Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-12-24

'Look. sir, !" he shouted. "There's a
l;gns of some kind ahead" And they
daShel forward, straight ont of the great
forest. anu found themselves upon the
edge # a wide clearing.
4 low black house stood in the centre
of tia" open SUCTION its one window
the light shone. Adjoining this lonely
twrlling the travellers saw, to their joy, +
a nude sm thy. They gailoped unto the
and knocked loudly for a~dmittancp.
An old womau in a homespun gown, !
opened the door.
'"Is the blacksmith a. home ?' said
Jacob Ham. This gentleman, my mas
ter, nas been chased by wolves in the
woods wonder. and his horse has lost q
shoe. We can't 60 On till the animal is
shod, ana" as an a~fte~thought. "tlll we
get a bite OF supper."
John Fox, the blacksmith, h S gone
to Salem, and won't be back till to-
morrow" answered the old woman;
CURLY. "Notody here can shoe a horse
my grandfather and | are alone in the
house,
A spinning-wheel, which had been
buzzing somewhere inside, stopped sud
denly, aud a girl with a tatiow-dipin her
hand, appeared at the doorway and
looked out on the travellers.
She was a handsome creature, supple
and graceful as a panther. Such big,
soft eyes and hower-like color, such a
name of chestnut hair falling loose upon
her homespun kerchief, Gabriel Cabot
| had never seen before, even among the
fairest danes of colonial Boston.
4C - = ~ -. IL L.:
Master and man slipped out of their
saddles, anu stepped into a with
bare smoky ~rafters, and a great fire of
forest b0ughs burning in the deep Chin
ney. Cakes of Indian meal and slices
Of savory bacon were cooking on the
Goals. Gabriel Cabot dotfei his hat to
the girl.
1--WE can provide You with supper, sir"
she said, but not with a blacksmith, for
my father, as granny has jlst told you,
Is away in Salem town. Perhaps your
servant can shoe your hurse-if 50, the
smithy and everything is at your ser
wee"
CABOT looked grave.
Jacob could not shoe a horse to saws
his life he answered. Have you not
some beast here that can hire or pur-
chase to take me OF my way?
She shook her head. He looked 50 tall
and grand and comeIv, as he stood on
the suuken stone hearth in the light OF
the fire, that no woman could have found
it III her heart to deny MIN help and
fsympathy.
My father has taken his own horse
with him, sir"
Haze you no neighbor who might
supply my neei??'
Nav, our nearest / eighbur lives miles
away, and | fear he has no beast to sell
or loan"
She set forth some pewter dishes on a
rude pine table, and proceeded to place
before her unbidden guess the Indian
cakes and bacon, and a foaming pitcher
of sweet cider.
Cabot, sorely parplexed by Inc situa
ton in which tie found himself, ate with
feeble appetite. Saxa Fox watched him
fora space, as h. sat staring moodily into
the fire. with blonde brows knitted and
fair powdered hair hanging disordered
about his pale face, then she stepped
softly to his side.
Sir, l perceive that you are in much
trouble" &c SAID.
Yes" he acknowledged.
Must YOU 90 on to mediterranean Won
wait here till nv father m back
from Salem?"
His blue eyes gazed frankly into her
brown ones.
$40, cannot wait, for / am travelling
to Portsmouth to marry a wife. | ought
TO have reached that town by this time,
| know not what my cousin. who is also
my ~hetrothed, Will think OF my delay
Her handsome face gtowed with the
warm, quick symp thy of vonth.
TO morrow your wedding day p she
echoed. "Ah. sir, now | understand
your sad looks. Take courage! / will
shoe your horse myself"
You. Impossible"
Her color teepened.
NO, | have often watched ny father
at his work, and am strong-strongeI
thln you think. Your bride shall not
wait for you in vain
He looked at her hands-they were
brown but deiica'e. Could they WELD a
smiths hammer? She seized a pine knot
from the fire, and led the way to the
little shanty Of blacksmith's shop.
The grandmother set the forge a blaz-
ing. A great red hight spread through
the sooty place, and alternately bright.
ened and dwindled, as the old woman
worked the signing bellows Sons
herseshoes hung along the wall, a brok'
en- plow<hare filled a corner, the anvil
TODD ready for work, and Jacob Ham
led his masters horse through tie rude
doorway, and waited curiously to see
this slip of a girl shoe the beast.
She girded her supple figure wi b the
smiths leather apron, barred her firm
round arms, and set herself to her task
The grandmother and Jacob assisted hel
but in clum>y fashion, and Gabriel Cato
leaned silently against the smithy wal
and watched the forge fire play or
the chestnut hair and peach blow cheek
ofthatextraordinary blacksmith watch
ed the graceful. brown hand holding tn,
tongs with the red hot shoe in the fire
saw the great sparks fly from the glow
. ing iron under her strong regular blows
and listened, like q man in a dream, t.
the dull clang of hammer and anvil
There was no shame nor embarrassment
: in the girls manner, though she mus
have known that his eyes we're followin,
4 her every movement. Verify, he hac
never seen a task more skiilfufly PEI