A Daughter of the Land

"I take them from Mrs. Holt, and nobody else," said Milton, with

equal assurance. "And I've yet to hear her say the first word

about this wonderful travelling proposition. She thinks she will

do well to fill home orders and ship to a couple of factories she

already has contracts with. Sure you didn't dream that travelling

proposition, George?"

At that instant George wished he could slay Jim Milton. All day

he brooded and grew sullen and ugly. By noon he quit working and

went down town. By suppertime he went home to prove to his wife

that he was all right. She happened to be coming across from the

mill, where she had helped Milton lay the first fire under the

boiler ready to touch off, and had seen the first log on the set

carriage. It had been agreed that she was to come over at opening

time in the morning and start the machinery. She was a proud and

eager woman when she crossed the bridge and started down the

street toward the gate. From the opposite direction came George,

so unsteady that he was running into tree boxes, then lifting his

hat and apologizing to them for his awkwardness. Kate saw at a

glance that he might fall any instant. Her only thought was to

help him from the street, to where children would not see him.

She went to him and taking his arm started down the walk with him.

He took off his hat to her also, and walked with wavering dignity,

setting his steps as if his legs were not long enough to reach the

walk, so that each step ended with a decided thump. Kate could

see the neighbours watching at their windows, and her own children

playing on the roof of the woodshed. When the children saw their

parents, they both stopped playing to stare at them. Then

suddenly, shrill and high, arose Adam's childish voice: "Father came home the other night,

Tried to blow out the 'lectric light,

Blew and blew with all his might,

And the blow almost killed Mother."

Polly joined him, and they sang and shrilled, and shrieked it;

they jumped up and down and laughed and repeated it again and

again. Kate guided George to his room and gave him a shove that

landed him on his bed. Then to hush the children she called them

to supper. They stopped suddenly, as soon as they entered the

kitchen door, and sat, sorry and ashamed while she went around,

her face white, her lips closed, preparing their food. George was

asleep. The children ate alone, as she could take no food. Later

she cleaned the kitchen, put the children to bed, and sat on the

front porch looking at the mill, wondering, hoping, planning,

praying unconsciously. When she went to bed at ten o'clock George

was still asleep.