Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-04-11

they would go on and look Tor him before
night came. They started directly down
the road to the river. Benny went with
them, upon his own suggestion, to point
out the places where he had been with
Perky; and as he glanced from the IA
mliar old leaning beech half way down
the bill, he saw that his mother and Aunt
Naomi were following closely after them.
They found him just where Benny had
iancied they would find him. 1t was
hardly a stones throw from the road and
the ford, but such quiet, soothing, win.
some little nook that it might have been
fragment OF some other world. He was
laying upon the grass with his arms under
his head, and his ieet hidden from sight
by the fallen leaves. He could almost
have reached the river with his hand, but
the murmuring OF it there in the bend
among the bewildering roots and stones
was so soft and so uncertain that ii seem
ed only an echo. A cluster oil haw
bushes, bending beneath an overplus oil
fading and shiveling woodbine. shut of
the vision on the south, as the river bank
did on the west and the north but on the
east, up the steep bluff, beyond the mas
sive decaying tree-,runk that lay in the
edge OF the thicket of hazels like some
great broken hearted giant, was the little
arbor in the rear of the Widow Hainline's
house. where the honeysuckles grew,
and where the widow often sat in tho cool
OF the late afternoon with her sewing
When they reused him, Perky turned his
eyes in that direction moment, then
closed them again. and said as il in
reverie, 81 must have been dreaming"
They stood waiting around for some
minutes in an undecided way, and then
the editor gently raised him to a sitting
posture, and he tried to smile as he ,look-
ed fIom one TO another OF them and said
Go on with your picnic; don't mind me-
No one spoke when be sunk down again
upon the grass and leaves; but Aunt
Namoi Seybold took of her shawl and
made pillow of it Tor him, and buttoned
his open coat over his breast. for it was
nearly sundown. and there was chill in
the air from the river. He appeared to
be sleeping, the Widow Hainline thought
as she leaned forward and gazed intently
upon him out of the shadow of the maple
Just back OF where his head lay and
Benny knew she must be very. very pale,
she trembed SO as he felt her put an arm
around him and press him 10 her side.
The setting sun flooded the crisp and
stained foliage with transient ecstacy oil
October gold and crimson a. Perky start
ed and sat upright again and said be
wished Benny would hurry back, for Il
WAS growing dark. The widow walked
rapidly around in front OF him, where the
rest were, and kuelt close 10 him aud took
his hands in hers. Julia, darling" he
muttered, with Il harsh laugh that was
halt moan. and fell back rs il all his
strength had suddenly lett him. How
she stopped and kissed him-On,the lips,
on the eyes. on the forehead-and rising
to her feet. met the questioning sta-es oi
those about her, with look that woulo
have been terrible but for the abounding
tenderness there was in it, as she excla
lined:
81 was once his wife, God help him y
Then he's my father, isn't he nam
map cried Benny, land Wen take him
home"
"Oh. child" they heard Aunt Naomi
eobbing. "he's-he's done gone home"
When they turned to see what she
meant. she was covering his cold. still
lace with her handkerchief f.-Scrt6ner'
Monthly.