock
the leavings Of cottage cheese
and johnnycaks that would
do for the chickens, rinsed out the
dishpan. and put on the shelves OF
the black walnut cupboard the supper
plates and cups, still warm from the
washing. A thousand times she had
washed and arranged them in q pile
on the shelf. the heavy, cheap ones
from the Green Mountain Emporium
at the bottom. the delicate ones.
adorned with futed edges and tiny
single roses, on the top.
These plates had come all the way
from Vermont when, long years be,
fore. Zeke Preston had sold the rocky
farm, cupped deep in the hills, and
come west to the land of broad pas
lures. There are no mountains in
Iowa. nor swift-fiowing river, but
England brought into a low-lying
prairie the old names of Green Noun
tain and Roaring Brook.
From the table she picked up the
scarlet cover by it's four corners. 80
and opened the door of the kitchen.
Outside 1t was April. Over the fields
hung the delicate low mist of early
spring, and the air was sweet with
the fragrance of turned earth and
sparrows, still awake. chirped and
fiuttered about the crumbs till q dog.
bounding down the lane, scattered
them into protesting flight.
Ten feet behind the dog came
color burned under his Clear t skin:
Gee" he gasped, as he reached the
steps. I'll bet you've had supper
Already"
Hephzibah Preston smiled at the
He was late. scandalously late, and
he knew it, but his manner was cas-.
ual For a long second she watched
him skeptically. well, I amt goin'
to bet against you," she answered
finally.
An instant their eyes held each
other. while the boy dug the point OF
his copper-toed boot into the soft
earth Of the path. "or I'll bet you
saved somethin' out for me-any-
appeal he smiled at her. And I'll
bet there's pie"
TOGETHER they went into the
l kitchen 1t was darker now. and
the boy lighted the big kerosene drip
lamp that stood on the table.
Stephen" she asked at last, where
was you?
ITO Terschak's."
Shielding her hand with q dish
towel, she drew the plate Of supper
out of the oven. TITS hot" she
zeke comes-and leave somethin' for
Stranger"
stephen made a rapid and equitable
division of the fried mush and pota-
toes while the dog watched him. eyes
blinking and mouth watering with
Hephzibah shook the crate Of the
stove and took of her apron. Then
she sat down in the hickory rocker
that had been her mothers. What
kept you?'' she finally demanded.
For minute he regarded her
specu1atively. His mood was expan-
sive: IT'S a secret"
With the wisdom Of instructive tact
Hephzibah did not press him.
ITS a secret" he went on, ''but I
might tell you. It's for the exercises
over to school" His eyes were shin
ing. and the old-fashioned, three
pronged fork hung now, neglected,
from the rim Of his plate.
"Stevie," she cautioned, finish your
supper. Why. you amt ct nothin'
yet"
stephen was like that. The blood in
his veins was not Preston blood, SLOW
Preston did not understand him. his
strange intensities, his brave enthus-
iasms, his dependencies. He had a
mind more subtle. f1ner-grained than
which none of them were sure, lived
a race of poets and heroes. There
were beauty and laughter and trag-
edy for his inheritance. Hephzibah
Preston could not analyze him. put
she loved him with the shy affection
of a childless woman, and that love
"Drink your milk. too." she
How can I eat and tell you both
His logic was relentless. We'll. eat
now, and you kin come out to the
barn with me afterward to see II the
new calfs warm enough"
ters hisseif." the boy contended.
"why, you and me and Stranger has
got more knack with cows than he
has"
At the mention Of his name the dog.
Hoped his tail sharply against the
bare floor, and the boy and the woman
exchanged a quick smile Of apprecia-
ton. Stephen dropped down on MS
knees and roAed the s,ss DOGS aeaH hes gem. an
understanding dog, amt he, Aunt
Hephzibah? I reckon I ject couldn't
stand it If anythin' should happen TO
She smiled down at him sravely.
''Nothin' WILL" she said. and she
hoped she was speaking the truth.
Zeke was long in the barn that
evening The COW with the new cali
was still feverish, and Leke arrangea
her bed and the rough gunny-sack
cover. It was true. Zeke had no
talent for critters, such as was pos
sessed by Dolf Terschak. 81 Smarts
hired man. or even by Smart nimseia. M
sent for Dolf. with his gentle black
eyes and strong, blunted fingers.
Dolf was the witch doctor OF Green
Mountain, Iowa. Some farmers are
like that, wise with curious. intni-
tive knowledge. An ignorant Bo-
hemian immigrant, he could neither
diagnose nor explain, but he could
Zeke wanted Dolf now. but the
witch doctor was Smarts hired man,
and Zeke owed money to Smart. Be-
sides. Zeke was no man to ask favors
In a curious, dumb way he felt every
mans hand was against him. and
his hand was against every man. Into
the easy-going, generous, loose-fiSted
middle west he brought tradition
of struggle, too grim and too deep
to forget. Life on that barren New
acid Of poverty something bitter and
lasting on to his soul. There he had
farmed as a man does to keep from
starvation. In Iowa one farmed to
grow rich.
MEN held more land than they
A'A could cultivate. They sowed and
reaped with shameless extravagance,
Hr1Ny