Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-07-08
CHAPTER X-Continued
IL

.orry for her. His was a nature quick
10 sympathy.
ne tod his mother about her.
selma was deeply interested and
stfrrej. do you think she'd spend
some saturday and Sunday here with
! &c an the farm? She could come with
van on Friday and go back Sunday
nlght e She wanted to. Or stay until
Nropday morning and go back with
vou There's the spare room, all
ouiqt and cool. She could do as she
liked
Matte came one Friday night. 1t
was he end Of October, and Indian
summer the most beautiful time of
tbe year on the Illinois prairie. About
the countryside for miles was the
look of bounteousness, Of plenty, of
prophecy fulfilled as when a beautiful
and fertile woman having borne her
children and found them good, now
sits serene-oyed, gracious, ample
bos0med satisfied.
Into the face Of Matte Schwengauer
there came a certain glory. When
she and Selma clasped hands Selma
stared at her rather curiously, as
though startled. Afterward she said
to Dirk, aside: "But 1 thought you
said She was ugly"
We'll, she Is, orwell, isn't she"
Look at her!"
Matte Schwengauer was talking to
Meena Bras, the houseworker. She
was standing with her hands on her
ample hips, her fine head thrown back,
her eyes alight, her lips smiling so
that You saw her strong square teeth.
Something had amused Matte. She
laughed. 1t was the laugh Of a young
girl, care-free, relaxed, at ease.
For two days Matte did as she
pleased, which meant she helped pull
vegetables in the garden, milk the
cows, saddle the horses; rode them
without a saddle in the pasture.
1T got so 1 hated to do all those
things on the farm" she said, laugh
Ing a little shamefacedly. Il guess
it was because 1 had to. But now it
comes back to me and 1 enjoy it be-
cause it's natural to me, l suppose.
Anyway I'm having grand time,
Mrs. DeJong. The grandest time
ever had in my life" Her face was
radiant and almost beautiful.
IF you want me to believe that"
said Selma. you'll come again."
But Matte Schwengauer never did
come again.
Early the next week one of the uni
yersity students approached Dirk. He
was Junior, very influential in his
class and a member of the fraternity
TO which Dirk was practically pledged.
A decidedly desirable frat.
SAY, look here, DeJong, 1 want to
taIE TO you a minute. Uh, you've got
to cut out that girl-Swinegour or
whatever her name is-or it's all off
with The fellows in the frat"
what dyou mean! Cut out!
What's the matter with herr"
"Matter She's Unclassifed, isn't
she And do you know what the story
LISP She told it herself as an economy
hint 70 a girl who was working her
way through. She battles with her
union suit and white stockings on to
save laundry soap. SCRUBS em on her!
3 the Gods truth"
INTO Dirk's mind there flashed a pic
ture Of this large girl in her tight
knitted union suit and her white stock
angs sitting in a tub half full of water
ana scrubbing them and herself sim
litaneously A comic picture, and a
revolving one. Pathetic, too, but he
would not admit that.
"Imaginew the frat brother-to-be
was saying. "Well, we can't have a
fellow who goes around with a girl
like that. You got to cut her out, see
Completely. The fellahs won't stand
for It,"
Dirk had mental picture of himself
striking a noble attitude and saying,
Won't stand for it, huh! She's worth
more than the whole caboodle of you
put together. And you can all go to
alp
Instead he said, vaguely, ooh. Well.
Uh-"
Dirk changed his seat in the class
room, avoided Mattie's eyes, shot out
OF the door the minute class was over.
One day he saw her coming toward
him on the campus and he sensed that
she intended to stop and speak to
him-chlde him laughlngly, perhaps.
de quiekened his pace, swerved lit
lie to one side, and as he passed lifted
oIs cap and nodded, keeping his eyes
straight ahead. Out of the tail of his
eye he could see her standing mo-
Went irresolutely in the path.
lie got into the fraternity. The fell
labs liked him from the first. Selma
said once or twice, "Why don't you
bring that nice Matte home with you
again some time soon2 Such q nice
glrl-woman, rather. A fine mind, too.
She'll make something Of herself.
you'll see. Bring her next week, h'm?'
Dirk shufied, coughed, looked away.
On dunno. Haven't seen her lately.
Guess she's busy with another crowd,