Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-05-04
JANET'S REWARD
BY ELlzAsETH M. DUKES

waste time peeling those spuds, why
don't you boil them. jackets and ALI"
Janet's brown eyes flashed; then a
hopeless look dragged down the cor
hers of normally sweet mouth.
'Oh, Dick! You never think II mat
iers how do things, and all my school
lessons on making home attractive
are just wasted on you, for you don't
care, no matter how hard l try"
I'm no softly Give me plenty of
grub and II place To sleep, and what
do | care about your fol-de-rols? OH
cloth on the table. Shine up the tin
plates Posies In mugr
A sheer twisted his none too pleas
ant expression still more as The man
swung out of the cabin.
Janet let her busy hands hang idle
moment in utter Encouragement.
She had pulled her chair into the door
way, where, as she peeled the potatoes
her eyes could sweep over wide
range down the green mountanside to
a valley threaded with the silver cob
webs of rivers. The great peaks tow
cred again on the farther side, blue
green and wonderful The clouds
rested on their crests and cool winds
came drifting over to the lonely girl !;
but these brought no message Of com
Rort today.
A happy girlhood in the valley
school had been Janet's. The girls all
worked for their board and she had
delighted to put into practice the
DAINTY household devices the school
taught
Was Ii only year ago that the
death of her quiet, hardworking father
had brought her back to the cabin Of
the brother who refused to provide
more money for schooling taught by
u pack of tom-fool old maids?"
Dick had never cared to know any
thing better than the squalid noun
tain ways A "batchS" round of bis
cults, yellow with soda, meat cooked
to rags and flat-tasting canned goods
did not seem to have sickened him. At
least, he sauced the food Janet pre-
pared most carefully with his sneers.
The year as his housekeeper seemed
like cons to the poor girl; how long
had II really been since she had heard
words Of appreciation and courtesy?
After all, what was the use Of try
Ing any more? Why mix the biscuits
according to rule. why sweep and
scrub and polish the tinware until 1t
shone like silver, why put mountain
pinks in tumbler for the center of
the table? She won only moclery and
scorn, even before the rough strangers
who sometimes shared bed and board
at their cabin.
The blue OF the distant peaks
seemed to swim like blue lake
through her bitter tears. There was a
mournful wall in the wind--it was say
ing, mo use! You are doomed to be-
come dull-eyed old slattern before
you are thirty"
The discouraged little head was still
bent beneath its burden of chestnut
braids when--what WAS that? Hoof-
beats Yes, and strange voice,
"I'm sorry to bother you, but / can't
ride farther without a glass Of milk. /
See you have a COW pastured here, but
I'll be grateful for condensed y
The man, hat In hand smiled pleas
antly at her as he sank down on the
doorstep with a Jingle Of spurs.
There's milk If you wish It," Janet
replied. with a bright tinge of color
eoncealing the tear stains but 1t is
almost noon. Surely you will stop
here-its a long ride to the next
cabin"
Il didn't intend to-" was the laugh
ing confession. "for I'd rather ride
empty than swim in grease as at most
Of these shacks. But yours is a real
picture place; and can II be / smell.
baked beansT
'You smell my regular Saturday
dinner" said Janet.
He did full justice to Janet's food
symphony In brown and gold; the
fluffy mashed potatoes, yellow with
cream, the smoking beans topped with
crisp pork, the steamed brown bread
stuccoed with plump raisins, and the
NubIAIu pic WhOct hhtNh obN SN''~A'
filling quivered under a meringue
light as foam and over crust that
crumbled with faky richness.
Dick ate In silence for once; per
haps the strangers compliments for
the menu twisted his mouth bit, but
he said nothing He did not leave UNI
III Steve Sargent, the new forest
ranger, had risen reluctantly from the
shining white oilcloth and started on
his way. Dick even grumbled an In
vitation when Sargent announced he
would be back that way next week.
This Is 8 place to ride lasting seven
DAYS to get to at last. | nope | shan't
wear out my welcome, bit I'm afraid
I'm going to try to this summer"
IF at first you don't succeed, try,
try again r leased Janet, releasing her
hand from sargent's hearty clasp
clasp that yet had something In it so
tender and reverent that she was to
dream Of It happily.
That's mighty good fellow II the
tales I've heard are O. X said DICK,
as he swung onto his own horse. HE
seemed to take quite shine to your
fancy ways Janet. Wouldn't be a bad
a q