Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17


when he went to East. Harhor he
brought her. flower In a. pot, and
when she asked him If that wasn't
wasting money he smiled little and
said he did not think 1t was.
One day, to torment him. she cried:
I'D give lot for a cigarette.
haven't had one for days. Will you
get me some next time you're at the
store? don't dare buy them there"
Johnny merely smiled at her and
replied: It guess If you ever did
smoke them. you don't, any more"
One day her snowshoe caught on a
broken stub and threw her forward
into the snow. She said, oh, damn"
More in Jest than in anger. Lifting
her'to her feet. he commented:
L shouldn't think a girl would
swear much"
-.'I like to-" she insisted. "1t makes
me feel good when I'm mad"
1T never could sec II helped me
any," he rejoined, mildly enough. But
she thereafter guarded her tongue.
until the necessity for restraint had
disappeared. self-discipline was one
of !. the things she learned from
Johnny.
You could hardly say they had a
romance. They grew together. as
naturally as stock and scion grated
by his skiilful hands. They had this
great community Of interest in the
trees which were his work, which
she had come to love. Their forward
looking eyes were centered on the
harvest time, now a scant year away.
when the fruition OF their labors
could be expected: and their expec-
tations were tranquil and serene.
They talked, sometimes. Of what he
mean to make Of his life. You
won't always be a farmer, will you?"
she asked.
II guess ! will" he told her.
"SIaving away here?"
He smiled little. There's man
up in Winterport" he said. HE
planted some apple trees twenty
years ago. and more and more since.
and he's got 10000 trees now. went
up there two years ago on the orchard
tour the farm bureau runs. He
cleared over twenty thousand dollars
that year on his apples.
"Ten thousand trees. I've only got
\
spring, and more when can, and
my land Is better than his, and
there's more around me I can buy.
It's clean work. You can learn a lot
from an apple tree. and eating apples
never did anybody much harm. And
you've time for thinking, while you
work on the trees
She slipped her hand through his
arm in understanding, as they
tramped along.
IN December, his mother, who had
suffered for half a dozen years
from a mysterious weakness Of the
heart, was taken sick with what at
first seemed a slight cold. In early
January, she died. Walter Moore and
his wife and Lucy were among those
who followed the little cortege to the
receiving tomb where-because the
frost had fortified the earth against
tho digging OF a grave-his mothers
body would lie till spring.
Lucy was mysteriously moved by
the pity Of this-that a woman should
die and yet be kept waiting for her
final sweet repose in the. bosom Of the
earth. After supper that evening she
drew on her coat and heavy over
shoes and muffied her head against
the bitter wind that blew. I'm going
down to cheer up Johnny. mamma"
she said.
Moore and his wife, when the door
had closed behind her, looked at each
other with deep understanding.
we'll" he said, 'I. guess Lucy's
gone 49, -.-..- =
But his, wife smiled. through misty
eyes. "She's como back to us these
last two years." she said. mo matter
what happens. she can't really, go
away again." > -
Down at Johnny.s house Lucy
knocka at. the Kitchen door and
Johnny let her in. He was. washing
dishes and putting them away. "I've
finished supper, just finished supper"
he said awkwardly.
IT wanted to comfort sou, Johnny"
Lucy told him.
He looked at her. rubbing his plate
In his hands with. the cloth. THAT'S
mighty ,nice." he said.
"You mustn't be unhappy. don't
want you to. be unhappy, ,: she ex-,
plained, still standing just within the
door. She was piucking away her
wraps, laid her coat aside.
YOU'RE q mighty, sweet girl" Johnny
told her, rubbing his plate as though
the motion Of his hands had hypno-
tized him. = "
II want to take care Of you" said
Johnny considered. and saw that she
had coma a little nearer where he
stood. II guess It would be nice II we
got married" he suggested. wouldn't
it?' h.,>
Lucy suddenly smiled, tenderly
amused at him. Her eyes, full Of
tears, were dancing. II think 1t would
be nice. Johnny" she agreed. And
moved little nearer still. She did not
have,to go all the way. -
The plate, unbroken by its fall, rolled
across the floor toward the stove. and
tilted over there, and whirled to rest
like dying top. oscillating to and fro
on its rim with a sound family like
the sound Of bells.
X y = X
THEY were married in March; and
= as though upon signal, winter
drew. back from the land, taking with
it the>snow; and in due time the grass
burst up through the sod, and the buds
swelled more swiftly. 1t seemed to-
these two. than they had ever swelled
before. ..4
yet n vas MT 10 warm: the bios
SONS in tho orchards came in their
stt- s4s ~ = = = s+e.-tsSt = -