The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-05-11

sue WAnteu nm-Auu II ne would be
coming home TO kiss his mother in the
early morning, Then she went to the
door 10 look out at the night, which
was not more lonely than she, 10 bid
adieu to the old year; and was IL tile
shriek Of the wind or o human voice
that smote her ears Pa voice that
sounded strangely like his. oh, II II
should be ! il he were needing her
AT least somebody on that lonely
waste was in trouble, perhaps dying.
II she went TO her safe warm bed and
waited for daylight, she might never be
able To get that cry out Of her ears So
she raled open the Goals and piled on
the logs she set lighted candle in
the window, and pushed out into the
storm, with answering cries that help
was near. The wind slapped in her
face and shrieked about her ears till
she half misdoubted herself; but des-
tiny led her TO where Cyrus 10y, not q
quarter Of o mile from home. She was
down on her knees beside him in the
drift instantly, rubbing him with the
snow thas siited about him, chatting his
hands in her own soft palms, struggling
with the imprisoning bough, letting
tho brandy tricklc down his throat,
warming him into life, with her cheek
against his, and calling 10 him with all
the tenderness In her soul, with all the
endearing names that love inyents; for
in TINT awful moment she had forgotten
that he belonged TO any one but her
self. Perhaps, in the gradual re-
awakening, he may have caught the
meaning OF this, but he gave no sign OF
ii. By her frantic efforts Jane succeed
cd in removing the limb that had fallen
upon him, and having pushed and
dragged II TO q safe distance, she made
| o bonfire OF II, which IfldmIneu the
ghaatly night fantastically, and kept
the wolves at bay that were bowling Ia
the woods near. II was only then she
discovered that his leg was broken |
There was but one thing 10 do, how
ever; she provided him with q coun.
terpane OF spruce boughs, Us warm Us
wool, gathered dry fagots in the edge OF
the woods, and extended her blaze In 0
circle about the disabled man, like nm
Indian watch-Hre; then she hastened
home, and, as his mother was too infirm
10 give assistance, she yoked the steers
into the drag--for old Dapple's slender
legs could not founder safely through
tho drifts-and urged them slowly
across the untrodden snow, guided by
the lantern, TO the nearest neighbor,
Eve miles away, who willingly left his
warm pillow, and, with his son Of ff-
teen, plodded back on the drag to
where the watch.fres smouldered and
Cyrus waited.
It was not long after this before Cy-
rus was safe in bed, with his mother
and Jane administering TO- him, and
neighbor Goodheart and the steers on
the way for the. doctor. But it was
many long weeks before he left his bed;
indeed, the drifts dissolved like magic,
and spring had woven her spells in
blade and bud, and the grass was long
and ready for moving, before he took
his first step into the air, and then he
leaned on James arm, and walked with
a crutch. The folks in The Numbers
said he wonld always need to use
crutch, unless he preferred cork leg.
When the doctor from Wheatfeld and
beyond had decided upon amputation,
Cyrus had sent for Agnes. Perhaps he
had meant to give her her freedom,
with o lingering hope that she would
reject IL; perhaps he erayed the solace
other presence before his journey to-
ward the Valley OF Shadows, Nobody
ever knew !; 1t was only known that she
refused 10 60 10 himi The people in
The Numbers blamed or excused her,
according 10 their natures and prepos-
sessions. "She didn't promise herself
to cripple" ITS better to live un.
mated than ill.matched," "She's like
TO go all the way through the woods
and pickup Q crooked stick at last, "
"Itsa poor kind OF love that's scared
at misfortune" were some Of the cur
rent remarks passing from mouth to
mouth.
And SO the year wore through, and
Cyrus could no longer go up the Aroos-
took numbering, now swing his scythe
in the meadow. he. had TO hire o hand
about the farm. But while he sat ut
home with idle, Impatient hands, in
spiration came to him as he watched
jane laboring at her wheel, and he in
vented aspinning machine. About this
time old Mrs. Ferriston slipped away
out Of life; and one day Mrs. Deacon
Crockett rode over to engage Jane for
her winters weaving.
ltVa,, ,ra,,tk 1a =, ,,anf1ftt n bnpaab aa,,av
no longer, I s'pose, Cyrus" said abe /;
"a and folks allus talk SO so, thinks !,
Jane he'd better come home with me for
the weavin'.p iIl
"Jane,n he said-for Mrs. Deacon
Crocket used on ear-trumpet, and was
no kind OF hinderance TO loye.making-
"Jane, you promised 10 stay with me
till Agnes came. VIII you keep your
promise9a 6iIa
Yes, Cyrus, I will, II you insist up
on IT." abe answered. ..5.f
uJane and ], = he said, speaking into
Mrs. Crockets trumpet, fare going
down 10 Wheatheld this afternoon 10
be married"
Mrs. Crockett took tho Price farm on
her way home, for fear her news would
spoil II kept over night.
Cyrus Ferriston's goin' 10 be mar
ried, "Baid she, "and no thanks TO you,
Agnes Price. Jane Hutton's o lucky
gell." 8g.. l,I 8ill-y'f
"Do tellln cried Agnes. ."tNeyer
swam q goose 80 gray but what could
find its mate ] always thought she
had hankerin' after him. s'pose I
sha'n't be asked 10 stand up with 'eml
What o 6gger they'll cut when they
pear out togetherl could never have
borne to 60 limpin' along with man
like that all my days-it didn't look