Markhamandthebaby，andgavethebabyanapple。Thiswasapleasure。Hehadsuchaheartywayabouthim。Heonhispartsawanordinaryfarmer’swifewithdustydress，unkempthair，andtiredface。Hedidnotknowexactlywheysheappealedtohim，buthetriedtocheerherup。
Thegrocerwasfamiliarwiththesebedraggledandwearywives。
Hewasaccustomedtoseethemsitforhoursinhisbigwoodenchairandnursetiredandfretfulchildren。Theirforlorn，aimless，patheticwanderingupanddownthestreetwasadailyoccurrence，andhadneverpossessedanyspecialmeaningtohim。
II
Inacottagearoundthecornerfromthegrocerystoretwomenandawomanwerefinishingadaintyluncheon。Thewomanwasdressedincool，whitegarments，andsheseemedtomakethedayoneofperfectcomfort。
ThehomeoftheHonorableMr。Hallwasbynomeansthecostliestinthetown，buthiswifemadeitthemostattractive。Hewasoneoftheleadinglawyersofthecountyandamanofcultureandprogressiveviews。HewasentertainingafriendwhohadlecturedthenightbeforeintheCongregationalchurch。
Theywerebynomeansinseriousdiscussion。Thetalkwasratherfrivolous。Hallhadtheabilitytocaricaturemenwithafewgesturesandattitudes，andwasgivingtohisEasternfriendsomedescriptionsoftheold-fashionedWesternlawyershehadmetinhispractice。Hewasveryamusing，andhisguestlaughedheartilyforatime。
ButsuddenlyHallbecameawarethatOtiswasnotlistening。Thenheperceivedthathewaspeeringoutofthewindowatsomeone，andthatonhisfacealookofbittersadnesswasfalling。
Hallstopped。“Whatdoyousee，Otis？“
Otisreplied，“Iseeaforlorn，wearywoman。“
Mrs。Hallroseandwenttothewindow。Mrs。Markhamwaswalkingbythehouse，herbabyinherarms。Savageangerandweepingwereinhereyesandonherlips，andtherewashopelesstragedyinhershamblingwalkandweakback。
InthesilenceOtiswenton：“Isawthepoor，dejectedcreaturetwicethismorning。Icouldn’tforgether。“
“Whoisshe？“askedMrs。Hallverysoftly。
“HernameisMarkham；she’sSamMarkham’swife，“saidHall。
Theyoungwifeledthewayintothesittingroom，andthementookseatsandlittheircigars。HallwasmeditatingadiversionwhenOtisresumedsuddenly：
“Thatwomancametotowntodaytogetachange，tohavealittleplayspell，andshe’swanderingaroundlikeastarvedandwearycat。Iwonderifthereisawomaninthistownwithsympathyenoughandcourageenoughtogooutandhelpthatwoman？Thesaloonkeepers，thepoliticians，andthegrocersmakeitpleasantfortheman-sopleasantthatheforgetshiswife。Butthewifeisleftwithoutaword。“
Mrs。Hall’sworkdropped，andonherprettyfacewasalookofpain。Theman’sharshwordshadwoundedher-andwakenedher。
Shetookupherhatandhurriedoutonthewalk。Themenlookedateachother，andthenthehusbandsaid：
“It’sgoingtobealittlesultryforthemenaroundthesediggings。
Supposewegooutforawalk。“
Deliafeltahandonherarmasshestoodatthecorner。“Youlooktired，Mrs。Markham；won’tyoucomeinalittlewhile？I’mMrs。
Hall。“
Mrs。Markhamturnedwithascowlonherfaceandabitingwordonhertongue，butsomethinginthesweet，roundlittlefaceoftheotherwomansilencedher，andherbrowsmoothedout。
“Thankyoukindly，butit’smosttimetogohome。I’mlookingferMr。Markhamnow。“
“Oh，comeinalittlewhile；thebabyiscrossandtriedout；pleasedo。“
Mrs。Markhamyieldedtothefriendlyvoice，andt~getherthetwowomenreachedthegatejustastwomenhurriedlyturnedtheothercorner。
“Letmerelieveyou，“saidMrs。Hall。
Themotherhesitated：“He’ssodusty。“
“Oh，thatwon’tmatter。Oh，whatabigfellowheis!Ihaven’tanyofmyown，“saidMrs。Hall，andalookpassedlikeanelectricsparkbetweenthetwowomen，andDeliawasherwillingguestfromthatmoment。
Theywentintothelittlesittingroom，sodaintyandlovelytothefarmer’swife，andasshesankintoaneasy-chairshewasfaintanddrowsywiththepleasureofit。Shesubmittedtobeingbrushed。
ShegavethebabyintothehandsoftheSwedishgirl，whowasheditsfaceandhandsandsangittosleep，whileitsmothersippedsometea。Throughitallshelaybackinhereasychair，notspeakingaword，whiletheachepassedoutofherback，andherhot，swollenheadceasedtothrob。
Butshesaweverything-thepiano，thepictures，thecurtains，thewallpaper，thelittleteastand。Theywerealmostasgratefultoherasthefoodandfragranttea。Suchhousekeepingasthisshehadneverseen。Hermotherhadwornherkitchenfloorthinasbrownpaperinkeepingaspecklesshouse，andshehadbeeninhousesthatwerelargerandcostlier，butsomethingofthecharmofherhostesswasinthearrangementofvases，chairs，orpictures。Itwastasteful。
Mrs。Halldidnotaskaboutheraffairs。ShetalkedtoheraboutthesturdylittlebabyandaboutthethingsuponwhichDelia’seyesdwelt。Ifsheseemedinterestedinavaseshewastoldwhatitwasandwhereitwasmade。Shewasshownallthepicturesandbooks。
Mrs。Hallseemedtoreadhervisitor’smind。Shekeptasfarfromthefarmandherguest’saffairsaspossible，andatlastsheopenedthepianoandsangtoher-notslow-movinghymns，butcatchylovesongsfullofsentiment，andthenplayedsomesimplemelodies，knowingthatMrs。Markham’seyeswerestudyingherhands，herrings，andtheflashofherfingersonthekeys-seeingmorethansheheard-andthroughitallMrs。Hallconveyedtheimpressionthatshe，too，washavingagoodtime。
Therattleofthewagonoutsiderousedthemboth。Samwasatthegateforher。Mrs。Markhamrosehastily。“Oh，it’salmostsundown!“shegaspedinastonishmentasshelookedoutofthewindow。
“Oh，thatwon’tkillanybody，“repliedherhostess。“Don’thurry。
Carrie，takethebabyouttothewagonforMrs。MarkhamwhileI
helpherwithherthings。“
“Oh，I’vehadsuchagoodtime，“Mrs。Markhamsaidastheywentdownthelittlewalk。
“SohaveI，“repliedMrs。Hall。Shetookthebabyamomentasherguestclimbedin。“Oh，youbig，fatfellow!“shecriedasshegavehimasqueeze。“Youmustbringyourwifeinoftener，Mr。
Markham，“shesaidasshehandedthebabyup。
Samwasstaringwithamazement“Thankyou，Iwill，“hefinallymanagedtosay。
“Goodnight，“saidMrs。Markham。
“Goodnight，dear，“calledMrs。Hall，andthewagonbegantorattleoff。
ThetendernessandsympathyinhervoicebroughtthetearstoDelia’seyesnothotnorbittertears，buttearsthatcooledhereyesandclearedhermind。
Thewindhadgonedown，andtheredsunlightfellmistilyovertheworldofcornandstubble。Thecricketswerestrnchirping，andthefeedingcattleweredriftingtowardthefarmyards。Thedayhadbeenmadebeautifulbyhumansympathy。
MRS。RIPLEY’STRIP
“Andinwinterthewindssweepthesnowsacrossit。“
ThnnightwasinwindyNovember，andtheblast，threateningrain，roaredaroundthepoorlittleshantyof“UncleRipley，“setlikeachickentraponthevastIowaprairie。UncleEthanwasmendinghisoldviolin，withmanyYorkState“dums!“and“Igaldarns!“
totallyobliviousofhistirelessoldwife，who，having“finishedthesupperdishes，“satknittingastocking，evidentlyforthelittlegrandsonwholaybeforethestovelikeacat。Neitheroftheoldpeopleworeglasses，andtheirlightwasatallowcandle；theycouldn’tafford“noneo’themnewfangledlamps。“Theroomwassmall，thechairswooden，andthewallsbare-ahomewherepovertywasanever-absentguest。Theoldladylookedpatheticallylittle，wizened，andhopelessinherill-fittinggarmentswhoseoriginalcolorhadlongsincevanished，intentasshewasonthestockinginherknotted，stiffenedfingers，buttherewasapeculiarsparkleinherlittleblackeyes，andanunusualresolutioninthestraightlineofherwitheredandshapelesslips。Suddenlyshepaused，stuckaneedleinthespareknobofhairatthebackofherhead，andlookingatRipley，saiddecisively：“EthanRipley，you’llhafftodoyourowncookingfromnowontoNewYear’s；I’mgoin’
backtoYaarkState。“
Theoldman’sleather-brownfacestiffenedintoalookofquizzicalsurpriseforamoment；thenhecackledin-credulously：“Ho!Ho!
har!Sho!bey’，now？Iwanttoknowify’be。“
“Well，you’llfindout。“
“Goin’tostarttomorrow，Mother？“
“No，sir，Iain’t；butIamonThursday。IwanttogettoSally’sbySunday，sure，an’toSilas’sonThanksgivin’。“
Therewasanoteintheoldwoman’svoicethatbroughtgenuinestupefactionintothefaceofUncleRipley。Ofcourse，inthiscase，asinallothers，themoneyconsiderationwasuppermost。
“Howgy’xpecttogetthemoney，Mother？Anybodydiedan’leftyehapile？“
“NeveryoumindwhereIgetthemonyso’s’ttiydon’thafftobearit。Thelandknows，ifI’da-waitedforyoutopaymyway-“
“Youneedn’ttwitmeofbein’poor，oldwoman，“saidRipley，flamingupafterthemannerofmanyoldpeople。“I’vedonemypartt’getalong。I’veworkeddayinanddayout-“
“Oh!Iain’tdonenowork，haveI？“snappedshe，layingdownthestockingandlevelinganeedleathim，andputtingafrightfulemphasison“I。“
“Ididn’tsayyouhadn’tdonenowork。“
“Yes，youdid!“
“Ididn’t，neither。Isaid“Iknowwhatyousaid。“
“IsaidI’ddonemypart!“roaredthehusband，dominatingherasusualbysuperiorlungpower。“Ididn’tsayyouhadn’tdoneyourpart，“headdedwithanunfortunatetouchofemphasison“say。“
“Iknowy’didn’tsayit，buty’meantit。Idon’tknowwhaty’calldoin’mypart，EthanRipley；butifcookin’foradroveofharvesthandsandthrashin’hands，takin’careo’theeggsandbutter，’n’
diggin’tatersan’milkin’ain’tmypart，Idon’tneverexpecttodomypart，’n’youmightaswellknowitfust’slast。I’msixtyyearsold，“
shewentonwithalittlebreakinherharshvoice，dominatinghimnowbywoman’slogic，“an’I’veneverhadadaytomy-self，notevenFourtho’July。IfI’vewenta-visitin’’rtoapicnic，I’vehadtocomehomean’milk’n’getsupperforyoumenfolks。Iain’tbeenawayt’stayovernightforthirteenyearsinthishouse，’n’itwasjustsoinDavisCountyfortenmore。Fortwenty-threeyears，EthanRipley，I’vestuckrighttothestovean’churnwithoutadayoranightoff。“Hervoicechokedagain，butsherarnedandcontinuedimpressively，“AndnowI’ma-goin’backtoYaarkState。“
Ethanwasvanquished。Hestaredatherinspeechlesssurprise，hisjawhanging。Itwasincredible。
“Fortwenty-threeyears，“shewentonmusingly，“I’vejustaboutpromisedmyselfeveryyearI’dgobackan’seemyfolks。“Shewasdistinctlytalkingtoherselfnow，andhervoicehadatouching，wistfulcadence。“I’vewantedtogobackan’seetheoldfolks，an’
thehillswhereweplayed，an’eatapplesofftheoldtreedownbytheoldwell。I’vehadthemtreesan’hillsinmyminddaysanddays-nights，too-an’thegirlsIusedtoknow，an’myownfolks-“
Shefellintoasilentmuse，whichlastedsolongthatthetickingoftheclockgrewloudasthegongintheman’sears，andthewindoutsideseemedtosounddrearierthanusual。Hereturnedtothemoneyproblem，kindly，though。
“Buthowy’goin’t’raisethemoney？Iain’tgotnoextracashthistime。AginRoachispaidan’themortgageinterestpaidweain’tgotnohundreddollarstospare，Jane，notbyajugful。“
“Waal，don’tyoulayawakenightsstudyin’onwhereI’ma-goin’togetthemoney，“saidtheoldwoman，takingdelightinmystifyinghim。Shehadhimnow，andhecouldn’tescape。Hestrovetoshowhisindifference，however，byplayingatuneortwoontheviolin。
“Come，Tukey，youbetterclimbthewoodenhill，“Mrs。Ripleysaidahalfhourlatertothelittlechaponthefloor，whowasbeginningtogetdrowsyundertheinfluenceofhisgrandpa’sfiddling。“Pa，youhadorta’aputthatstringintheclocktoday-onthe’larmsidethestringisbroke，“shesaiduponreturningfromtheboy’sbedroom。“Iortagetupextryearlytomorrowtogetsomesewin’done。Landknows，Ican’tfixupmuch，buttheyisaleetleI
c’ndo。Iwanttolookdecent。“