The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-11-27

that led to Kitty's door, and q man
who was easy in his Sunday
clothes every day in the week was bent
upon the same decision. The stiff collar
rasped Joe's neck as he went slowly to
the village; his coat was too tight in
the sleeves; he grew redder and redder,
till he knew that the doomed Thanks
giving turkey gobbler's comb was
nothing to him; the perspiration rolled
began to wish he'd find Kitty out when
he got there; he could talk to her
mother, and she could talk to Kitty, and
it would come Kind of easier somehow.
And suddenly he stepped aside; there
was rush of wheels in his ears, high
yellow wheels, and vision of some-
body hailing him politely, somebody
with an easy way of wearing good
clothes, and something about him that
would have persuaded Joe to take off
his hat to him If he hadn't been too mad
and flustered and curious and afraid.
Joe went moodily on, and suddenly his
scarlet face grew pale and the blood in
his veins grew cold, when before Kitty's
mended wagon of the city fellow he
had driven to the railroad the other
night, and his long-limbed and newly
shod horse paving the ground before
Kitty's gate; and presently out came
Kitty herself, shawled and hooded, her
eyes sparkling, her cheeks glowing. and
beside her was the stranger, who nodded
pleasantly to Joe. Kitty nodded kindly
too, he thought, and it seemed to him
Mrs. Benson called him to come in. Joe
wouldn't be certain about these things.
His head whirled around as Kitty drove
away it seemed to him the whole world
took a somersault, and left him sick and
sore, so that he could just get strength
to crawl home to the farm, and doff his
Sunday clothes, throw them in heap
there lie through the long October after
noon, the prey to a misery he had never
, dreamed of.
The sun went down, the fowls went
to roost, and an old hoary owl that
might have had more heart laughed
mockingly at Joe through his bedroom
window. And then Joe, who dawdled
so over the asking for q sweetheart,
made up his mind quickly enough to
more rueful work, for that very night
, when he went down to supper, and
,, never ate a mouthful, he declared to
the good folks assembled there that he
intended to go out West to settle-he
was sick of the land hereabouts.
, "What the plaques the matter with
the landp" said his father. Its the
, same as twas yesterday. and then you
ia .ked of ploughin' up the meadow mex
, Lord knows what and all What's
: come to you now, Joe?"
, Alas! what, indeed, had come to poor
/ JoeP He never made the least effort to
regain his footing with Kitty. He gave
5 up all hope of the sweet future that had
5 seemed to him his birthright. To marry
} Kitty Benson, and settle down on the
old homestead as his father and grand
e father had done before him, seemed as
e natural to Joe as seed-timc and harvest
| He never had the slightest desire tc
5 swerve from the somewhat tame ant
monotonous life these people led from
a year to year. Even now his soul was
. yearning for it, when it was full of re-
e bellion and riot, and bent upon break.
I ing down every barrier that lay between
. the big tumultuous waves within him
5 and those of the unknown world be
C yond.
The weary days went on, each of then
d, heavier and more desolate. In fail
weather or foul, Joe walked and wan
dered,. aimless, listless and forlorn
D, choosing the most desolate places, Slun
|
of man and beast.
e 1t was we'll on in November, and til,
!, landscape was somewhat sere and worn
The day was waning, and it seemed Il
I Mr.. Morton as they drove along that tht
L warmth had all fled from the scene abou
e them and nestled in Kitty's hair. Their
;; was subdued and timid expression il
- her face that lent it an unusual charm
G The curves about her mouth droope,
o like those of an aggrieved child, and sh
J; had not spoken word for the last mil
u or two. Mr.. Morton could hesitate n,
: longer. 1t would be an easy thing, h
e thought, to wear away the usual exu
S berant gayety that d tracted from Kitty
present charm of manner. With jus
" one little sigh for poor Madeline Val
e Vleet, he shifted the reins to one hand
e and with the other took from his YES
: pocket ring. A yellow beam of settin
e sun caught the gem, and it suddenl
d shone like star. Kitty's eyes began t.
b glisten in unison; but she drew back a
he caught her hand.
Il may, darling" he said, tenderly
o do not tremb.e; it is yours. You know
that l love you; you will be my littl
!. wife"
But in the meanwhile the long-limbe,
Il animal, which had been somewhat res
e tive, and required the two hands of hi
|, driver, took advantage of this little by
e play and accelerated his speed. MI
Morton had not time to put the rim
d upon Kitty's resisting finger, when h
found his horse pulling heavily .upo
l the reins. He determined to sell thi
:. needless brute of his. The thought la
heavily upon his now ardent sensibili
h ties that this sweet girl by his side h
: had never yet held to his heart, nor ha
IS her sweet lips been given to his own, an
d now the moment was gone, and the 10
n was still denied him, for the horse wer
plunging on. A curve of the roa
l. brought the cottage in sight. Black SaI
e. was still whitewashing-g HEAVIER
n not the big bowlderp Yes, nothing less
is he had somewhitewash to spare, an
4, he was lathering it thick upon this roc
1t in the road, making it seem big as
e mountain. Mr.. Morton's face gre
pale, and not too soon-the evil ws
1t upon him in the instant he had feare
K, it; the horse plunged back upon b
1t launches, his fine ears stood erect, h
ve clean-cut limbs trembled; then with OF
a, bound he sped along, grazing the viii
1t phantom in the road, and disappearir
20 in a cloud of dust. Mr.. Morton ciur
to the reins, and Kitty clung to M
Morton.
e. Mr.. Morton knew now that nothir
TO could save them. A few minutes-fol
as at thc furthest-and all would be owe
n M. -.,11,, ;,,at balou tba COmstnp< far