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Show HER BLACK SILK. Uj JULIA FELT KNKKI.ANU. (CorraioiiT, lew, or Dailt Stout PuiiMsniHo Co.) "Yes, sir, that thcro machlno will do tho work of a half-dozen men, and do It qulckor and bolvr. I'll havo my alfalfa stacked beforo tho neighbors havo theirs In tho cocks," and John Prince complacently surveyed his latest purchase His wife poor, tired Jennie stood In tho kitchen door, looking at tho now stacker In a dissatisfied manner. Every year when John went to Denver Den-ver with his cnttlo ho brought her a now dress, but It was never a silk one. Sho had asked him again and again for tho much-coveted article, but was always refused on tho score, that "a farmer's wife had no need for a silk dress." When sho went to church she always took note of tho Ilk dresses, most of them belonging to poorer pcoplo than herself. As sho stood thus, In the bright morning sunshluo, a Hock of nearly a hundred geese Issued from tho barnyard barn-yard and marched past her, on their way to the Irrigation ditch. John camo leisurely up from tho barn. "It Is nearly tlmo thoso geeso were picked," ho remarked. "Yes," sho answered an-swered listlessly. "I believe we will havo llfty dollars' worth of feathers this year, mused John. Jounlo stalled. "Fifty dollars! Why that was Just what Cousin Kitty's Kit-ty's silk cost making and nil! Fifty dollars!" and as Jonnlo looked and thought a sudden plan formulated itself it-self In her brain. Sho would havo the money for tho feathers herself, Hadn't sho sot and tended them? Hadn't, she wntchod and fed them during tho cold winter? And now sho was expected ex-pected to pick them! Surely she had earned tho monoyl Early Monday morning, John started start-ed on a twcnty-flvo mile horseback rldo, to buy calves, and drlvo them home. Ho would be gono all weelc This was her chance. As soon as he was out of sight, Jonnlo called Andy, tho hired man, and with his assist-onco assist-onco tho geeso woro ono by ono taken tak-en from tho poultry house, and robbed of their pretty coats. Hour after hour they worked all other work for tho day being neglected. . When night camo a row of whoat sacks filled with feathers, stood on tho barn floor. Tuosday morning saw Jcnnlo and Andy driving to Emporia, with Hie sacks of feathers piled In tho wagon behind them. Arriving at Emporia, they drove lmmcdlatoly to a produco dealer, who purchased tho feathers. What a bound l.cr heart gavo when tho dealer counted tho .money Into her bands. Flfty-flvo dollars! With a smllo of exultation Jonnlo started for Cousin Kitty's, telling Andy to return homo and come after her on Thursday. "Kitty, can you go shopping with mo this afternoon?" Jennie asked at dinner. "Why, certainly. I should bo glad to go. Aro you going to get a spring dress?" "No, not exactly. I'm going to get a black silk." "A black silk!" In great astonishment. astonish-ment. "Hns John really given you tho money for it, at last?' "No. Ho didn't give It to me. I earned It" "You earned It? How?" But Jennie Jen-nie seemed embarrassed over Kitty's questions, nnd only said, "I'll toll you about It somo other time. Let's go down to tho city right away.' When sho started for homo on Thursday afternoon tho dress was well under way, with tho promlso His faco changed to tho flinty expression expres-sion sho so much dreaded, that she could havo It Saturday afternoon. after-noon. Sho spent tho Intervening tlmo planning how to present tho matter to John. At last Saturday afternoon came, and Andy drove her to town In tho buggy, procured tho dress, nnd then drove homo as quickly as possible Jennie fearing lest John should arrlvo flriL Andy was Instructed not to toll Mr. Prwo of her visits to Emporia i that week, as sho had been preparing a surprlso for him. Arriving at homo Just at sundown Jcnnlo was relieved to And that her husband was not homo yet. The dress was hidden upstairs, up-stairs, her clothes changed and supper sup-per ready before ho did como. Sunday morning, John waa tired, and only aroso In tlmo to dres3 hurriedly hur-riedly for church and so did not go to tho barnyard. Every circumstance scorned to favor Jennie's carrying out her plan of surprising him. John wns shaving In the kitchen his favorlto place. Jennie was In their room all ready to put on the dress. With trembling hands sho took It out of tho box, and looked at Its beautiful folds; but her spirit failed hor, and sho laid It back again. Sho went Into the closet and brought out tho brown flannel that John had given her last fall, and began to put It on. Then sho romombered tho geese, and thought, "I will at least try tho plan M 111 v&'-rfett& !&& mRTK U$a J If 7v "You aro probably a dying man." of surprising him, for In any event ho will know by night, nil about 1L" Tho brown flannel came off and the silk was put on. How nicely It flttod hor slender figure. Surely John would not harden his heart toward her when ho saw how beautiful It mado her appear! With a faltering step and a falling hoart, sho crept down tho stairs, across tho sitting room and through tho dining-room until sho stonDed In tho kitchen door. John had Just hung up tho towel. Ho -turned nnd looked at hor. His face lighted up with pleasure. ' Her heart gavo a great bound and with a Joyful cry, sho took a step or two toward him. Ho then saw for the first time that tho beautiful dress was silk, and his faco changod to tho flinty expression expres-sion which sho so much dreaded. "Jane Prlnco, where did you get this dress?" ho said, seizing her by tho nrm. "I I bought It" "You bought It; and whore did you get the monoy7" sarcastically. "I I picked tho geese and sold tho feathers," sho said, much as if sho had been reading her death sentence. sen-tence. John pushed her from him. "Jane Prlnco, you may wear your silk dress, bought by trickery and with stolen money, but you can no longer be my wife. I'll not forglvo you until my dying day for this base deceit I'll not turn you out of tho house, for you've teen a good wlfo to mo In the years that aro gono. I'll uso the west bedroom and you stay whero you aro, But don't speak to mo again until my dying day. Then and not till then I'll forglvo you." The days came and tho days went; how, Jennie scarcely know. Each seomed harder to enduro than the last Sho cooked tho meals, placed thom on the table, and then went to somo other part of the house while John and Andy ato. Often sho longed to throw her arms about his neck and bog for forgiveness, forgive-ness, but was afraid of doing so, lest she should be denied the measure of pleasure she had In serving him. John, too, afte.' his temper cooled and he had tlmo to think the whole matter out, came to a realization of how meanly ho had acted In many things toward his wlfo. He thought of all bis acres and acres of land, ot the money which thoy brought to him overy year, of the barn and buildings, of tho machinery, of tho horses and cattle, which he hnd bought for his own pleasure, and then ho thought of all that ho had denied his wlfo. Thus the summer nnd autumn passed. Early In December, John became be-came violently 111. Jennie Immediately Immedi-ately sent for the doctor, who pronounced pro-nounced It pneumonia, Jonnlo nursed him day nnd night, but ho grow rap-Idly rap-Idly worse. Ho had now and then a few lucid moments, ono of these occurring oc-curring during tho doctor's visit John grasped tho doctor's hand and begged him to tell his condition. "Doctor," ho said, "I want to know Just what you think ot my cass. An I dying? There Is ono thing which i V i TOa!TJnB?HTeoTiyadvlce Is, sclUs them at once. Yon ore probably a dying dy-ing man, but wo will hope for the best If you want to see your lawyer from tho city, I can send blm out to you at once." "Thank you, doctor, but thero Is no ono to send for. if you seo my wife as you .go out, please tell her that 1 want her." With her heart beating almost to suffocation, Jennie came swiftly Into the room, and up to tho bedside. John caught her hand, pulled her down to him, and put both arms around her. He held her thus moment after moment mo-ment before ho spoke. Then he whispered softly, "My wlfo, will you forglvo mo?" "Can you forgive mo?" sho Bobbed. For answer, ho hold her close to htm and covered her faco with kisses, and all was quiet peace In their hearts. A week later when John know that ho was to live, and not dio, ho snld to Jennie, "I said onco that t would nover forglvo you until my dying day. Will you consider last Wednesday as my dying day tho day In which I died to all my hardness and selfishness, and let mo lire again, to make you happy? Wear your black silk as a plodgo of our now found love. Without that dress wo should nover have known this happy hour." |
