The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-09-09


SHORT h his bE %aSn:r Mr. Eb Ru7
Cu@nE many of us knew as
OHSNH boy and whom
Am~ANx most IF us know by
SBOK1 his wonderful book,
''Notes of a Fugi-
tive"
The audience, that had been look
ing little bored, reused to a quick
expectancy at Rupert's name. ia
red Strengthened his slightly bent
shoulders, smoothed the incipient
burrows from his still youthful face
and smiled on his neighbors.
81 cut these verses from The
Shuttle last week." he said, land I
was lucky enough to find an air in
an old glee book that just fitted
them"
Everybody listened intently, and
Jared sang in his clear, strong ten
or:
I'm thinking how the hemlock yield
And fell beneath my conquering
arm,
AS sturdily the AK I welded
Upon the old New Hampshire
farm.
I've wandered up and down the
planet,
I've trod strange decks without
alarm;
But now I want to feel the granite
Upon the old New Hampshire
farm.
I've been in many lands a rover,
And life has preferred me its
charm;
But now I want to smell the clover
Upon the old New Hampshire
farm.
I want to see the kindly faces
Of those who sheltered me from
harm,
To find again earth's fairest places
Around the old New Hampshire
farm.
Jared and Rupert Warner had
been orphaned by a railroad acct
dent when they were little boys, and
Warm-hearted Uncle Cyrus and
Aunt Hetty had sheltered them and
reared them as best they could.
Rupert, at thirteen, with a growing
distaste for rural life and a love Of
adventure, had gone out into the
world, and after various expert
ences was making good as a jour.
nalist. Jared, four years older
had stuck to the farm and was now
the mainstay of Cyrus and Hetty ir
their failing years.
''Is Rupert really coming homer"
cried Gwennie Simmons.
81 expect him week after next"
II shall be awfully afraid of him, u
shivered Blanche Evans, "but just
think of having real, live author
at one of our meetings!"
''The dear boy" quavered Miss
Beulah Fitch. '"To think of the af
lection he keeps for the old farm
after all these years."
Jared laughed a little. "You
couldn't hire Rupe to stay on the
Warner farm for three weeks. He'c
be bored stiff"
The men chuckled, but Blanche
protested: ooh, Jared! l believe
you're jealous!"
"Oh, no, no! 1t will be good tc
see my brother again, even if he
should call me back number. But
facts are factsI"
Jared is proud of his brother
Blanche" said a soft but insistent
voice.
Jared smiled at this sturdy de.
tense from Mildred Heath. It was
a sweet morsel as later he walked
up the long incline of Warmers hill
with her hand on his arm. "You took
my part, Mildred. You understand"
Indeed l do. And, Jared, Ru.
pert won't call you a back number.
He thinks you are wonderful-not
just patient and good to work, but
brave and fine.
HE sent me copy of his book
and of course l wrote to thank him
and l told him some of the thoughts
it gave me, and we've been writing
each other since"
II see. He wrote about you late.
ly. He asked me if you were as
pretty as ever"
Mildred was standing inside her
own gate now.
"And what did you tell him?" she
asked with a catch in her voice.
Il told him you were even pref.
tier"
"Oh, Jaredl Week after nextl
hope he won't be disappointed in
mel"
mo, Rupert isn't going to be dis.
appointed" Jared's smile had q
touch of irony now. 1t was not bit.
ter. II must step along. Aunt
Hetty always will sit up till come
in, and she grows old lately. Good
night, Mildred"