Green Valley

his mother long ago. Everywhere he was spoken of as Cynthia's boy and no one seemed to remembe

minister, a duly certified preacher of the gospel. It was remembered in a general way that Cynthia's husband had been some sort of a wonderful foreign missionary or something; but a man who was Joshua Churchill's only grandchild and heir needed no other ancestor.

wed to speak in anything but an amazed whisper of that first sermon that the tall yo

Green Valley listen as it had never listened before. For an hour he talked and for that length of time Green Valley neigh

mells, the mystic beauty and the dark tragedy of it he painted and then very gently and easily he told of his trip back to his mother's home town and so withou

e its eyes and come out of its trance. Neighbor looked a

her hand to her right ear and pretending to be deafer than she really was, was sitting bolt upright, both ears and hands forgotten. For once Dolly Beatty forgot to

of little boys whose mothers always made them sit in the very first pew never so much as thought of kicking each other's shins or pass

d Churchill homestead but those nearest Mert swore that this could not be, that Mert had looked as surprised as those around him when he saw what he had done. Green Valley laughed and said a miracle

h's cottage and the three had sat talking until the small hours. Then Grandma had taken Cynthia's tall son up-stairs int

f eighteen; at the boy beside her who later became her husband; and at Cynthia

e, "we have waited years, you and I, for a message from her, a heart

, "she has sent us the mess

g sleep in far-off India may have guessed why in the end the frail but still lovely mother had begged him to go back to Gre

since his mother slipped away was no longer a sharp, never silent pain

he sun rise and shine on the merry little hills and the yellow road that wound up to his mother's old home. As he breathed in the wine of the spring mornings he comprehended

f the world. Your father and I brought a message to India. You must take one back to my people. Oh, you will love it-you will love it-the little dear

for she knew what he didn't, wouldn't believe-that she was neve

last she h

n the attic remember you must never open the square trunk with the brass nail heads unless Mary W

reen Valley only a few weeks the old life began to grow vague and unreal. The mother was real and near. But the splendid figure of his father was fadin

o but go home to Green Valley. He went. And the spirit of the vivid little mother seemed to have come with him. Every day that he spent in the town that had reare

, every turn of the happily straying roads and all the lame, odd, damaged and droll characters that make a town home just as the broken-nose

a great father and an equally great mother. And because he came into Green Valley with a fresh mind and a keen appetite for life

that stared so blindly out into the green world. He had been following a new bird and it had darted into the grove. So he c

t of all with his understanding friendliness. She told him all her story, her past trials and present griefs. And he told her strange things about people he had seen in other parts of the world, blind people living in foul alleys instead of sunny lanes, crippled ones with neither home nor kin of any kind. He told her much bu

eel-chair, one of those that she could work with her hands. He said that he thought she must be pretty tired sittin

ma st

air or more windows. Only Green Valley hasn't ever thought of it. She's always been so

man's wandering feet could not find their way to shelter, he wanted to know why litt

d and foolish who don't know how to seek happiness wisely. The happy, strong, se

really practice that kind of religion in aged India? In these parts the churches a

piano to take up his spare time and keep him ou

they have any right to be ambitious for. Why, Mary Tumley would no more think of touching her savings, of buy

help to save th

'll mention it to Mary the

or us both Sunday morning and evening. If little Jim Tumley doesn'

roads and low roads and had all manner of experiences and adventures a

tening most carefully to the description of every farm, its inmates, the barn dimensions and contents, the depth

mess of peas or beans to a less fortunate neighbor or to carry a basket of dishes over to the next farm where the thrashers were go

oad, entrusted the obliging H

law on him for breaking up my happy home. Two of my old beaux're coming to the thrashing and if

m their grandpa's and a bottle of home made cough medicine "and one of my first squash pies f

o show of nervous haste, and when they were w

many families. People tell you things and ask your help and advice and by gum after awhile you get to feeling that ma

nder? Those folks are relatives of Billy Evans' and as soon as ever I turn this corner, Mollie, that's the youngest girl, will start the graphophone going with my favori

why-I'm jest naturally bound to be kind of decent myself. And when you think of what I was-well-there's no use in talking-I was low-jest low.

ing with the minister and with the whole co

have been that old Mrs. Rosenwinkle, who, not knowing his name for som

son was "the new minister." And his influence was already felt by those who as yet regarded him as just a Green Valley boy who was helping out. F

t what's going to happen. Of course there's them that says it can't. Mr. Austin says it would be a terrible mistake, that he's too young; and Seth Curtis says no rich man would be fool enough to pester himself with a dinky country church. But

ed to tell her that the earth was round. Why, she says he's as good as any Lutheran. And Hank Lolly said that maybe when that new suit Billy's ordered him out of the new mail-order cat

nd-hand organ of his own in the house but had to go over to his sister's, Mrs. Hoskins, for to play a little tune when the fancy took him. He said it was an awful pity that a man who wanted music so b

there won't be enough money for a Keeley cure, or a respectable funeral for Jim in case he dies. She's struggled and struggled but come

rly morning train and it means something. Besides, Grandma told me that Frank fairly hates himself for not thinking of it

going to leave him; that her sister Mary over in Aberdeen has a big up-stairs bedroom all aired and waiting for her. It seems that Hen's more than co

o red up, he lets on like he don't know what she's talking about but he does, because he told Doc Philipps, when he went to see about his liver, that if he couldn't wear a soft collar or a soft hat like other men and keep a dog and smoke in the house, and eat strawberries or whistle or go to ball games on Sundays and prize fights

e Williams and told her and Bessie told Laura Enbry and of course it got to Agnes. So she's going to

lm these troubled waters he's got my sympathy. Joe, I think you're charging me ten cents too much for

. All the necessary rites gone through, Green Valley accepted him as it accepted the sunsh

nslee always spoke of him and addressed him as Mr. Knight. And he disc

th her. Mr. Ainslee had invited him up for Sunday dinner and the pa

ht. Then it was that he stopped and made his startling

denly, "you would not

ile, said nothing and walked o

asked a littl

lled that in India. It makes me f

tle gleam shot into her eyes, "what in the world shall I call you? I can't cal

face the wicked little gleam retreated and a deep pink began to flush Nanny's cheeks. The suspicion crossed her mind that this t

nd said never a word. Then he quietly t

ot a flirt and her remark was commonplace and trivial. Yet this new chap was taking it seriously and making her feel insincere

pass in he paused and waited for her to raise her eyes to his. She did it much ag

I saw you leave Green Valley one summer night last year and I came from the West

r careful pride and he saw them lo

m of the Los Angeles Limited the ni

then, to a man that He is sure He can trust,

came back to Green Valley I he

t smile came her anger faded. Through her heart there flashed the mad conviction, through her mind the certai

her lower lip quivered and she hoped he would ask her again to cal

in. It seemed he was n