Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-08-04
The Girl Who Was
Followed
BY H. LOUIS RAYBoLD

washing dishes. So Emily Curtis
thought as she viewed the topping pile
stacked beside the sink.
Tackling them half-heartedly, she
let her gaze wander through the open
windows across the meadows. sweet
with ripened grain. Mellow October
sunshine filtered through the apple
laden trees of the orchard, and the va
grant wind brought to her ears the
dull chop-chop of the silo.
But Emily had neither eyes nor ears
for the sights and sounds Of the farm.
She had had enough of farms.
Pausing In the act of lifting the
dishes from their bath of suds into the
drainer, she dried her hands on the
roller towel, and from her blouse took
crumpled letter which had been
brought by the rural mail carrier that
very morning. She had not showed II
to John. John had never approved Of
Maisie.
Only one paragraph In II was really
important to Emily. The rest was
froth In Maisie's best style.
"You ought to be here with your
voice like a bird"-the note read
"Old Gunter needs more girls. It's
easy work, and you could bunk with
me. I've been trying to get somebody.
IL cuts room rent In half"
What good did voice like bird do
one on farm, thought Emily bitterly.
You ruined 1t shouting your head off |
to the men that dinner was ready, or
calling to John that the wood box need |
ed filing Singing Sunday evenings In |
the church choir where there were six |
altos for every soprano was only tor
ment. If only she had the courage Of |
a kitten?
Vague thoughts of rebellion were
stirring within her, but the dull round
of household tasks claimed her, crowd
Ing I'm on her discomfort.
The next morning, Emily stood pin
ming her summer hat on her trim little
head. 1t was the day for the weekly
drive TO jamestown to do her market
Ing and meager shopping. She always
looked forward to 1t.
But when John entered, to her sur
prise he was In his old farm clothes.
Emily" he began, hesitatingly, I'm
sorry, but can't get off rhis morning.
That last hand hired went out on a
spree last night and hasn't shown up.
There's no need for you to give up
'oing though Jim can drive you as
veil as l." Jim was the boy they had
AIKEN from the county orphan asylum
o do the thousand and one things I
bout the place that did not require 1
mans strength. "And here" he c
lunged his hand into his pocket and O
rought out a wrinkled bill. per n
APPS this will help make up for your n
Isappointment," he said awkwardIy. h
It's little extra l had come in" a
During the long drive Emily nursed n
er anger at John for spelling her fun. 81
she put 1t to herself. IL
A few minutes later Emily sent the n
'wildered Jim home, bearing a note n
her husband which she had scrawled .,
'stily on the back of her grocery list.
Dear John: ri
I'm sorry, but I'm sick of farm tn
life. I'm taking q chance l had hs
to go TO the city. Don't think too d.
Dadly OF me. EMILY. on
she herself walked to the small II
burban station and waited for the ci'
press. sn
Six months later in nine by twelve rt
-papered bedroom, Emily sat at a m'
re, uneven legged table, and dumped te'
the contents of her pocketbook. M
there was not very much there. hh
rtainly not enough to carry her long en-
old Gunter put into execution his vel
eat to let her go at the end of the
Elk. There was nothing the matter rec
h her voice, he had declared frank
and she got by with the dancing. chs
she hadn't the go" the ."pep" IN
wanted In his bunch of girls. cen
IS Emily pondered the future, de- ide
ndent wrinkles furrowing her fore inh
d, the door swung open and MaIsIe VIII
st in, very breezy and alive. Pos
I'm sorry, Emily" she said. ''but
going 10 give up my share of the
n. I've got chance to go In with ]
I of girls uptown, and" HyI
That's all right" said Emily weari- den
She had suspected for some time dow
Maisie's desire for her presence In cent
city had been actuated solely by con,
sizes need for some one to help out seas
the rent. One thing more or less espe
other did not make much differ of t
: Of Il
IT Emily had something else to TT
y over besides losing her ROOM were
or her job. She was losing her espe
dence in her ability to look out for espe
Elf. neon
II a week now she had been fol- of d
d when she left the restaurant at cal 4
light, followed by a slouchIng fastl
'-shouldered Individual, in a Ing I
eless hat and worn overcoat pulled A ri
bout his ears see
lily had expected to run into all and '
OF disagreeable experiences in certa