The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-03-31
JANET'S REWARD
Hy ELIZABETH M. DUKES

NY heaVens, Janet! Look how you
waste time peeling those spuds: why
don't you boil them, Jackets and ailY
Janets brown eyes flashed; then
hopeless look dragged down the corr
hers OF normally sweet mouth.
"Oh, Dickl You never think ii mat
tiers how do things, and all my school
lessons on making a home attractive
are just wasted on you, for you don't
care, no matter how hard try"
I'm no softyi Give me plenty of
grub and place to sleep, and what |
do care about your fol-de-rolsf OIL
cloth on the tablet Shine up the tin
platest Posies In mugp'
sneer 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 mountainside to
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
fort 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 1t only year ago that the
death of her quiet, Woodworking father
had brought her back to the cabin Of
the brother who refused to provide
more money for schooling taught by
pack of tom-fool old maids?"
Dick had never cared to know any
thing better than the squalid noun
Il tain ways. A "batch's" round of bis
cults, yellow with soda, meat cooked
to rags and f1at-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 1t really been since she had heard
words of appreciation and courtesy?
+, After all, what was the use Of try
Ing any more2 Why mix the biscuits
according to rule, why sweep and
scrub and polish the tinware until II
shone like silver, why put mountain
!, pinks In tumbler for the center Of
) the tablef She won only mocFery anc
] scorn, even before the rough strangers
! who sometimes shared bed and boarc
at their cabin. ,... .-
The blue of the distant peak
!, seemed to. swim like blue lak'
3 through her bitter tears There was
, nSSrnful wall in-the wind-it was say
Z ing, mo use! You are doomed to be
come dull-eyed old slattern before
you are thirty"
The discouraged little head was still
1 bent beneath it's burden Of chestnu
braids when-what was that2 aoot
beats! Yes, and strange voice.
"rm sorry to bother you, but ] can
ride farther without glass OF milk.
see you have cow pastured here, bu
I'll be grateful for condensed"
The man, hat in hand, smiled pleas
: antly at her as he sank down on tn
!. !. doorstep with jingle Of spurs.
: "There's milk If you wish it" Jane
replied, with a bright tinge of colo
concealing the tear stains; "but 1t
= almost noon. Surely you will sto
! here-it's a long ride to the mex
4 cabin"
: 81 didn't intend to-" was the laugh
! ing confession, "for I'd rather rio
4 empty than swim In grease as at mos
!. Of these shacks. But yours Is fe'
n,cture place: and can 1t be l SINE
baked beansT
y "You smell my regular Saturda
dinner" said Janet.
Z He did full justice to Janets Toe
y symphony in brown and gold; u
7 fluffy mashed potatoes, yeilo" VIZ
= cream. the smoking beans topped WI
! = crisp pork, the steamed brown pres
~ succeed with plump ralsins, ana u
custard pie whose thick and goldt
Z filling quivered under lnetins
a. LIGHT as foam and over crust III
= crumbled with fiaky richness.
ot Dick ate in silence for once; Pc
= haps the strangers compliments I
as the menu twisted his mouth a Dr. o
y he said nothing. He did not leave U
n ri steve Sargent, the new Tore
ranger. had risen reluctantly from q
to shining white oilcloth and started
OF his way. Dick even grumbied an
m yitation when Sargent announced
in would be back that way next week
40 "This is place to ride fasting sew
- DAYS to get to at last. ! hope snal
er wear out my welcome, but I'm ara
e I'm going to try to this summer.
es .If at first you don't succeed, q
n try again /" leased Janet, releasing n
60 hand from Sargent's hearty CLASP
y. clasp that yet had something IN II