“I should say so,” laughed the Harvester as he took up the drawing and
laid down the money.
“If you would make it half that much I'd feel better about it,” she
said.
“How could I?” asked the Harvester. “Your fingers are well trained and
extremely skilful. Because some one has not been paying you enough for
your work is no reason why I should keep it up. From now on you must
have what others get. As soon as you can arrange for work, I want to
tell you about some designs I have studied out from different things,
show you the plants and insects, and have you make some samples. I'll
send them to proper places, and see what experts say about the ideas and
drawing. Work in the woods is healthful, with proper precautions;
it's easy compared with the exactions of being bound to sewing or
embroidering in the confinement of a room; it's vividly interesting
in the search for new subjects, changes of material, and differing
harmonious combinations; it's truly artistic; and it brings the prices
high grade stuff always does.”
“Almost you give me hope,” said the Girl. “Almost, Man----almost! Since
mother died, I haven't thought or planned beyond paying for the medicine
she took and the shelter she lies in. Oh I didn't mean to say that----!”
She buried her face in her hands. The Harvester suffered until he
scarcely knew how to bear it.
“Please finish,” he begged. “You hadn't planned beyond the debt, you
were saying----”
The Girl lifted her tired, strained face.
“Give me a little more of that delicious drink,” she said. “I am
ravenous for it. It puts new life in me. This and what you say bring a
far away, misty vision of a clean, bright, peaceful room somewhere, and
work one could love and live on in comfort; enough to give a desire to
finish life to its natural end. Oh Man, you make me hope in spite of
myself!”
“'Praise God from whom all blessings flow;'” quoted the Harvester
reverently. “Now try one of these peaches. It's juicy and cold. Get that
room right in focus in your brain, and nurture the idea. Its walls shall
be bright as sunshine, its floor creamy white, and it shall open into a
little garden, where only yellow flowers grow, and the birds shall sing.
The first ray of sun that peeps over the hills of morning shall fall
through its windows across your bed, and you shall work only as you
please, after you've had months of play and rest; and it's coming true
the instant you can leave here. Dream of it, make up your mind to it,
because it's coming. I have a little streak of second sight, and I see
it on the way.”
“You are talking wildly,” said the Girl, “else you are a good genie
trying to conjure a room for me.”
“This room I am talking of is ready whenever you want to take
possession,” said the Harvester. “Accept it as a reality, because I tell
you I know where it is, that it is waiting, and you can earn your way
into it with no obligation to any one.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account