Girl Alone

ng rapidly down the road that led past the orphanage toward the busine

in't you, Sally? How about a l

, vague, terrifying warnings boiling and churning in her mind: "Keep your body pure"-"mustn't let men take any liberties wi

a little girl again, too young to know "the facts of life," as Mrs. Stone, blushing and embarrassed, had called the half-truths she had told Sally. She wanted to climb over the door of the car,

o harm, teasing you for a kiss. Land alive! I got a girl of my own, ain't I? Darned proud of her, too, and I'

er bitter disappointment over Miss Pond's disclosures as to her mother, she was finding the trip to the farm an adventure. In the twelve years of her life in the State Orp

h she had been a part for so long. But it was pleasant to bump swiftly along the hot, dusty white road, fringed with odorous, flowering weeds. Houses became less and less frequent; few children ran barefoot along t

n work upon it, as if to prepare her for the worst. "My wife's got the reputation of being a hard woman," he told her confidentially. "But she's a good woman, good clean through. She

," Sally

ruit trees, all of 'em bearing-and the gardens, then right up to the house. Pretty fine place, if I do say so mys

he gave an involuntary exclamation of pleasure. Row after row of fruit trees, evenly spaced and trimmed to perfection, stretched before her

d fruit crop,"

ut in, and a fancy bathtub. She even made me get a radio, but it comes in right handy in the evenings, specially in winter. My daughter, Pearl, can think

the house; Clem Carson's hand on

t towered at the rear. The house itself was white, not so recently painted as the lordly barns, but it was pleasant and homelike, the s

house which would have made this one look like servants' quarters, but now that it wa

ay house dress, appeared upon the front porch and stood shading her eyes against the western s

. "This young-up ain't company, to be traipsin' through my fr

lly's presence. "How's Pearl, Ma? Cold any better? I

hrowin' your money away on patent medicine salves is more'n I can see! I can make a better salve any day o

," Carson shouted, laughing. "I'l

n't mean no harm," Carson chuckled,

had crowded Sally's feet, then threw up the cover of the hatch in the rear of the car, revealing more

arson ejaculated, but he saw then that she wa

rshiped the portrait of her ideal hero. It was a vividly colored picture of David, forever fixed in strong, beautiful grace, as he was about to hurl the stone from his slingshot to slay the giant, Goliath. She had dreamed away many hours of her a

nd for a pair of cheap, earth-soiled "jeans" trousers; but the boy-man was the same, the same! As he strode lightly, with the ease of an athlete or the light-footedness of a g

meantime I've been tinkering with that little hand cider press. We ought to do a good b

ves of her soft little mouth. For his voice was as she had dreame

another good hour with the cultivator before dark. You run along in the back

id, whose gold-flecked hazel eyes were smiling at her, shyly, as if he were a little ashamed of C

ound Mrs. Carson busy with supper preparations. Her daughter, Pearl, drifted

she, for her plump body was voluptuously developed and overdecked with finery. The farmer's daughter wore her light red hair deeply

lmost to the knee. It was before the day of knee dresses for women and Sally, standing there awkwardly with her own

f her father's healthy, sorrel-colored heifers than anything else, except that the heifer's eyes would have been mild and

from the Orphans' Home," she sa

stitutional shyness blotting out her

her things. Did you bring a work dress?" Mrs. Carson turned fr

dresses-my every-day dress and this one. Mrs. S

arity and in doubt as to whether she was to address the daug

directly off the kitchen to the garret. The roof, shaped to fit the gables of the house, was so low that Sally's hea

her sharply. "That's where David N

gainst the door which his hand had touched, bu

mine-see? He's not just an ordinary hired hand. He's working his way through State A. & M. He's a star, on the fo

lly hastened to reassure Pearl, th

the summer, but I guess it's better'n you're used to, at that,"

and, the broken rocking chair, the rusty nails intended to take the place of a clothes closet; the faded, dirty rag rug

supper. She's been putting up raspberries all day and she's dead tired. I guess Papa told you you'd have to hustle this summer. This ain't a summer v

e in those pale blue eyes which she knew would follow upon her own answer. "I'm-I'm third year high." She did not have the co

e, the orphanage school! My school is at least two

c school, too, that it also prepared for college? And that Sally herself ha

n the orchards and fields. When the long dining table, covered with red-and-brown-checked oilcloth, was finall

e pots of cooking string beans, turnips and carrots; had rolled in flour and then fried great slabs of round steak-all un

of the fact that Sally overheard. "In the city a family wouldn't dream of sitting down to table wit

avid Nash sit at table with u

t and a football hero," Pearl defended herself. "B

in the kitchen door

it in a box, not in a paper sack," Pearl pouted. "I'll r

e kitchen door, Pearl swung the big copper dinner bell, standing on the n

shamed to have David Nash see her in

red men appeared, a tiny, bent little old lady, with kind, vague brown eyes and trembling hands, came shuffling in from somewhere to seat herself at her farmer son's right hand. Sally learned later that everyone called her Grandma, and that she

f-wit lunged toward her like a playful, overgrown puppy. One of his clammy hands, pa

ulated slowly, a light of pleasure gle

lady spoke as if he were a naughty child of three. "You mustn't mind him, Sally. He won

for a white shirt, dark blue polka-dotted tie, and a well-fitting but inexpensive suit of brown homespun. Sally, squeezed between the vague little old grandmother and the vac

cially sweet voice. "My cold's lots better. Papa'll let us d

made every other heartache seem mild by comparison. And two girls, one a girl alone in the world,

y. "It would be 'way after nine when we got to town, and we wouldn't get back until nearly midnig

pouted. "I don't see why you can't forget college during your summe

st quantities of fried steak, vegetables, hot biscuits, home-made pickles, preserves, pie and coffee that Sally was kept running between kitchen and dining room to replenish bowls and plates

deepened her joy that he was there, that he sat at the same table with her, ate the same food, some of which she had cooked. His superiority to the others at that table was so strikingly evident that he seemed god-like to her. His pride, his poise, his golden, masculine beauty, his strength, his evident b

overed with a happy confusion that she did not hear Mrs. Carson's harsh nasal voice commanding

s quickly over. It was not half-past eight when Clem Carson

y. "I've got to measure and sugar my blackberries for tomorrow's jam-making. A farme

Pearl, who had been almost forcibly holding David Nash in conversation, sprang to answer it. The instrument was fastened to t

cago and.... All right, hurry up! And, oh, say, Ross, you might pick up another girl. Sadie Pratt, or somebody. I got a sweetie of my own. Un-hunh! David Nash, a junior from A. & M., is stayin

of the kitchen door. When Sally staggered in with her armload of soiled dishes she found Davi

red and bewildered, and washing up for nine people is no joke. Give me the glasses first,"

irls would wash dishes for three hundred. They wouldn't like it," she added in a terrified whisper, her eyes flutteri

id firmly, and that settled it, a

table and cupboard when Pearl cam

u have to study, Mr. David Nash! But I suppose she pulled a sob story on you and just roped you in. You'd better f

r tirade in his firm, quiet way. "Want to get a dish cloth and help dry the

o dance to the radio music. Did you hear what I said about you

hat all, Sally? Well, I'll go on up to my r

t voice harsh with disappointment. "I told Ross Willis to brin

at supper that I had to study," David reminded her mildly, b

then, her face twisted with

rbably, but his gold-flecked eyes and his strong, characterful mouth s

er in the granite dish pan, David spoke in a low v

he emphasized the words significantly, so that once again a pulse of fear throbbed in Sally's throat, "just cal

scarcely a whisper, for Mrs. Carson w

ds told her that the party of farm girls and boys had arrived. With David gone to his garret room

y in Sally's heart. For she was sixteen with all the desires and dreams of any other girl of sixteen. And

e blue-and-white-checked gingham, faded, dull, that she had worn for months at the orphanage. If they should come into the kitchen-any of those

ing, had brushed the crumbs and dust into the black tin dust pan, emptied it into the kitchen range. Then

n the lace-trimmed white lawn "Sunday dress" which she had worn earlier in the day on her trip from the orphanage. Exc

David Nash's door ajar, caught a glimpse of the university

st begun, and she could hear the shuffle of feet on the bare floor of the living room. How had she thought for one minute that she could brave those alie

to d

straightened then, a hand going to her heart, for it was Dav