The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-06-22

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water tasted warm and brackish t
her fevered lips"
''If | only had some ice. motheri'
she moaned.
II know, dear, but there is no ics
in less than twenty miles"
Too i'll to express her misery, tho
poor, fevered girl fell asleep, to
dream of the poor old yellow Gro
yer Tract stage straining its way
over the heavy sandy roads tc
Northboro', the only place where
there was an ice-house-there tc
procure for her a great green block
of the refreshing ice she coveted.
1T will be so nice !" she murmur
cd in her sleep. My throatis parch-
cd, and it will cool my drink SO de-
liciously."
| A cricket sang in the heated wall
and woke her. She heard the stage
trundling over the hill.
''Has it come mother ~ she in
quired.
What, dear? you are dreaming.
Wake up, and drink some of this
lice iced lemonade"
''Ice, mother ? Where did you get
it ?"
''Fennel has been to Northboro'
for it. He's very kind TO You, Ber-
tie, dear"
Its refreshing. How long have
| been asleep, mother ?"
"All the afternoon, and | really
think you look better, Bertie."
Bertrode turned on her pillow and
fell asleep again. In the morning
she was better, but not well. The
pale lips were still parched-the
months so long fevered, tasteless.
She relished only the drinks, iced
and cool, which her mother ,prepar-
ed. One day she 'li
How is it that, ice lasts SO
long ?"
"Why Fennel +, rs q Northboro'
for a fresh piece Try other day.
The weatheri' warm that itmelts
very fast"
"But it's h ing time. How can
he be spare p
"He goes at night after eight
o'clock. | don't see how he can do
it when he works in the field until
he is ready to drop"
''Thcn why do you ask him moth
er ?"
Goodness, child / never asked
him; | guess | didn't It's his own
service. | never dreamed Of asking
him.
Bertrode, bolstered up in bed, sat
silent awhile.
"Fennel's very kind" ",she said at
last 'but / don't like to tax people
so. Mother, if / am better to-mor-
row, can't l ride out ?"
Perhaps so."
Tomorrow Bertrode was feyerish
again. Nothing passed her parched
lips but a yellow peach. rareripe,
that was wonder TO the neighbor-
hood.
"Where did it come from moth
er?"
sFennel brought it.
The next morning when she
awoke, a gust of spicy GOODNESS wifi
ed into her face.
''What is that ?" she cried, start
ing up.
Just pitcher of sprays from the
scrub-oaks of the lowlands, their
tender pendant acorns swinging
among the glossy leayes-branches
of bayberry, sweet fern, and hand
ful Of checkerbcrry mixed with
sweet swamp heliotrope, and wild
asters, all dripping with morning
dew.
80, mother, bring it closer Where
did you get lt?" placing her thin,
white hands among the cool, sweet
foliage.
"Fennel left it at the door this
morning. He thought it would
please YOU"
III dOeS please me.
No one but Fennel knew how she
liked fragrant green leaves and
swamp heliotrope.
She was grateful, and she told
Fennel so when she met him. TO
prove it she let him drive her out
and find her roses again among the
fields. AS the light came back to
her eye and the dimple to her check,
she laughed merrily sometimes, and
forgot to look wistfully towards the
mountains, as he had noticed her
doing so often but two moths be-
fore.
One day she was pale and trou-
bled when Fennel came with his
buggy. She was silent for few
moments after they began their
drive.
"Fennel ?"
"Well ?'
"Are you going away p
"Yes.n
why, tell me, please ?"
II think | had better"
That was all. She did not dare
pretend not to understand him.
Both faces were pale. He turned
towards her at last, smiling family.
"Yes, Berthe, you don't need me
any longer, and l am going away to
try as hard as / can to forget you.
1t is strange that such a sweet-eyed
girl should cause so much pain, isn't
it ?"
Bertrode didn't speak. They rode
in silence along the river road. Bert
rode was listening, as if charmed, 10
the chirping of little bird among
the scrub-oaks by the river. 1t
was a hearty, CHEEKY little bird that
seemed TO have no nonsense about
it.
The road grew narrower. The
tree branches met above their heads
and gradually grew lower Fennel
put out his whip to hold them out
of their faces. The motion started
the horse-or he might have been
twanged by the springing sprays.
He leaped suddenly forward, and