Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-10-08

y
paintings by the first masters; and, for
her part, Agnes declared, looking out at
the window, she hated to see nice fields
about house disiigured with yulgar-look-
ing pumpkins and cabbages. After she
went home Cyrus set to work quietly
making some Of the alterations she had
suggested-for they were to be married in
the Sprine-asking James opinion and CO.
operation as if she had been sister. In
the iirs; place he built on the wing, and
he cut another window In James room.
You'll be able to see to prink better,
Jennie said he; "may be" Con second
thought, may be you'd rather have n
room in the new wing? Take your choice"
for James parents were dead, and she
had now been living year in and year out
at the Numbers.
II sha'n't want either one or the other
thank YOU she answered
"Why not, | should like to know? Are
you going to swing in hammock among
the trees:'
I'm going to seek my fortune" she
laughed because she felt more like cry
ing
Going away from here, Jennie 2" he
cried, dropping the hammer with which he
had been driving nails, where are you
goingE'
II don't tknow-somewherc.' He paus-
cd a moment, as If he was trying to un-
4 bar
| opened crack; then he picked up the
hammer and resumed his work.
II never thought of such thing, Jane"
| (between the blows, There's no need OF
it. At least you'll stay-till -till-Spring."
''Yes, | will stay till Agnes comes" she
answered
The Winter set in carly that season, and
he went, as usual ilto the woods log
I ging, leaving his mother with Jane for
| company, and small boy TO clear the
paths and look after the stock. Few but
those who live there know what Winter
IN The Numbers is like, when the snow
hedges you about, week out ana week in.
AMI passing team !, 50 rare as TO bring
watch il out of sight, and the wind whistles
over miles of uninhabited country with
nothing to impede; when there is nothing
10 break the monotony of the long frosty
days, which the almanac says are short
but homely duties, and the promise of seed
time and harvest. II seems then as If no
sun were potent enough TO melt the noun
tain drifts, built as miraculouSly rs the
coral reefs, and =; midnight you wake up
suddenly. and hear the wolves bowling in
the woods close at hand, and find their
traci-s about the sheep-pcn next morning,
snd remember with a >hndier that there
isn't m able-bodicd man on the premises,
In such circumstances one needs TO have
vast resources in ones self, to be in har-
mony with ones household and with ones
destiny.
When Seth Prince joined Cyru>'s camp.
4 week before Christmas, he carried him a
line from Agnes saying that She should
eXpec, him down to watch TIE new year
in and the DID year out at the watch-mcct-
/ Ing, il he loved her Esther Smiley had
offered to lay a wager that he wouldn't
put himself out SO much, and even Mrs
Deacon Crockett had said it wasn't likely.
seeing he wa, sure OF her; but She had set
her heart upon showing them how much
he cared for her.
1t isn't every lover who could resist such
an appeal, and though Cyrus didn't think
il Of the least consequence whether other
people believed in his love or not. so long
As it was Il reality in himself and Agnes,
ye; he was doubtless hattered by her earn
est desire for his presence; and II il would
please her, why not 20: 1t did occur 10
him that il was as much a vulgar wish to
make parade OF his regard for her as a
desire to see him. 1t happened very luck
| ily, however, Cyrus thought (and perhaps
most people agree with him. that the
camp had run short Of molasses, and one
OF the men was detailed to take a team and
20 to Wheatland for supply; Tor what
was coffee without m9lasses: He started
on the last day of December. and Cyrus
with him, and he dropded Cyrus where
land and the other to The Numbers. There
was a matter OF ten or twelve miles be-
tween Cyrus and the Prince farm when he
| lett the team, but he had often walked
further with a load OF produce for mar ket.
| The distance didn't strike him as being of
any consequence; he had all his life been
used to mile-stones. 1t had begun to snow
some time before, gently, as if it meant
no harm, and Cyrus was used to snow,
/ too. Bur presently the wind changed and
blew roughly, and tossed the flakes into
his eyes, the flakes themS elves grew big
ger and thicker, till they clogged his steps
and blinded his'sight and oblterated every
landmark. Still he trudged onward, cheer
ing himself with the warm welcome be-
fore him, assuring himself that the way
was familiar as his own potato field, till by
aud by he began to wonder if he were not
watching the old year out by himself, if he
had not been longer on the road than the
distance warranted, if he had not missed
in the way, If it were not growing colder
and darker every moment. He knew
| about as well where he was as if he had
travelled into Nova Zembia, or had been
cast away on an iceberg. He paused and
rested against the bole of a tree to collect
his wits There was no use of proceeding
farther on the wrong road. In coming to
this decision he naturally sat down by the
way to reflect which was the right one He
did not reflect long. Lovely images and
colors floated before his minds eye. He
had reached the farm, and there was a
great backlog on the hearth for him, and
brown eyes looking into his, and tender
tones in his ears. Then he came to HIM
self with start, and sat upright, peering
into the black night upon which the storm
seemed an inscription in an unknown
tongue, walked by the Tending of some
great limb from the tree above, which had
l r,It IA; tIa 10