A Daughter of the Land

"Yes, aren't I?" laughed Kate. "But you just give me a tub of hot

soapsuds and an hour, and you won't know me. How are you? Things

look as if you were expecting us."

"Hump!" said Mrs. Holt.

Kate laughed and went into the house. George stepped in front of

his mother.

"Now you look here," he said. "I know every nasty thing your mind

has conjured up that you'd LIKE to say, and have other folks say,

about Kate. And I know as well as if you were honest enough to

tell me, that you haven't been able to root out one living soul

who would say a single word against her. Swallow your secret!

Swallow your suspicions! Swallow your venom, and forget all of

them. Kate is as fine a woman as God ever made, and anybody who

has common sense knows it. She can just MAKE me, if she wants to,

and she will; she's coming on fine, much faster and better than I

hoped for. Now you drop this! Stop it! Do you hear?"

He passed her and hurried up the walk. In an hour, both George

and Kate had bathed and dressed in their very best. Kate put on

her prettiest white dress and George his graduation suit. Then

together they walked to the post office for their mail, which

George had ordered held, before they left. Carrying the bundle,

they entered several stores on trifling errands, and then went

home. They stopped and spoke to everyone. Kate kissed all her

little pupils she met, and told them to come to see her, and to be

ready to help clean the schoolhouse in the morning. Word flew

over town swiftly. The Teacher was back, wearing the loveliest

dress, and nicer than ever, and she had invited folks to come to

see her.

Kate and George had scarcely finished their supper, when the first

pair of shy little girls came for their kisses and to bring

"Teacher" a bunch of flowers and a pretty pocket handkerchief from

each. They came in flocks, each with flowers, most with a towel

or some small remembrance; then the elders began to come,

merchants with comforts, blankets, and towels, hardware men with

frying pans, flat irons, and tinware. By ten o'clock almost

everyone in Walden had carried Kate some small gift, wished her

joy all the more earnestly, because they felt the chances of her

ever having it were so small, and had gone their way, leaving her

feeling better than she had thought possible.

She slipped into her room alone and read two letters, one a few

typewritten lines from John Jardine, saying he had been at

Hartley, also at Walden, and having found her married and gone,

there was nothing for him to do but wish that the man she married

had it in his heart to guard her life and happiness as he would

have done. He would never cease to love her, and if at any time

in her life there was anything he could do for her, would she

please let him know. Kate dropped the letter on her dresser, with

a purpose, and let it lie there. The other was from Robert. He

said he was very sorry, but he could do nothing with Nancy Ellen

at present. He hoped she would change later. If there was ever

anything he could do, to let him know. Kate locked that letter in

her trunk. She wondered as she did so why both of them seemed to

think she would need them in the future. She felt perfectly able

to take care of herself.