The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-02-27

the same pattern. The unmarried
girls. though, were plump, red
checked, and not uncomely, with high
round cheek-bones on which sat q
spot of brick-red which impaired no
glow to the face Their foreheads
were prominent and meaningless
In the midst of this drab assem-
blage there entered late and rustling-
~ tall, slow-moving woman In city
bought cloak and bonnet quite I'M
like the vintage millinery Of High
Prairie. An ample woman, with q
fine fair skin and ripe red mouth;
high firm bosom and great thighs
that moved rhythmically, slowly. She
I'had thick, insolent eyelids. Her
hands, as she turned the leaves of her
hymn book, were smooth and white.
AS she entered there was little
rustic throughout the congregation; a
craning Of necks.
who's that?" whispered Selma to
Maartje.
"Widow Paarlenberg She is rich
like anything"
"Yes?" Selma was fascinated.
Look once how she makes eyes at
him."
"At him? Who? Who?"
"Pervus DeJong. BY Gerrit Pom he
is sitting with the blue shirt and sad
looking SOL
Selma craned, peered. "The-oh-
he's very good looking, isn't he?"
"Sure. Widow Paarlenberg is stuck
on him. See how she Sh-sh-sh =
Reverend Decker looks at us. tell
you after"
/ Selma decided she'd come to church
oftener. The service went on, dull,
heavy. 1t was in English and Dutch.
She heard scarcely word of it. The
Widow Paarlenberg and this Pervus
DeJong occupied her thoughts. She
decided, without malice, that the
widow resembled one Of the sleekest
Of the pink porkers roofing in K1aas
Pools barnyard, waiting to be cut
into Christmas meat.
The service ended, there was much
talk Of the weather, seedlings, stock,
the approaching holiday season.
Maartje, her Sunday dinner heavy on
her mind, was elbowing her way up
the aisle. Here and there she intro
dueed Selma briefly to q woman
friend. "Mrs. Wander Slide, meet
school teacher"
"Aggie's mother?" Selma would be-
gin, prlmly, only to be swept along
by Maartje on her way to the door.
"Mrs. Won Mijnen, meet school teach
er. Is Mrs. Won Mijnen." They re-
garded her with grim gaze. Sc
lima would smile and nod rather nerv-
ously, feeling young, frivolous, and
somehow guilty.
When, with Maartje, she reached
the church porch Pervus DeJong was
unhitching the detected horse that
was harnessed to his battered and lop-
sided cart. The animal stood with
four feet punched together in a droop-
ing and pathetic attitude and seemed
inevitably meant for mating with this
decrepit vehicle. DeJong united the
reins quickly, and was about to step
into the sagging conveyance when the
Widow Paarlenberg sailed down the
church steps with admirable speed for
one so amply proportional. She made
straight for him, skirts billowing,
flounces flying, plumes waving.
Maartje clutched Selina's arm. "Look
how she makes! She asks him to eat
Sunday dinner bet you! See once
how he makes with his head no."
Selina-and the whole congregation
unashamedly watching-could indeed
see how he made with his head no. His
whole body seemed set in negation-
the fine head, the broad patient Shout
ders, the muscular powerful legs In
their ill-fitting Sunday blacks. He
shook his head, gathered up the reins,
and drove away, leaving the Widow
Paarlenberg to carry off with such
bravado as she could muster this pub
lie flouting in full sight Of the Dutch
Reformed congregation of High Prai-
rie. 1t must be said that she actually
achieved this feat with rather mag
nificent composure. Her round, pink
face, as she turned away, was placid;
her great cowlike eyes mild. She
stepped agilely into her own neat
phaetOn with its sleek horse and was
off down the hard snowless road, her