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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1903)
i.fr'HiS'-A.. fr '? ft G b e E a 1 1 f fUbraefcan cred wagon reached the little town of Greenwood and began to croak slowly down the main street. The man and woman wero etlll In the flame position On the neat. Tho horBeB walked with swinging heads and dragging feet, roll ing up on either Bide thick clouds of dust, which shone with velvety softness In tho mOonllgnt. They were passing the first Iiouhcb when Jcbh maidenly sat up and laid a hand on her husband's arm. "Stop a minute. John; I want to look in here." They were In front of a small cot tage The blinds wore not drawn, and within they could see tho family; an old man, who was dancing a baby on hln knee, and the father and mother who wore bending over tho two. Mac Qrogor pulled up his horses and Bat watching, while the old man tickled tho baby with his whiskers, and the parents laughed with their heads to gether. "Having a purty nice time, ain't they?" ho ventured. HIb wife made no response ad ho waited some time In silence. "Well," he asked at length, "had enough?" S,ho turned her face toward him and ho uttered an exclamation. Hy the moonlight he could see that her cheekfl wero wet with tears. "Why, Jess " "There," she replied, quietly. "I couldn't help It. John. It made me think of Pa and the baby and There, John, I'm awful sorry. I'm foolish, I suppose. Let's go on." Thoy rode In silence for another half hlock. Then John turned 1he horses' heads Into what seemed to bo a picnic grove. "We'll camp here." he said in a low voice. Ho climbed down and began un hitching the horses. "You just sit there till I come back. Jess," he said, "I'm going to water the horses down here, and then I'll get the supper myself. Don't yon stir a finger." She watched him quietly enough as ho moved away In the moonlight which Blfted through the trees, but when he came back he found her standing by tho wagon. She raised her hand warn Ingly as he tied the horses at tho feed box and came around to her. "Sh-sh," she said, "do you hear that singing?" He stopped and listened. "Why, yes, they're having prayer mooting over there across the road. That'B a church. You ain't forgot about tho prayer-meeting, have you?" "No," she replied, "I ain't." "Yes, and, by golly, 1 bfillove that's 'Old Hundred,' too. Do you remember how I used to take you to prayer meeting, Jess, when 1 was your steady? An,d how old Deacon Trumbull used to sit bohind us and roar that same old song out? I used to wish he would keep stllf so's I could hear you." She nodded. "John." she exclaimed, suddenly, "let's go over." "Lot's what?" "Let's go over. I want to. We ain't beon since wo loft home." "But we ain't had any supper." "That's all right. I don't want any anyway. Go on, 'now, and put your coat on, and I'll fix up a little." When she came back he noticed that sho had laid aside her sunbonnet and woro a belt. She took him by the arm and with a little laugn pulled him ward the road "Come on," she said, "didn't I tell you wo wero respectable. We're going to meeting just like we used to. Come on, now, we're Just as good as anybody. I guess we're not movers, quite yet. Why, wo might settle down right in this place." "In the grove," he suggested. She laughed again, and hummed to herself Boftly as they crossed the road. In- the lighted vestibule aho stopped puddenly and put her hand to hor head. "Is my hair all right?" she asked, anxiously. He stopped and looked down at her. "OueBB H'b all right, he replied, "come on." The singing had cenaed when they entered. Up at the .front an old man was praying In a high, droning voice, and the flickering light from the oil lamps Bhone on rows of bowed heads. They slid Into a croaking back seat and pni there while the droning voice went on, and the lights flickered and shook In the nlgnt breeze. At length John leaned toward his wife. "Don't he pray Just like old Deacon Trumbull, though and about as long. Look at the clock," he whispered. Sho nodded. He straightened up for a moment, and then leaned over again. "Say." In a tense whisper, "do you see the mboys In the corner eatin' pea nuts. Remember when the minister put SI Johnson's kidB out for doln' that. Oosh!" Jess laughed In spite of herself, and then punched him severely. "Sh-sh," she said, "they're done." It was the closing prayer. When the benediction which followed was over John turned and looked at Jess. "Well, we had lots of prayer-meeting for our trouble, didn't we?" "I don't care," she replied. Sho was looking hungrily at a laughing crowd of young people which had collected in the aisle. "I'd like to talk to some of them girls. Thoy look real nice. We used to shako hands with strangers back home. And do you see that white haired old lady with the gold eye glassesdon't she look like Miss' Fletcher? Why, John. I feel almost at home. I wonder If tney'll speak to us." People began to go out In twos and threes. None of them offered to shake hands with the lonely couple In the back pew nor speak to them; but all gazed with a certain curiosity. A slight frown gathered on Jess' brow. "John, what do they look at us that way for? Why. they look as though we didn't belong hero as though thoy were sorry for us." He glanced down at his rough cloth ing with a laugh. "Well. I guess thoy ain't any sorrier than l am. I guess they don't soe any thing quite this tough in church very often. Did it ever strike you, Jess, that we don't look as if we really be longed here?" She gave him a startled glance, and then looked down Instinctively at her own dust-stained dross. The smile died from her face. "O." she said, In a low voice. "O, I didn't know we looked like that." The people were nearly all gone now. At the other end of the room an old man began to walk heavily from one pew to another, blowing out the lamps along the wall, and leaving a trail of darkness In his rear. Suddenly Jess' face lightened; the aristocratic matron In the gold eye glasses was coming straight toward them, with an unmistakable smile up on her lips. She shook hands with each of them graciously. "I beg your pardon," she began Bweetly. "but. aren't i you movers? Well," without waiting for a reply, "do you know, I have a curiosity to see how you people live. We've been read- ..,H.,H--H"H-H H till 4 H I I I II 1' M-'W"H"M"M"JMJ-M-IH X Stetson has never placed ; ; so many popular styles :: on the market in any one ' seasonas this one. The shapes almost invariably ? commend themselves to ''. young men and our trade $ on them has alreadv been enormous. The best colors t arc Black, Nut Brown and Pearl. The popular shapes i are 3, 3 1-2 and 4 inch brims with low crowns. Prices $3,50, $4.00, $4.50 and $5.00. Our stock is now complete and we can fit you with just X the hat you should wear. I MAGEE & DEEMER Y v H4MHH"H4":'H-W H-?H-t-H-M-H"HhH"i--H-;-1 1 11 J- Ing you up in our club lately. And would it hurt your feelings If I should ask to see your wagon?" John looked uncertainly ot Jess. whose llpa were quivering dangerous ly. The woman mVslnterpreted. "Of course," she said, opening her pocket book, "I should expect to pay you for your trouble. You must need it" Jess had raised her hand Impetuous ly; her dark eyes flashed. "Don't you dare!" she said In a low voice, "O don't" Sho turned suddenly and walked away toward the door. She did not stop, and when John overtook her In the grove she was crying. He regard ed her In awkward silence for a time, as she leaned against the wagon with covered face. "8e here. Jess," he broke out at last. "I know what's the matter. But that old lady don't moan anything, and they don't any of them. And you look at It this way: if wo ain't movers what are we? That's what I want to know what are we?" There was another silence. At length she turned with a decided movement. "You're right, John," In a steady voice, "I'm going back. No, you stay hero. I'm going alone." Tho old lady was Just descending the church sleds when Jess reached them. She walked straight to her. "I Just wanted to say that I'm sorry and If you'd like to come oyer to the wagon now you can. We won't be bore tomorrow." "O. certainly, I should bo de lighted. And of course," hesitating ly, "you must take something." She fumbled a moment in her purse, then drew forth a coin which Jess put out her hand and took "Thank you." she said quietly Early the next morning a canvas covered wagon drawn by two lean horses creaked protestlngly out of the grove and started briskly down the road. In the clear morning air the dry wheels shrieked with a certain cross-grained cheerfulness and an old pall hung beneath the wagon rattled a subdued undertone. On the driver's Beat two figures were quite still a man who sat slouched forward listlessly, and beside him a woman, upright and angular, gazing fixedly Into the dis tance of the morning. W. J. F. Little Gem hot waffles served at the Merchants' Cafe, 117 North 13th St. We have a large student patronage. ADVERTISE IN THE DAILY NEBRASKAN? YES! THE CO - OP. ADVERTISES BICYCLES At all price and guaranteed to be the lowct TALKING MACHINES Of all makea, and old at pricea at which othera dar not. THE WITTMANN COMPANY, 211-213 South Eleventh Streel. BLUE FRONT SHOE SHOP Good Oak Solos, nailed, 50c & 60c 1326 0 St. N. EBERLY HHHIHHH'HH3H-H X 7. ? A a ra fc 7 mm T Stylish and nobby f SHOES FOR MEN at PERKINS & SHELDON I020 O Street Hl r tp?i W4H1HM'HHH-WHK $11 r-Vtf tKS i.wmMWMm ttiM h qgwwregiKs y ?i. rvnt