Peggy

Peggy By Agnes Just Reid Codyville, Wyoming, July 16, 1922. My dear, dear LaVern: — Yes, yes, I knew how over- whelmed with surprise you would be when you heard of my marriage, and, though you were kind enough not to mention the fact, I knew how more than overwhelmed you would be to hear I was married to a farmer. I remember how I used to rant about the hard work on a farm and advise all you girls to marry anyone, doctor, lawyer, merchant, thief; or marry no one at all, but never, never marry a farmer. Well, that was before I knew about Peggy, no not Peggy Marsh, just Peggy, and when I have told you the story of Peggy you will understand. The year after you left, the same old bunch from the "High" came out to dad's for the same old trip to the same old moun- tain. Excuse me, dear LaVern, it was not quite the same old bunch and nothing else has been quite the same after you left us. There must have been twenty of us in the party, most of them from the "High" but a few neighborhood young people who cared to join us. We had horses and saddles of every description borrowed from everyone that would loan us one, but, fiddle, you know all about that part of it. The day passed rather uneventfully, the season was not far advanced, so we climbed through many snow drifts to reach the mountain top, but we all made it after a good many slips backward, built our very smoky fire and ate our very badly shaken up lunch. On the way home, as usual, the enthusiasm of the morning had dwindled until about fifty per cent of us were tired and cross. The bunch fell into little groups. I had no special escort for the day, so, by the time the pairing off was done, I found myself riding down the mountain trail with George Pratt. It wasn't an awfully happy sensation either. I knew full well how all the girls of my set, including yourself, would poke fun at him. I thought of the many times that you and I had noticed him in the field plowing or reaping, or even met him on the road in his car and passed remarks about his countryfied appearance. Anyway, it did not matter, I was tired and did not care to talk, and I knew that if he didn't know any- thing else in the world, he wasi a good rider and would get me

410 IMPROVEMENT ERA safely home over the slippery mountain trails. We rode for miles and never spoke, it seemed to me. After a while we left the trail that the others had taken and took one that George said was shorter. The air was full of spring accents and spring sounds and as we got lower we began to find a great many flowers. George picked some that I especially admired, then we had another stretch of silence. You know how long the road always seems coming home, all down hill and slow going, but after awhile I began to feel all new and rested. It really seemed a relief to be away from the noisy, giggling bunch, all talking at once and all saying the same "nothing." About that time our trail began to wind downj into a little creek bottom, and something large and dark loomed in the bed of the little stream. I asked George what it was. He said simply: "A dead cow," but it didn't look dead to me. That is, it looked dead and acted dead, but I was positive I had seen it move. As we rode closer, George said he too fancied he saw some- thing move and it might be a wolf on the opposite side of the carcass. Wonderingly we kept on down the trail, then crossing the creek we came into full view of the dead animal and Peggy. I am just sure that I said Peggy out loud just the minute I saw the calf, for that name seemed to be right there with her. If I didn't say it there wasn't a word said. There wasn't anything to say. We both saw at a glance what had happened. The mother cow had been mired in the mud at the creek bottom, she had been dead perhaps two days and Peggy had stayed right by her, at the mercy of the wolves that were sure to come, and gently licked her with her tongue, trying, it seemed, to awaken her. When she saw us, of course she did not know we were her friends, so she threw up her little head, opened wide her start- led eyes and ran up the mountain side like a frightened deer. Quicker than you could think, George took down his rope and raced after her. I followed as fast as I could but by the time I got within sight of them again, George was off his horse, kneeling by a very fast breathing little Peggy and gently tak- ing the rope off her neck. I did not know what he meant to do but he did not seem to care to talk so I was sure he would not like to answer questions; so I just waited. And what do you think he did? Why, he took Peggy in his arms and put her over the saddle, then he got on with her. Of course, Peggy had never ridden horse back and she was so frightened and kicked and bucked until I was sure she would get away again and go back where the wolves would eat her, but George just held her firmly and looked at her lovingly and after awhile she quit fighting him, and rode along quite submissively.

PEGGY 411 i. When we got home, the rest of the bunch had been there some time, most of them had gone on home, but my dad was certainly pleased when he found what we had brought with us. George said it was to be mine. I could not see why it should, since he had all the trouble with it, but he said it was a rule of the range that anyone finding a motherless calf like that became the legitimate owner, and he insisted that I had found it. Well, I helped feed her that day, and after the close of school and I had my coveted diploma, I fed her all the time. She grew so fat and pretty and would come to me as far as she could hear my voice. My, how I grew to love her! She was the best pal I had ever had. George would call up occasionally when she was real small to see how she was getting along, but I couldn't begin to make him understand how she was growing, so I used to ask him to come and see her. Naturally when he came to see her he couldn't help seeing me, and we found a lot of things besides Peggy to talk about. As long as it was summer, I was sure he was just coming to see Peggy for he never would come in the house, no matter how hard I'd beg, but when the days got cool, and the nights were chilly, he still came sometimes, and then he had to come in to keep from freezing while we talked. Then about Thanksgiving time he asked me to go to a picture show with him. Of course, I went. You know I never miss a picture show. Then, what do you think he gave me for Christmas?' Why he subscribed for every movie magazine there is on the market. No more blank mail days for me, they simply rained in, and more than that he took me to a dance. He always did dance divinely, but being a farmer I never noticed it much. After that we went to a great many places together. We always found lots to talk about, but there were times when we were happy just to be together and not talk. Peggy had reached the uninteresting stage of calfhood. She found her living in the field and did not seem to care so much for me, so George and I became more and more companionable. We walked together, danced together, rode horseback together, rode in the car together. And one day in the spring he asked me to marry him, and I was mighty glad he asked me, and I said "ye8»" right quick. Then began the part of the story that was not so much Peggy's story as mine. George began to build a home for me, to set out trees, plant grass and flowers for me. There had been times when I envied you girls, who had the chance to go to college, but after I became engaged to George I was always sorry for you. Oh, the amount of things he did for me, just me. Why he would hardly let the carpenters drive a nail

412 IMPROVEMENT ERA until he ran up in his car to ask me if I thought it would be all right to have it driven in that particular place. Then several times a week he took me down to pass judgment on what he had done. And the amount of things that he accomplished in that year! He surely worked and planned in true "Harvester" fashion, for when spring came again everything was in readi- ness. By the time! the crops were in, it was June, and that was the only month I would consider for my marriage, so one day he came and took me to town in his car, as he had done hun- dreds of times before, and we were married in the presence of two witnesses. That night, we stayed to a picture show, then came home in the light of the most glorious full moon that ever shone on a happy pair. We ran the car into the garage, and as we came out there seemed to be sort of a commotion among the milk cows, so we walked over to look at them and there was Peggy, my Peggy right down there in George Piatt's corral. Dad had driven her down after we left, and by Peggy's side, shining there in the moon light, was another little Peggy, our wedding gift. I hope you will visit us soon for1 we remembered to provide a room for you when we built. The strawberries are ripe, and Peggy's cream is the best in the world. Your perfectly contented Margaret. Shelley, R. 2, Idaho The Troubled World "What's that! From out the blackened darkness of the night, An unfamiliar sound — and sleep has fled, And in the startled mind new thoughts arise, We leave our bed and write. * * * The night is filled with dread, the day with fear, And as we pass the blackened watch of night, Restless and startled by unfathomed sound, We wake to meet the rushing hours of day Heavy with foreboding. And with no hope Of good reward for labor spent. But — driven by life's stern necessity, With nerves and muscles tense, we fight the day And seek to find success which, like some phantom Calls us on — but never gives us rest.

THE TROUBLED WORLD 413 Oh, troubled World! Thy path is far astray. But, know this, there is balm for all thy ills. Pause in thy maddened rush, and for a space Consider whence thou cam'st and why thou art. And where thou goest — and life's destiny. And in thy heart will come — Like some forgotten knowledge of the past — A new and welcome thought and you will know That in the great and fearful plan of life Some power unknown to weak and mortal minds Guides mortals' destiny. And if you longer pause, Another thought, more potent than the first, Will reach thy seeking soul, and you will say, Without one doubting fear, There is a God! Consider this! Oh weak and mortal man, You little know what life still holds in store For you, and those whom thou wouldst bless. And should our fate this day decree That our short span of life is done, What then? We have no power to halt Time's onward flight, And we must go. And where? To that great realm unknown from whence we came. For can you think that when our cold and lifeless clay Is- hidden in the dust that that is all? No! Consult thine inner self And every fibre of thy being cries, "We still must be!" And if there is a God, and after death We still shall live And know ourselves — our friends, and realize The meaning of the past and what it means To future life. Will we be glad That we have lived? Throughout the ages e'en since man began His mortal race, This thought of God and future life Has been his hope — and every clan, From lowest savage to the highest man, Has had its God. Back in that great unknown from whence we came Ere earth was formed, our God made konvvn his plan To further man's progression. For — without This mortal body, all progression stopped. And so we sang and shouted loud for joy That this should be. But hark! We then were shown On this new earth man walks by faith alone. No knowledge of the past you there should have No power to know what in the future lies. But day by day you shall pursue Your onward course. And live your life, and choose 'tween good and ill,

414 IMPROVEMENT ERA Virtue and vice. For in this mortal life you shall be tried And proven whether you love good and seek The goal of life well lived, of many worth-while deeds, Much goodness wrought and happiness dispensed; or whether, In the weakness of your baser self, you yield To Satan's temptings and go down to dark despair And to an evil life where hope is lost And man becomes a beast. For, to progress, man must be tempted — tried. And if he overcome the doubting fears and all the temptings Of that baser king (who laughs at man's misfortunes And who seeks, with cunning and intrigue, to conquer man And bring him down to hell and all its bitter thoughts) Then when this life is o'er and we once more Regain our knowledge of that great unknown From whence we came and where we are to go, Our God will give us welcome, and his power Will permeate our beings, and from then, Through all the countless ages of eternity, We'll go on and on to greater power, Richer knowledge — and be free From all the trials and temptations we have fought In mortal life. But if we fail in this, our course is stopped Till we have paid the price for all our sins And suffered for the wrongs we did on earth To fellowmen. Choose thou! Which course is thine? Wilt thou believe there is a God and worship him, Or wilt thou say there is no God — no hell, And waste thy life in wanton greed and sin, And forfeit all thy chances to become The master of thyself — thy destiny? There's but one course and that is still to fight And seek that life of better deeds. Strive for ideals that when the time shall come When thou shalt close thy mortal eyes to wake no more Till thou art called of God, That thou shalt go untrembling, sweet, serene, In this great thought, "My race is run ; No evil deed has been my part, But ever have I sought the better things." And as you pass into Eternity, What light shall come — what peace! All fears have passed and through all time to come No pause in thy progression and thy joy. Live then, O Fellowman! Choose thou the right! L. B. Summerhays

barts andffolfyhocks <JJ Story of Love, Struggle and Society JluthMoenchBelf CHAPTER VII Throughout the night, the strange familiarity of that figure in the freight-car disturbed Edna's rest. Could that man pos- sibly have been John? If he were John, why was he there? Why was he there? And why was he carrying with him that pitiful box of sandwiches? He had promised Phil to return at once to a meeting at the office. Why must he send her away like that before he could go to the meeting? What was the meaning of the cry in his sleep and then repeated when he was awake: "God, I'm afraid of it all"? Why had he acted so strangely of late? Why that trip out to the little hut among the hollyhocks? It was maddening to lie there cooped up in ta Pullman sleeper while John was perhaps speeding away in another direc- tion in a freight-car. The proximity of the upper berth op- pressed her. If she could only get out and walk up and down the aisle: If she could get out into the open, under the stars and think! Towards morning she dosed off fitfully, to be awakened with a start of terror as the wheels of the train crunched to a stop at a small station. The crunching of the cars sent a shud- der through her. Many a man had been crunched to death beneath such wheels! Many a man stealing a ride on the freight train! She peered anxiously out. As if she could hope to see John among the passengers going and coming! Like one emerging from prison, she got off the train and was met by her cousin. His wife was not with' him. She searched his face and, to her dismay, found something that confirmed her worst fears. Silently, reading her query in her eyes, after they got into the car, he handed her a newspaper. It was folded so that the shrieking headlines clamored at once at her ears. How many times had she read such words, read them casually, almost with indifference? "Defaulter, Fugitive from Justice, Eluding the Law, Detectives on his Trail." Now those terrible words with John's name blazoned beside them, were like bayonets, scores of bayonets, piercing her heart. The world seemed to stand still as she read that much, not the details, and crumbled the paper in her hands.

416 IMPROVEMENT ERA Considerately, the cousin drove out into the open coun- try, to give her time to recover before taking her to his home. "I've got to get to John," she finally moaned. "I must get to him." "No one could e^ en guess where he is," her cousin told her. "I know where he is," she cried. "I know now, at least, where he was. He left in a freight-car, bound for the coast." The cousin stared at her: "You knew he had done this? You knew he was fleeing the law?" "No, no, I never guessed till now. I never guessed where all our luxuries were coming from. Never guessed why he was sending me away. But as our train pulled out, I saw a figure like John crouched in ia freight-car going in the opposite direction. It was so absurd that he might be John that I could not believe till now, in spite of the resemblance. It was John, I know now, John, my John! I belong by his side! I must get to him." "You will be watched. They will try to trail him through you. Keep a watch on your words. We will try to shield you from reporters. But you had best stay here for several days. He will probably write you here." "If I could only get some word to him! If I could only be sure he would write. If I could only be near him to help him to bear it! If I were only with him in that awful freight car! He may be hungry and sick and I never know! Oh, God, I can't bear it." "Then it isn't the disgrace?" "The only disgrace I care about is that they are calling John a thief. He isn't a thief! Whatever he did, he did it for me, hoping to make me happy. Why didn't I know that all I wanted to miake me happy was just John? John anywhere! A freight-car or hovel would be heaven now if John were there with me and free. Oh, why didn't I know?" Days after, no word had come from John. Edna knew that, though her relatives were most kind, they could not rel- ish the notoriety her presence occasioned. She knew they could not be proud of their relation to her, now. She begged them to forward in a differently addressed letter, any word that might come from him, and went back to close up their affairs and home. Home! If she could but have realized what she was to en- counter! If she could have had some preparation for the sight that met her eyes as she neared her home! Vehicles were drawn up before the house. One article after another was being brought out and auctioned off. Common things, precious possessions, personal belongings were brought out in the same

HEARTS AND HOLYHOCKS 417 way and held up for the smiles, or admiration of the crowd. Shrinking from public gaze, Edna looked about for some place to conceal herself. Fortunately Judith was looking out of her window at the distressing spectacle and turning away, momentarily, caught sight of Edna. With a suppressed cry she ran out and brought the poor wanderer into her home. "Oh, you poor darling," she cried. "Come into my room so Phil will not see you. He is terribly angry. I slipped over and got a few of your personal effects, without it being known. I've put them away for you. Isn't it awful, dear?" "Nothing is awful," Edna broke down and sobbed in Judith's arms, touched by her kindness and sympathy. "Nothing is awful but this: John is suffering it out somewhere alone. It seems almost worse than if he were dead, not to be able to get any word to him or hear from him. And it's all my fault. He wanted to live out there in the little cottage among the hollyhocks. I though it would be so lonely there. Oh, it would be paradise there now, with John. I — I thought it would be so lovely to live near you, just as we had always done. I didn't see the strain it would be on John trying to keep the pace with you. We with our small income, you with your plenty ! When he began getting me things I had no idea he was — was — oh, I can't say it about John." "You shan't say it." Judith put her hand over Edna's mouth. "You shan't say it. John is not a thief. It has all come to light now. One of those fake promoters got hold of him. He borrowed a little to invest. They say that he made a good sum with that to lead him on. Then he tried more and they saw that it, too, succeeded. Then he invested a big sum of the firm's money expecling to pay it all back before the fact was discovered. Then the bottom fell out of the whole scheme and he couldn't pay back." "If they sell the home and car and furnishings won't that square it all?" "The home and car and everything you own will cover only a fraction of the frightful sum. It almost sent us to the wall. Phil's father is back now to help the business through. He said he could have believed it of anyone on earth but John. Phil is furious with himself that he was easy enough to let John take you to the train that night. It only shows how they all trusted John. He said he never dreamed for a minute that John would not come back after he got you out of the way, and face it all. They must do business under a receiver for awhile. But I feel sure the business will recover. Phil is terribly bitter against John. He has detectives searching for him everywhere." "Don't say another word," Edna sobbed. "It was I who

418 IMPROVEMENT ERA dragged him down. Think how they all trusted him. And now they are hounding him down just as if he were an animal, a poor, wounded animal. And I am responsible. I should have helped him up to what he meant to be instead of bringing him to this." Edna waited till after dark and then Judith took her stealthily to the station. She preferred to return to her cousin's. She couldn't endure to see her mother or let herself be seen by anyone, least of all her mother. Months passed away, agonizing months for Edna. She was shielded by her cousins, yet knew herself an unwelcome guest. Then, one day, came a letter, scrawled to defy recognition. Edna knew it at once, however. John was alive but wretchedly poor and in need. He was in that haven for criminals and fugitives, New York City. Could she send him a few dollars? Fortunately her mother had sent her a small sum, know- ing she) must be in need. She shared it at once with John, tell- ing him that she was coming to him and bidding him meet her. She gave the date and hour of her intended departure and the line over which she would leave. Disguised, she was taken by her oousin, at night to an ad- joining city and there boarded the train en route for New York, Whatever she might have to face, it was a relief to get away. Her presence, she knew, was a strain on her cousins. Even their car rides with her were made after dark. And while she served them as a domestic without compensation sa^e the meager wage of a servant, she knew that they would be glad to be rid of her. She, too, was glad to be off. Then also she was going to John. If she did not stick to him in this time of trouble and disgrace, who in heaven's name would? Yet, how differently she was going to New York! How differently than she had gone in her dreams. Alas, now, her dreams had been changed to night-mares. If she had but known her stay in New York was to be like one long night-mare from which there was no merciful awakening! Edna stepped off the train after her long journey. John was waiting for her, John — in the bleak, biting winds of Decem- ber, waiting without an overcoat, gaunt, haggard, ragged, har- rassed! A gust of wind disclosed his bare ankles. He was with- out socks or underwear and shoes were full of holes. John, the once handsome, well-groomed John! All his strength of charac- ter and inherent nobility had come to this. Edna choked back the sobs that gripped her throat. She went to his arms and kissed him. His shoulders were so thin they seemed to cut her arms as she put them about him. With a pitiful attempt at playing the role of masculine protector, John assured her that he had found a room for

HEARTS AND HOLYHOCKS 419 them. They went along side streets like two dismal, hunted rats, over slimy cobblestones, down evil-smelling alley-ways, Through tear-dimmed eyes, after blocks and blocks of filth, Edna suddenly became insensible to the slime and tenement odors. Instead, even in the bleak air of December, there rose the faded outlines of the little cottage among the hollyhocks. Is there a fragrance to hollyhocks? Can their perfume subdue the odors of tenement alleys? Can their straggling foliage blur the lines of giant structures built to house humans? Battling with sobs that must not come up, blinking away tears that must not flow, Edna descried the shadowy forms of children among the hollyhocks! Babies with flaxen curls making doll parasols of hollyhocks and hats of burdock leaves! A home that might have been hers and John's forever! Babies that might have blessed them! Peace in quiet ways! Angels among the clouds with eyes one's eyes might meet! God in the mountains, the stream, the moon, the meadow! — And this! They were inside a wretched room, cold and cheerless. "I saved my last week's pay for you," John was saying in an attempt to hearten her. And he laid four dollars on the table. He had gone without food and braved the winds without eocks or underwear and saved for her. Edna gulped her sobs back again. Whatever happened she must not let John see her cry. She must look cheerful and cheer John. With fearless eyes she took in the room. Her impulse was to stand on the rickety chair in the middle of the room and gather her skirts about her lest she touch some part of the room or furnishings. Instead, she affected to ignore the dirty bedding, the torn wall paper, the broken chairs and table. She kissed John again and she did not sob. "I'll hold it till night," she kept telling herself. "I'll not cry till John is asleep. I mustn't! I mustn't! I mustn't!" She spread a newspaper on the table and got out a little lunch she had bought at a small station. There was neither coal nor kindling in the room. She rolled up a newspaper and lighted it in the stove and they drew close to the slight warmth ; for the wind was blowing through the cracks and broken panes of glass. Edna had decided to look for work, too. They could not live on the four to seven dollars a week which John could earn working at obscure jobs where detectives would not be liable to find him. She had saved a little and with that she bought John a cheap overcoat, underwear and socks. Then Edna set out to look for employment. John warned her that they had to be particularly careful about answering advertisements in the paper, any one of which

420 IMPROVEMENT ERA might be a decoy. After a long day's search the only thing she could find was a job as scrub woman at three dollars a week. John protested. In the other days he had never been able to endure the sight of his dainty, charming Edna mop- ping their small kitchen. Now the thoughts of her scrubbing for others was more than he could bear. Edna declared she did not mind in the least and would only do this till something better could be found. She had not long to wait. Word came through friends in the monstrous underworld, friends who knew and were faithful, detectives were on his trail. They were forced to change employment and move to even less desirable quar- ters. Always it was the same thing. As soon as better work or some small comfort was theirs, the dogs of the law were on their trail and they were forced to break the scent. Once John was warned barely in time. A detective froze one foot waiting for him at the front door of the tenement while he, forewarned, escaped through a back alley. It was had enough to find work but to be forced to leave seemed too cruel. Many a time there was scarce a dollar between them and hunger. At such times Edna pretended she had a headache and declared she was not hungry, so John could have the small supply of food. When circumstances were better how glad she was to be able to get an egg for John and how valiantly she protested that she did not care for eggs. Often she found herself sitting up in bed, having dreamed that John was taken. Then she would grope along the pillow till she found him or would listen a moment to his breath- ing, so real the dreams became. (To be Continued) Thinking "Remember that it is a law of man's being, that the inner, sub- conscious mind must respond to the picture-thoughts that are created in the conscious mind."' — Sain> E. Foulds. "Keep your hand firmly upon the helm of thought. In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding master; he does but sleep; wake him. Self-control is strength; right thought is mastery; calmness is power." — Jcmves Allen. "WSiat you allow to live in your heart, harbor in your mind, dwell upon in your thoughts, are seeds which will develop in your life, and produce things like themselves. Hate seed in the heart cannot produce a love flower in the life. A sinister thought will produce a sinister harvest. A revengo thought will produce a bloody harvest." — Editor s Scrap Booh.