The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1885-10-22
would both sell and 20 elsewhere and

should occur, would. instead Of sepa-
rating her from her parents. reunite
them all with Erastus. and IL 10 prob
able that for these three days the in
mates Of the shanty upon tho mount
ain side were as happy as It often falls
10 the lot OF people TO be.
Certainly John Parsons was happy.
| Lucy and Erastus wandered about the
place. aud through the gulch and up
the mountain side together.
Together they went for the COWS, as
Lucy had done alone the night Erastus
| came.
Eraslus helped Mr.. Parsons sprout the
-grape-yines, and Lucy helped Erastus;
and II occasionally, as they worked to-
gether at vine. their hands met and
their fingers intertwined IL was no more
than the tender tendrils Of the vine they
were trimming did.
II. as they walked hand In hand over
the mountain. or sat 10 rest in some
quiet nook. his lips sought hers and
drank deep OF loves nectar. they only
followed the example OF the birds that
near them billed aud cooed, and talked
OF whore their next years nest should
be
And have not you. dear reader, done
the same? Then have you not known
the sweetest and the best thing that
life has TO giyeP
viii not describe the parting. whom
at last the day and the hour came. and
the roam horse stood ready TO be
mounted at the door.
1 There Is enough OF sadness and suf-
fering In this true story without dwell
ing upon the parting Of those loving
hearts.
II was noon when Erastus started on
his return; il was night on the fourth
day when he led the roam into his stall
at the Slough and ate supper with MIR.
and Mrs. Johnson. TO whom he frankly
told the purpose and result Of his visit,
and from whom he received hearty con.
gratulations
Tho next morning he went back tc
work on tho ditch. and II his compan.
ions were ready with their jokes, he was
in far too good n bumor with the world
and all things in Il 10 be offended a.
what he knew was kindly meant
For months he worked early and late
at the ditch, and when il had beer
comnleted. and tho water. In its slow
seeplnR through the soil, had rendered
Il capable Of sustaining vegetable life
he began planting trees and vines. and
breaking the soil for future crops. When
, the year closed he found his place be
ginning to look quite like living.
lie had Intended going again to yisi
Lucy and her parents at this time bu
NJ NJ ,iana s,i,l lacked ! dwellino an,
, a.. Ig,,io !, ,va,,,d 90, 10 n,ak. ,he iopr
, n@ay @ ,so,,lJ s,S mat that much toward
, h,,i,,, ny ~ ma,srIaI ,owards the cottao,
, Witch no bad nlanned and he finalI,
decided not 10 90. but instead 10 taxi
his team and work n month for tn
rnncher who had pastured his colts dur
ing two dry seasons; and thus. instea,
OF spending what little he had. Obtain
! enough more 10 enable him TO get th
!. material to begin building with.
when This was done he procured III,
assistance Of a noighbor who had fey
, carpenters tools and some knowledg
I, OF the trade, and together they frame,
! and sided up the cottage
Then he worked at night TO finish II
0fion when thus engaged, after
, hard DAYS work in the field, would h
take from his pocket one OF Lucy
! letters, and sitting upon the work
bench or saw-horse, re-read the line
he already knew by heart, or lose him
, self in dreams which those lines gav
( rise to; then, rousing himself, lake "
! his tools and work far into the hight
! that the cottage might be the soone