The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-02
THE FARM

Three days later Dora found herself
mistress of the farmhouse 1t meant
complete isolation, and it meant the
hardest sort of work
Her father said they would spend
the first two or three days making
things ship shape"
III make fires in all the rooms to
dry out the dampness." he said, and
III do the heavy cleaning. Too bad
Maude wouldn't come. This might take
100 pounds or so from her weight
Dora laughed little at his i'll ma
tured joke She went through her
tasks with swift efficiency that would
have astonished Aunt Maude had she
been there to see it. Dora could al
ways work we'll alone, if was only
when she was under criticism that she
became confused and lost her self con-
fdence
She stood, at the end of the day, out
side the kitchen door. too tired TO raise
her voice and call in her father and
the other hired man to supper. She
had cleaned windows, washed hundreds
of dishes untouched all winter, polished
the stove, scrubbed floors, and in adj
dition cooked dinner for three men and
supper for two. Uncle Peter had gone
back to town for the night.
The week went by as the first day
had begun. At least she was so tired
at night that she fell asleep as soon
as she reached the bed. Sunday rath,
er wishing she could see a few differ
emit faces again, she thought of driving
in to church, But Aunt Maude had
not suggested that she appear for din
ner, and she hated to force herself
upon the family. She felt as timid with
them as with strangers.
But after dinner, simply TO feel re
spectacle again, she dressed in hel
picnic frock, and started out for E
walk
1t was a beautifully warm day
though the ground was wet and Shiny
as the sun drew out the frost Ane
going out the door. she met Morton
coming up the path. He had riddeI
out. his horses legs were coated witt
mud
''How-why, | didn't expect you. In
so glad to see you!" Dora greeted him
and then felt afraid of the enthusiasm
of her greeting She had forgotten her
self in her Joy at seeing him, and spoke
without thinking.
Are you? That's good He greeted
Jim, who led his horse to the stable
and who. poor man, knowing no otheI
way to express his own appreciation o
this visit TO his daughter, spent OF
hour washing and rubbing down thu
visitors horse.
The young couple wandered arounC
the farm. Morton had never been there
before
Part of the house is old, the woodel
wing Aunt Maude built when she mar
ried, Dora explained. The house wa
white washed stone, low and generou
in its lines. The wood addition wa
painted white to match, but its littl,
windows gave an air of stinginess on
of keeDing with the spaciousness o
the older part. A half acre of law
ran to the road neatly bordered Will
pale fence" now being whitewashet
by Jim, which enclosed Aunt Maude':
garden-three fancy shaped fowa
beds and two tall maple trees TO
shade. one at each end of the lawn I
porch ran the length of the house. tn,
whole effect was plain and comfort
2hle. The entrance drive for visitor
or farm wagons ran up the left of tn
lawn outside the fence, and led to a
irregular collection of outuildings-
harm. 4 big silo, a carriage house an
= building for storing tools. pig stye