The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-01-23
There's ALWAYS
Another Year
By MARTHA OSTENSO

been at pains never to be alone to-
gether. But seeing Roddy at work
in the intimate task of fertilizing
his corn had been like looking into
his very heart, like counting the
beat of his ife's blood.
This morning. Roddy was work.
ing alone at the upper end OF the
plot. Silver came quietly up to the
old wooden fence that surrounded
it, stepping carefully over the ripe
strawberries Sophronia craved, and
stood watching him scarcely draw
ing breath.
Carefully, intently, Rody exposed
the silk of the vivid green sheath
beneath the transparent sack in
which it had been enclosed, and
poured upon it the pollen from the
tassel, which had been painstaking-
ly collected in similar sack to pre-
vent it's scattering elsewhere on the
wind.
The corn plot, in the motionless
blue and gold atmosphere OF early
morning, was fixed in the clean
dark of earth and the glistening,
vertical green stain of the stalks,
viable and proud. It was almost as
though some great emerald stood
between the small field and the sun,
shedding a lovely, calm, and verti-
ginous dew upon the fresh curve Of
the young leaves, upon the purplish
gloom of the furrow. But it was act
ually a dew of earth, before hot
winds rose. Silver, standing in the
rough meadow outside the field, felt
the dew about her ankles and saw
it sparkling on the ribboned leaves
beneath Roddy's hands.
In the pure, jeweled light, the
fragile, white-gold silks of the slim
young ears received the yellow pol
len as Roddy busted it out of the
tassel-bag. Suddenly, from the pas
ture near by, a meadow-lark flung
up into the silence a fountain of Ii
quid notes. Roddy glanced around
and saw Silver leaning over the
fence watching him.
He Redeemed duly and pushed
his wide straw hat back from his
brow. Then, with quizzical, per-
picked smile he came and stood
looking down at her.
~"I've been watching you," she
said, nodding toward the corn. II
wish I could help"
''Why don't your" he replied.
you'd get a real kick out of it"
She raised the hamper toward
him. II brought some fresh butter
ed rolls" she said.
'I suppose Corrie isn't up yet"
he remarked, taking the hamper
from her.
"I listened at the door," Silver
told him, "but didn't hear any
stir, so I came on alone"
He set the hamper on the grass at
his feet, then spoke in a low, We
hement voice that became thrilling
agony in her heart. "These weeks
have been HI, Silver. I don't know
I'm going to 60 on standing it"
"Oh-Roddy, "she pleaded breath
lessly. ....
He stepped closer to her and the
yearning and despair in his bronzed
face drew from her an involuntary,
broken cry. She thrust her hands
across the fence toward him. Roddy
took them and pressed them to his
lips and eyes.
'I'm no good, Silver" he mutter-
ed. II can't 60 through with this
farce. I've got to tell her"
Swiftly Silver leaned forward
and brushed his blue shirt-sleeve
with her cheek. "Roddy-Roddy,"
she whispered in stifled voice.
'sYou can't tell her-you can't ever
tell her! It would be too terrible!"
ut wouldn't" he protested. "She
doesn't love mel don't think she
ever did"
"You mustn't say that" Silver ar
gued. "You mustn't do anything
you can't! And it won't be for long,
Roddy. AS soon as Phronie is well
again"
He swept his hat from his head
and ran his fingers through his
thick hair in a gesture of mortified
anguish. "G-d-what spectacle
am-standing here, talking like
this! I have no right" He broke
off suddenly. "Of course-you must
20 away"