Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-01-05
YOUTHFUL DREAM
BY MILDRED WHITE.

doors. Resting beneath spreading
tree, with arms clasped idly above his
head, he had dreamed dreams of an
adventurous future with some con-
genial "nut-brown maid" by his side.
Instead, Barrie had fallen early in
love, and sacrificed his dream to ne
cessity.
1t was his adverse fortune, to love,
and marry white flower of girl,
who, unlike the hardy brown-tanned
maid of fancy, exacted tender care
and the support due the clinging vine.
Barrie tried not to love Lillian; stub
bornly he had fought against her
charms, all to surrender the more
eagerly at last. And Lillian proved
good wife, faithful to the details
of his home keeping. sweet natured
always, and lenient to his whims.
When Barrie, irritably insistant,
grumbled at the confines of city life
Lillian, unmoved, packed his bag and
cheerfully babe him good-by, as he
hurried woodward on some lonely va
cation. Sometimes ii seemed he was
really hurrying away from Lillian.
Her dainty projections wearied him.
But after logged days of freedom,
tramping unfamiliar country or fish
ing in wild and Isolated places, Barrie
was sure to come, shamefacedly and
humbly. back to Lillian's welcoming
hospitality. Her smile would be as
sweet when he returned as 1t had
been on his departure. And this salts
fed imperturbation of hers brought to
him merely impotence. Mallory came
back to the office one day with en-
thusiastic tales of month spent out
West.
"Give me your route, Mallory" he
said brusquely, and the next day
found Barrie on his way to the lonely
places.
The office could manage well at this
time, he said, without him. When
he was on his way, Lillian called NAL
lory to ascertain any possibility OF
danger in Barrie's outing. To her
Mallory enthused on life in the open,
as he had to her husband. When
Lillian turned from the telephone the
wondering light in her eyes gave place
to understanding. Barre's first weeks
on the ranch found him joyously con-
tent.
''This is something like IT," he told
Dan of the ranch, "this mornings ride
was like tonic"
Big Dan smiled.
"You take 1t alone tomorrow" he
said. "rm going over early to Has
tipgs. At Hastings" Dams smile
changed to conscious laugh-''there's
new girl. Not any like her in this
part so we all go over to see her.
"She makes the kind of fiap-jacks
for the boys your mother used to
make-and she lets us crowd into her
cabin and eat 'em. Somebody named
her Prairie Flower out of a book
he'd read but say that girl can ride
Goes flying on her white horse ike
streak. She's as brown and red
tanned as an autumn leaf, and she
wears a red cap on her head-halr
that's crinkly and brown, too, ike
leaf, and when Prairie Flower laughs
say. it's like lot of birds singing
in the morning"
Barrie grinned
"Danr" he exclaimed, you are In
love-"
I'VE all are" Dan answered.
"Dan." Barrie exclaimed, decidedly
81 am going with you tomorrow morn
ing to Hastings. Not that I've any
foolish notion concerning this ranch
girl. but l do want-to taste some old
homework flap packs"
Barrie scarcely knew, himself, what
impulse moved him, but he was
eutltily aware as the two rode out In
rhe morning light together of a long
Ing memory persistently buried, of the
nut-brown maid of youthful dreams
1t was. perhaps, by contrast that
Lillian seemed almost wearisome III
her perfect sameness. The boys were
evidently stopping for their morning
call at the picturesque cabin.
"she's got up early, / guess" dis
appointed caller explained, ito ride
over to Blue Ridge. She does that
sometimes, with her big bulldog. Moth
ing can't hurt her with that beast
around"
Satisfaction was in the gruif tone
Barrie realized now how protectingly
the Prairie Flower was regarded Dy
her rough companions. Determinediy
Barrie cantered toward Blue Ridge
.If she don't want anyone along
why do you go and disturb herr Dan
complained.
But something hanging in the eapln
had caught Barrie's eye. An amaz
ingly familiar something's blue ano
gold embroidered apron that Lillian
across their own living room table
had spent many evenings working
upon. Surely there could be no other
apron so ingeniously original, Tor ne
himself. had whimsically drawn this
design on the blue linen. lnstincfivels