The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-07-21

Life in This WiIderness?"
intend to spend the rest of your life
in this wilderness?" she asked, bluntly.
Madeline was silent.
"Oh, it is gloriOusI Don't misunder-
stand me, DEAR" went on Edith, earn
estly, as she laid her hand on Made
lines. "This trip has been a revela-
ton to me. did not tell you, Majesty,
that I was Ill when I arrived. Now
I'm we'll. So well! Look at Helen,
too. Why, she was a ghost when we
got here. Now she is brown and strong
and beautiful. If it were for nothing
else than this wonderful gift of health
I would love the West. But I have
come to love it for other things-even
spiritual things. Majesty, have been
studying you. I see and feel what this
life has made of you. When I came I
wondered at your strength, your viril-
ity, your serenity, your happiness. And
I was stunned. I wondered at the
causes of your change. Now know.
You were sick of idleness, sick of use
lessness, If not of society-sick of the
horrible noises and smells and contacts
one can no longer escape in the cities.
am sick of all that, too, and could
tell you many women Of our kind who
suffer in like manner. You have
done what many of us want to do, but
have not the courage. You have left
it. am not blind to the splendid diff
ference you have made in your life.
think 1 would have discovered, even If
your brother had not told me, what
good you have done to the Mexicans
and cattlemen of your range. Then
you have work to do. That is much the
secret of your happiness, Is it not?
Tell me. Tell me something Of what it
means to your
work, of course, has much to do
with any ones happiness" replied
Madeline. "No one can be happy who
has no work. AS regards myself-for
the rest can hardly tell you. have
never tried to put it in words. Frank
ly, believe, If I had not had money
that could not have found such con-
tentment here. That is not in any
sense judgment against the West.
But If had been poor I could not
have bought and maintained my ranch.
Stillwell tells me there are many
larger ranches than mine, but none
just like it. Then I am almost pay
ing my expenses out Of my business.
Think of that! My income, instead Of
being wasted, is mostly saved. think
Il hope I am useful. OF course my
ranch and range are real, my cowboys
are typical. If we're to tell you how
I feel about them it would simply be q
story of how Madeline Hammond sees
the West. They are true to the West.
1t is 1 who am strange, and what I
feel for them may be strange, too.
Edith, hold to your own impressions"
"But, Majesty, my impressions have
changed. At first I did not like the
wind, the dust, the sun. the endless
open stretches. But now I do like
them. Where once saw only terrible
wastes of barren ground now I see
beauty and something noble. Then, at
first, your cowboys struck me as dirty,
rough, loud, crude, savage-all that
was primitive. But was wrong. I
have changed. The dirt was only dust,
and this desert dust Is clean. They
are still rough, loud, crude, and savage
In my eyes, but with difference. They
are natural men. They are little chill
dren. Monty Price is one of natures
noblsmen. The hard thing Is to dis
cover it. All his hideous person, all
his actions and speech, are masks Of
his real nature. Nels is a Joy, SIM
pie, sweet, kindly, quiet man whom
some woman should have loved. What
would love have meant to him! He
told me that no woman ever loved him
except his mother. and he lost her
when he was ten. Every man ought to