The Tarboro' southerner., 1870-09-01
GRAN DARRAH'S GRATITUDE.
A LOVE STORY.
BY ESTHER SERLE KENNETH.

Down on the cove, hid its rank, ole
bushes of willow and elder, chirped te
by the cricket, and croaked to by the
frog, was the hut of old Gran Darrah
1t was only poor hovel, but the ole
woman seemed to prefer it to any Other
place, for she seldom cam, out of it
But many went to her.
The sun was going down, and all the
green forest was brown and gold in its
! dying light, when a horseman came
riding slowly under tht oaks. He wa'
handsome man of eight and twenty
blue>eyed;; golden haired, and with the
bearing of soldier in spite of his deel
absu action. He rode very carelessly
one hand on his thigh, the rein falling
on his horses neck-nor seemed tt
mind his way or the scene before him
Yet everything SWAMI in golden light
and the evening incense ofhldcen bios
SONS went up around him.
The fierce swapping of dog sudden
ly aroused him to himself. Lookln:
up he saw the nook Of shrubs In which
Gran Darrah's retreat was hidden
An old fox>hound was chained under
the bushes. At this point he drew
rein.
So, this was the old fortune-teller'
hut He looked at it curiously. |
must be as dark as a cave within, h,
thought, for the elder branches pressed
against the two sole windows. TIL,
roof was green with the drippings 0
the trees. It seemed to Reginal,
Yandarmonde a most dismal spot
q, Suddenly a red light streamed from
the small windows upon the surround
| ing gloom, though out of the wood tht
fading amber of the sky still shone
with scft radiance. He pushed for
ward step or two, and found that
from his elevated position, he com
manded a view of ths hut's interior.
1t was rough, but did NO: look com
FORTRESS, in the rudy light. A hrt
roared and hickered upon the oper
hearth and pot bubbled over it. Rest
ing her elbows on her knees, as she
covered over the fire, sat an old woman
tiny and bent. She was smoking 8
pipe. A tame jackdaw perched on the
back of her chair, seemed surveying
her ragged cap with great interest,"
This bird and grey cat crouched or
an opposite chair, appeared to be the
old woman's only companions.
There was a plate Of broken food, ,
pair of unplucked wood pigeons, lately
killed, and great book, in shagreer
cover, upon table near the center O.
the room. A few rickety seats stooc
around. From the rough rafters hung
punches of herbs and strings of driet
fruit. In one corner of the room stooc
pair of oars, in another a gun, fo1
Gran Darrah did her own rowing anl
hunting. And all these things were
shaply defined against the light which
the FIRE threw up from the hearth.
But the blaze died down again, anG
Gran Darrah and the strange home
were all in gloom.
She was aroused by knocking a
her door.
When it was opened to Reginald
Vandarmonde, her warped and shrunk
en- little figure presented itself. Wher
he spoke, she pushed the door opeI
wider, that the low light Of the fir
might shine upon him.
"Eh your fortune toldE'
If you please good mother
She nodded for him to enter.
At his entrance the jaokdaw cried
who's there?' while the cat jumpe'
from her place and skulked under
couch in the corner, but the smell Q
the bubbling porridge was not unpleas
ant.
The old woman drew two chairs to
corner of the table.
sit down. You are soldier
L am
You are eight and twenty years
age.'
To day
you are in love- H.
You speak moderately
We'll, what do you want to know
If there is any hope?
The energy with which these wore
were spoken brought sudden peculis
fre to Vandarmonde's violet eyes
The old woman stared and peere
keenly into his face,
Give me your hand
As he gave it, she saw upon it a
opal ring.
'Eh! Yes, yes, you would know
she loves you, this dark-eyed girl?
'Dark.eyed? Her eyes are like
midnight sky, full of stars. She oil
love me once. Has she forgotten me
'Eh? Do you care to know that'
. More than anything under heave1
It has brought me many a mile out
S my way tonight
And if tell she is not!
I will believe you. Am l not a
ready convinced?' he muttered mood