Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-02-08
GILBERT's FOLKS.
BY AUGUSTA LARNED.

Bf AUGUSTA LARNED.
THE operation of foddering stock in
December, when the wind is due east and
you are facing it, and the ground has been
trodden into slush which petrifes your
feet, is not exhilarating Gilbert was
cold, and, if not exactly out of temper,
tired, and depressed. He was In that
cheerful state of mind where he knew
nobody cared for him and that he cared
for nobody. He was half glad that he
did not care for anybody, but there was a
sore place in his bosom because nobody
cared for him. His seIf-congratulation
arose from the fact that if he had happen
ed to care fer anybody in particular,
Eunice Mathew, for instance, he knew as
well as he wished to know that she never
could have cared for him consequently
he was not like a burnt child who breads
the fire, but like one who has seen the
danger and avoided anything more serious
than singeing Gilberts thoughts were
little confused, and the consciousness
that he had acted with unusual discretion
made him croSSer than there was any need
of being. The chill atmosphere had a
quality irritating to the temper of man
and beast The cattle were restless they
pushed with their horns and gathered in
uncomfortable shivering huddles. There
was storm brewing. The sky was of a.
dull gray, and little spits of snow now
and then foated downward.
When the foddering Was over and the
cattle stalled for the night, Gilbert went
into the barn. There was half hour of
daylight still left to him, and the barn was
favorite place with Gilbert, even in cold
weather, when the wind came grooming
through the cracks, and knot-holes, and
dreariiy rustled the dry shocks of corn
still unhusked, or snow shifted through
the siding, and lay in white patches on
the hay. Certainly it was not a cheerful
resort, with its great spaces that in these
short winter days SO quickly filled with
mystery and shadow, and no sound but
the hens stepping about, or the squeak ofa
mouse. But the young man liked it. He
often sat on a three-legged milking stool
In one OF the empty horse stalls, and re-
flected cheerfully on the fact that nobody
cared copper for him. There wasn't the
remotest chance of her ever caring for
him; and here the abstraction took the
form OF young woman, not very tall,
with pleasant face a little tanned, mis-
chievous,, laughing eyes, good little
nose that apparently wanted to turn up,
but did not commit any such impropriety,
and silky hair that quirked and curled in
distracting and altogether inexplicable
L1duHCl HlS ", whose name
was Eunice Mahew, was foreordained and
predestined, SO Gilbert reasoned, to fallin
love with Milton Spencer, the teacher OF
the village high school. He was young
man fresh from college, and manly fel
low, too, in spite of few airs and graces.
He evidently liked Eunice Gilber
thought the situation over calmly and dis
passlonately, with no personal interest o
course, but, strange to say, although hi
judged fairly enough of Millions merit.
and saw how great were his chances O.
success, he heartily wished the young
pedagogue in Guinea.
Although Gilbert scorned foppery, hi
had recently procured small looking
glass. which he hung against beam il
the stall, and there spent odd moments il
arranging his neck-tie, and studying di
verse modes of masculine hair-dressing
If there was sensible, sound young mai
ia the whole neighborhood, it was Gilber
Freeman. Left an orphan at an early age
he had struggled hard'o keeping to tn,
purpose OF making the most of himsel
and improving his opportunities. H
read the best books which came in hi
way, and had never been known to spen,
time on anything trashy or sentimental
He was not an Imaginative young MAI
There was locked box OF bin, where tn
spare harness was kept, and there, strang
to says Gilbert had of late deposited tw
or three small volumes which looked SUI
piciously like poetry. ~
These works were placed beside NJ
caulay's History of England, and Gibbon
Rome, but, strange to say, when Gilbel
in his spare moments took out one {
these ponderous tones, which he ha
once so eagerly devoured. the wore
swan before his eyes, or faded entirel
out of view, and lie put the book bac
with feeling of WEAKNESS, and toe
from its place little blue and gol
volume, sne lkingly conscious that Il
poet who sings of love, and perpetu
youth, of stars, and flowers, and stream
alone has the right of thiags. For
young man who cared for nobody, tn
suddenly acquired taste for poetry di
look rather strange; but still as he 81
there Lon his milking stool, with IL
shadows creeping into the old barn, |
was so glad on account of the disengage
state of his affections, that, strong fello
as he was, he actually covered is fat
with his hands, and the color burned
his brown cheeks ard womanish tea
sprang to his eyes at the thought Of an il
possible bliss. He was in very peculi
state of mind for a Young man who kne