A Daughter of the Land

a penny for calling at his approach. When his lusty shout came, Kate said good-bye to her sister-in-law, p

ht return, if ever, while Mother cordially seconded the motion. It's a good thing, Adam, tha

while it's seventeen by Hartley; but if you want to go we can, for I needn't hurry. I've got a box of lunch and a feed for my horse in the back of the buggy. Mother said I was to stay with you until I saw

e, dingy and hot, when it might have been big, airy, and comfortable, well furnished and pretty as Father's means would allow, and as all the neighbours always criticize him for not having it; it's meant hard work and plenty of it ever since I was set to scouring the tinw

d you could come to

r, but I couldn't

could," pers

he was last night and tore up your father

o hundred acres better off

wouldn't want to become a land sh

it?" ask

lescope," answered Kate.

in the way Grandpa always has acted and she said she would wager all she was worth that he would live to regret it. She said it wasn't natural, and when people undertook to controvert-ain't that a peach? Bet there isn't a woman in

, don't!" ca

t!" cried

id every girl he has feels the same way, and from what your father said

d so, and he knows, for they all talk it over every time they meet. He said

out. Father reads them over whenever it rains. They'l

ive on his land, and she'd stay home with Susan and me, if he tried it. And when I am a man I am going to do just like Pa and Ma because they a

d hastily, "it's all right for a lady, but it

is language let me tell you,

lescope in the back with the horse feed. Since you have it, I don't n

s worried, unt

d for anything approaching honour, a Bates would teach that school this winter or he'd know the reason why. And you know how easy it is to change him. Oh, Kate, won't you see if that Walden trustee can't possibly find another teacher, and let yo

y Ellen-"

a twitching face

ome as he is, and he has to be nice to everybody to ge

can do. Is it understood that if I give up the school an

es!" cried

ess-work. I'll hear him s

he buggy. Nancy El

d. "He'll throw the first thing he can pick up at

sh! I want to hear him say tha

wiftly to th

raid she will lose Robert Gray if she

appeared again-"To save the furniture, of which we have none too much, I'll just step inside," she said. When her father started toward her, she started around the dining table, talking as fast as she could, he lunging

uated at that instant by a heavy meat platter aimed at K

through fear of you-no wonder your wife has no mind of her own-no wonder your sons hate you and wish you would die-so they coul

heap. When Adam Bates pulled it from his path he stepped in a dish of fried potatoes and fell heavily. Kate reached the road, climbed in the buggy, and said the N

fury the buggy dashed past and Kate had not e

she said to Adam. "I'

ou do?" cri

y happened to me, and I wasn't afraid of him at all. I dodged it, and finis

at did you do

hile I told him what all his sons and daughter

my father said t

T like that. Then I pulled the table after me to block the door, and smashed ha

!" cried young

step in that house again while he

se to glance back. "He is standing in the mi

Nancy Ellen

the garden fence and hidd

enty of time to cool off. He'd have killed me if he had caught

rical laugh, but the boy

he has had plenty of time he'll cool off; but he'll never get

worse that this happens to him. If ever I see Father begin

you do?" asked K

ed young Adam,

she could speak she said: "Do you know, Adam, I th

course!"

Trustee, but Kate said nothing about giving up the school. She merely made a few inquiries, asked for the

vise me to go?" she

and some might like another, best. I COULD say this: I think Means would be the cheapest, Knowls t

said Kate

hey had been accustomed, so they returned the keys, inquired about the cleaning of the building, and started out to find a boarding place. First they went to the cheapest, but it could be seen at a

ans materially. I shall want to go to school next summer part of the time, but the part I do not, I shall have to pay my way, so I mustn't spend money as I thought I woul

dam, "but I'll stick t

" said Kate. "Now let's try our th

ouse, but Kate stoppe

that house. I would go crazy in a house painted bright red with brown and blue decoration. It s

said Adam, when they

fruit trees and long grass, with a garden at the back. The house was old and low, having a small porch in front, but if it eve

shall have no quarrel with the pain

te pointed across th

e put in a gold

"I shouldn't be a bit surprise

ulvert, turned sharply, and ran away to a distant river, spanning which they could see the bridge. Tall old forest trees lined the banks,

e will get some water and feed the horse

ill proceed to the residence of Mrs. Holt and inv

ne," said K

ly, "because it is Ma. And

Bates record and kiss you good-bye, when you go.

oman of respectable appearance, a trifle past middle age. She made Kate think of dried sage because she had a dried-out look and her complexion, hair, and eyes were all that

ntion me to the new teacher. Nobody was expecting you until the last of the week, but I says to myself, 'always take time by the fetlock,

ave no option in the matter. "I have four places on my list where they wa

young thing like you can make up your mind where you will have the most quiet fer your work, the best room, and be best fed. One of the greatest advantages here fer a teacher is that she can be quiet, an' not have her room rummaged. Every

ge, because I have much studying to d

t in light and air, freshly washed white curtains hanging over the deep green shades. The floor was carpeted with a freshly washed rag carpet stretched over straw, the bed was invitingly clean and looked comfortable, there was a wash stand with bowl and pit

there is a good stove I take out in summer to make more room,

x covered with paper simi

ed the chairs. Behind the girl, Mrs. Holt, with compressed lip

ee the stove

se. It hasn't been cleane

be far away. Le

gh the dining room, which was older in furnishing and much more worn, but still clean and wholesome, as were the small kitchen and back porch. From it there was only a step to the woodhouse, where on a little platform across one end sa

ted dry wood cor

on, and sold the rest for town lots, all except that gully, which we couldn't give away. But I must say I like the trees and birds better than

ose they do,

at everything as they

k, furnishing food and wood," she said, "and that you allowed the last

. Mrs. Holt looked at Kate from

" she said. "I ought to have a dollar more, to really

ry much for showing me. Five-fifty is what I paid at Norm

rse at the stream, placed his food conveniently for him, and taking their

oom?" asked Adam. "Didn't yo

r-fifty last fall. She's only trying to see if she can wring me for a dollar more. If I have to board all next summer, I shall have to watch every penny, or I'll not co

ht," said Adam. "Ho

house, good room, good cook-maybe; lives just on th

e you going to tr

teacher stayed there, it will seem all right for me; but she isn't going to put

bedding, and stove. She honeyed up when she had to, but she was mad as hops. I nearly bursted right out when she talked about 'taking time by

"but I dared not look at you. I was afra

said Adam. "Ma never

e as much as you do your

as Ma, and somebody

er could,"

yourself to do it and try with all your might to be like

son of Mrs. Holt. He was above the average man in height, having broad, rather stooping shoulders, dark hair and eyes. He stopped at the gate and sto

"That is exactly the way a man en

ng to enter my house," said

eady to go very deliberately. If she doesn't come across,

am. "She is watching us; I can see her

u see her. Let's go up the creek and invest

I will think of you as having it to look at in summer; and this winte

nes or logs to the other, looking, talking, until a full hour had passed when they returned

ease," whis

s said: "I have been telling my son about you an' he hates so bad to go away and leave me alone for

e. I like the room, and if the board was right for the other teacher it will be for me. If you

m anxious to git on the job of mothering such a sw

"I am not accustomed to ordering my

e interested. Then she went back to her room, sat in the comfortable rocking chair, and with nothing in the world she was obliged to do immediately, she stared at the opposite wall and day by day reviewed the summer. She sat so long and stared at the wall so intently that gradually it dissolved and shaped into the deep green ravine across the way, which sank into soothing darkness and the slowly lightene