Mountain advocate., 1922-07-21
JANErs REWARD

sy ELIzAsErH NJ DUKES

ANNfFakalNh
my heavens, Janet Look how you
waste time peeiing those spuds; why
don't you boil them, jackets and allf"
Janet's brown eyes flashed; then a
hopeless look dragged down the cor
ners Of a normally sweet mouth.
"Oh, Dick You never think II mat
ters 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 try"
I'm no softyl Give me plenty Of
grub and a place TO sleep, and what
do care about your fol-de-rols2 OIL
cloth ON the tablet Shine up the tin
plates Posies In a mugr'
A 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 discouragement.
She had pulled her chair into the door
way, where, as she peeled the potatoes,
her eyes could sweep over a wide
range down the green mOuntainside TO
q 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 girihood In the valley
u-,hn<.i hod h<,oo Iopafsa Tho ufrIa all
worked for theft board and she had
delighted 90 put into practice the
dainty household devices the school
taught
Was 1t only a year ago that the
death Of her quiet, Aar1working 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 maIdsT"
Dick had never cared to know any
Thing better than the squalid noun
tain ways. A "batch's" 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 hUusekeeper seemed
like cons to the poor girl; how long
had II really been since she had heard
words of appreciation and courtesy7
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 1t
shone like silver, why put mountain
pinks In a tumbler for the center Of
the table2 She won only mockery 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 q blue lake
through her bitter tears. There was a
mournful watl In the wind-it was say
ing, NO use You are doomed to be-
come a dulleyed old slattern before
you are thirty"
The discouraged little head was still
bent beneath its burden Of chestnut
braids when-what was that2 Hoof-
beatsl Yes, and a strange voice.
/. I'm sorry TO bother you. but I can't
ride farther without a glass Of milk. I
see you have a COW pastured here. but
I'll be grateful for condensed"
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 II you wish It," Janet
replied, with bright tinge Of color
cmcealing the tear stains; ~but 1t Is
almost noon. Surely you will stop
here-its long ride to the next
cabin"
II 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 1t be I 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
succeed with plump raisins, and the
custard pie whose thick and golden
filling quivered under menngue
light as foam and over crust that
crumbled with iaky richness.
Dick ate In silence for once; per-
haps the strangers compliments for
the menu twisted his mouth a bit, but
he said nothing. He did not leave un-
til Steve Sargent the new forest
ranger, had risen reluctantly from the
shining white ollcloth and started on
his way. Dick even grumbled an In
vttation when Sargent announced he
would be back that way next week.
This Is a place to ride fasting seven
days to get to at last. hope I shan't
wear out my welcome, but I'm afraid
Tn going to try to this summer"
"If at first you don't succeed, try,
try again I" teased Janet. releasing her
hand from Sargent's hearty clasp-a
clasp that yet had something In II 80