Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-06-14

Il say, Helen" her father suggested
IT might be pleasant to drive out
W with ~ Diane; It's beginning to be pretty
NO doubt" her mother agreed dryly.
"Goodby, Diane"
Diane went slowly. Her heart had
leaped at her fathers proposal. She
hesitated in the hall and then turned
back to add her pleadings to her
the sound Of his wistful voice.
Damn it, Helen" he was arguing.
why shouldn't we ride to the farm
with Di? We'd be company for her.
The poor kids lonesome. She certainly
sees little OF either of us. Come on,
Helen!'
"oh, Dick!" Her mothers laugh was
cold with malice Really! Why this
It's new, isn't it2 Becoming but not
characteristic. No thank you. don't
care to 60"
"Oh, come on. Why not, Helen?"
I'll tell you why. Dick" her mother
explained icily. Because you were un-
faithful to me. With common little
fool"
J That is not true" her father denied.
"! admit kissed her. But that was
all. I was drunk"
You admit 1t because you know
saw you. And you're always drunk.
r But it isn't important any more. AT
first I hated you. Now you merely
bore me. You and yours. can't bear
the sight of any. of you. Now run
with your fourth highball. And l have
full day."
Mother didn't love daddy! She hated
him. Two warm arms suddenly en-
Never mind, sugar." Caroline whis-
pered ."They's just mad and talkin.
Ne mind what you heard them say.
But she wasn't sure then that Caro-
line was telling the truth. She wasn't
sure now. All she wanted to
remember about the day was that it
was cold and drab and the wind was
from the north. If it had been from
the west, none Of this would happened
At least, that Is what Uncle Tom had
told her a long time ago when she
was a very little girl.
Watch the weather vane," he had
said. When it points west, the west
winds blowing and the chances are
it's going to clear. Even when its
storming, the west wind always blows
always feel good. You'll find that out
She had found it out. When the
wind was from the west, it generally
was clear and the day was good one
and then she was always happy. But
when it blew from otherwheres, she
often wasn't.
"Di," Uncle Toms hand on her
shoulder brought her back to the pres.
ent and the farm kitchen. She looked
up at him. He looked like her father
and not a day older, though he was
really u years older. He was tall and
thin. He had laughing blue eyes and
a strong mouth. What you thinking
head. You're funny little tyke," he
said. Twenty years older than your
years. Come on and gather those EGGS
Put on your sunbonnet," Granny
ordered. Granny was gray. and thin
and blue-eyed and very alert and spry.
That suns treacherous-"
Aunt Nancy, buxom and brown, with
soft brown eyes and gentle mouth,
tied the sunbonnet around her neck
and she and Uncle Tom went out.
See there" Uncle Tom pointed to
the big gilded weather vane on the
barn from the dooryard. The winds
from the west. I think It's going to
when it does, we'll likely have rain.
But until it does, it blows good wealth.
er and In good weather people nearly
always feel good"
He picked up his scythe and whet-
stone and started toward the small
five-acre south field to cut the hay
there. Diane looked after him and be-
yond him.
Heat lay like q heavy blanket across
the farm. Early as 1t was, the dew
was already drying on the grass. With
her basket on her arm, Diane went
to the barnyard and thence to the
chicken run. Up in the sky, white
. The sounds Of horses paving in Their
stalls came to her as through slight
~ opened window.
It didn't take long to gather the
eggs. The hens were not laying well
in the heat. She took the eggs bacl.
Nancy. She came back to the barn and
fingered for Q while In its cool dark
. lneSa and Bsteued to tina hay In thu