before they were accustomed to look for it; and the tomato
vines were bitten. It was necessary to can quickly such as could be saved.
In those days all the fruit and vegetables used on Kansas farms were "put
up" at home, and Elizabeth, with two, and sometimes more, hired men to
cook for, was obliged to have her pantry shelves well stocked. The heat of
the great range and the hurry of the extra work flushed the pale face and
made deep circles below her eyes, but Elizabeth's pride in her table kept
her at her post till the canning was done. By Saturday night the tomatoes
were all "up," and the carpets upstairs had been beaten and retacked. Mrs.
Hunter's room had been given the most exact care and was immaculate with
tidies and pillow-shams, ironed by Elizabeth's own hands, and the chickens
to be served on the occasion of her arrival were "cut up" and ready for
the frying pan.

Sunday there was a repast fit for a king when John and his mother came
from town. Every nerve in Elizabeth's body had been stretched to the limit
in the production of that meal. Too tired to eat herself, the young wife
sat with her baby in her arms and watched the hungry family devour the
faultless repast. She might be tired, but the dinner was a success. The
next morning, when the usual rising hour of half-past four o'clock came,
it seemed to the weary girl that she could not drag herself up to
superintend the getting of the breakfast.

"Mother'll help you with the morning work and you can lie down afterward,"
John assured her when she expressed a half determination not to rise.

But after breakfast Mrs. Hunter suggested that they scour the tinware, and
the three women put in the spare time of the entire morning polishing and
rubbing pans and lids. As they worked, Mrs. Hunter discussed tinware, till
not even the shininess of the pans upon which they worked could cover the
disappointment of the girl that her mother-in-law should have discovered
it in such a neglected condition.

"Really, child, it isn't fit to put milk in again till it's in better
condition. How did you happen to let it get so dull and rusty?"

"Now, mother, it isn't rusty at all. It is pretty dull, but that's not
Hepsie's fault. It was as bright as a pin when I got up, but we've had the
tomatoes to put up and the housecleaning to do and it couldn't be helped,"
Elizabeth replied, covering up any share the girl might have had in the
matter. She knew the extra work which had falle