Evening star., 1948-08-01

that left only the gaun ugly frame house. She did not re-
mind him Of that because could not bear the ht o that
always came into his eyes at the mention of it. There
mao been bountif harvest the before Margaret
and her coming seemed had ended all that She
hated the land She hated the almost eess expanse Of
wind and sun. of heat and cold that knew no mercy
And the land hated her There had been no more harvests
IN three years Toll in the fields brought no more fruit Even
the fruit OF her own fertile body had wthered and died
One evening in November she heard voices muted lust
outside OF the kitchen window She had seen Kohnke their
nearest neghbos drive yard with Lumber their next
nearest neighbor.
You are fool. Olav! Kohnke was mutterinq DE pov-
eminent, she stick behind uss! You gift up now und-"
1t Won't be 50 hard next year. Oav" Lundberg broke in
De land agent he Norske quit when Svede stays?
kohnke and me - and our families, We stayr'
MARGARET saw the Swede slap Oav heartily on the shoulder
and then in the cruel bliance of the sunset se caught
glimpse OF Oavs rimly set face.
You've decided to stay on? she asked in thin casual
voice when Oav came in.
THE others aren't leaving he said eyasvey then turned
and gave her his direct look You're almost yourself again.
Give it another try for another year."
IF you love me, Olav." she said you will 20 back to
teaching. President DAILY said that if you ever"
Margaret he said heavily, his eyes sternly blue, you
know love you And know gave you my promise But
Il don't want to think of myself as coward and gutter
isn't in my blood Before my mother here from Nor
she knew of ashopper plaques only something she
read about the Bible But she learned about them the wear
the grahoppes ate the grass roof off our soddy She was
religious woman but she shook her fist I'D at the roof
and swore grashopper would take her off their land It
would take God to do that, she said"
Margaret had heard all before and had shared CLAWS
pride in his mothers brave defiance Now only made her
angry. But God did it anyhow didn't He? God in grass
hopper God in tornado God in drought What differ
ence does it make? This prairie land Of yours cursedv
She burst into tears then and he put his arms about her
and stroked her hair II know how you feel Margaret" he
said softly II wish you'd understand never felt comfort
able in classroom Teaching part of me- There's
something parasitic about it. I'm twentysx now. know
But wrote Mother weeks ago and told her would be
going back soon."
Listen, sweetheart if you really want to go"
mot without you"
"O course not. Let's say about it just now Get
supper the table I'm hungry bear" Oav kissed her.
That very night the land devised for Margaret Kebo an
nordnae bit of eachey She her way from the barn
to the house when she felt the first large drops of rain Oav
already in the she'd straning milk into crooks little
of it, so te He too had heard the rain and Strengthened
up with smile to look at her.
Listen to those big drops, Margaret! They
thing if they turn to before morning The land
relents. darling 1t won't fail U.S."
He looked at her with pleading eyes, and she rushed into
his arms.
Later when they lay together in the darkness of their
and listened to the sweet continued rain on the roof above
u,h;c