The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1886-09-07
IA CLOUDY DAWN. !

II y - 3
Y. rhefeAis the corncrake'; it is in the
home meadow" said I, pausing to lis
ten, as the harsh, gratinG but most
summer-like of sounds came clearly
through the warm, still air this June
evening, mingling with the voices Of
the children playing in the garden.
Mrs. Hartley listened too,, and a look
came into her eyes as though she saw
some other scene than the sunny garden
and fair, green fields beyond, and the
lengthening shadows cast by the el1ns,
their leaves glancing golden in the set
ting sun.
was sitting in the old-rashioned par
lor, with it's heavy, oak beams across
the ceiling, it's dark, polished furniture
and old china bowls full Of dried rose
leaves and wide-open latticed windows,
through which floated the scent Of
mignonette and pinks, while Mrs. Hart
ley;brought out the sweet homemade
cake ana fEothing new milk ina quaint
mug Of old china.
faye" said Mrs. Hartley; "the
corncrake. So it is, Miss Nelly; so it
is.n
Something in her voice struck me.
"Does it make you sad ?'' I asked.
I" like to hear the bird, though it does
make such strange noise it always
reminds me Of summer evenings when
the grass is long, (
,s"Yes; that's when it comes. You
never hear it after the grass is cut. It
reminds me of my young days, Miss
,Nelly.'
81 mind well hearing the corncral1e
that summer when my mother died,
and [ thought the sun would never
shine fair on me again, so full o. trou-
BILE and death was it-many a long year
ago now. Mother had been ill a long
while, and was nigh dying, for her life
seemed to go as the grass grew, and we
knew she would never bide here till the
fall o the leaf. Father was a game
keeper and we lived in that cottage by
Northover woods. Me and Tom Mars.
den--he was the blacksmith at North
over-had been courting a long while,
with fathers consent, for Tom was
well-to-do, and the forge was his own.
I thought deal of him, for he was
good to look at, and strong never a lad
in the village could come nigh him for
looks or strength. And when 1 first
knew him he was main steady and we'll
& thought of by all. But there was a bad
lot o. fellows in Northoyer- -poachers
and such lilee-and, somehow, Tom got
in with 'em. Father he spoke to Tom
about it. for he said: It's no good
thinkin' tina can pla' wiz mud, and keep
thy. own clothes clean; some on it will
stick for sure /"
Tom laughed and told father he could
take care Of himself, and as for catch
ing stray rabbit or bird, it were bit
O fun on q dark night, and no'harm'in
it either.
Says father - s : i, =, IA E.
as" Thou'lt not find it a bit o. fun il I
catch thee at it,"
So they parted in anger and father
came homo saying / must think no
more o. TON for that'he couldna let his
lass wed apoacher.
That evening when the dusk was fall
ing sat hy mothers bedside thinking
of it all. Father was out in the woods
and mother asleep, SO the house was
very still, and all the windows open, for
it was this time o. year. Ana heard
the corncrake in the field nigh the cot
tage as plain as now, sometimes quite
near and sometimes farther away, as it
ran about in the long grass. Presently
itstopped croaking, as though some
thing had startlediit, and then there was
a little rattle by thel ctice like bits o.
gravel thrown up I got up softly not
to disturb mother, and looked out, and
there stood Tom against the fence with
/. q gun in, his hand. Ss 81
'1 I thought to have seen thee at sun
down, IIunice lass, Z, he, said sssssI I'ye
BEEN yaitilf' this half hoiir by stlie
broolss 3;ay 5
IScouldna leave mot otherss II says;
8 she's worse and yYea keFs tliap Ia While
Ys VI SsS s3 b Isssf