Wichita eagle., 1886-08-28
9ailsR eagle
A CLOUDY DAWN.

There is the corncrake; it is in the homo
meadow" said l, pausing to listen, as the
harsh. grating, but most summer-ike 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 look came
into her eyes as though she saw some other
scene than the sunny garden and fair, green
fields beyond, and the frightening shadows
cast py thu ems, their leaves glancing golden
in the setting sun.
I was sitting in the old-fashioned parlor,
with its heavy oak beams across the ceiling,
its dark. polished furniture and old china
bowls full of dried rose leaves and xide-open
latticed windows, through which floated the
scent of mignonette and pinks, while Mrs.
Hartley brought out the sweet homemade
cake and frothing new milk in quaint mug
of old china.
aye" said Hrs. Hartley; "the corncrake.
So it is, Miss Nelly: SO it is.r
Something in her voice struck me.
HDoes it make you sed:7 / asked. Il like
to hear the bird, though it does make such a
strange noise; it always reminds me of sum-
mer evenings when the grass is long"
YES; that's when it comes You never
hear it after the grass IS cut. 1t reminds me
o my young days, Miss Nelly.
l mind well hearing the corncrake that
summer when my mother died, and | thought
the sun would never shine fair on me again,
so full o. trouble and death was it-inany n
long year ago now. Mother had been i'll a
long while, and was nigh dying, for her life
seemed 70 go as the grass grew, and we knew
she would never bide here till the fall O the
leaf. Father was gameleeper anu we lived
in that cottage by Northover woods. Ne and
Tom Marsden-he was the blacksmith at
Northover-had been counting a long while,
with fathers consent FOR Tom was well-to-do,
and the forge was his own. | thought deal
Of him, for he was good to look at, and
strong; never a lad in the village could como
nigh him for looks or strength. And when |
first knew him he was main steady and well
thought of by all. But there was bad lot
o fellows in Northover-poachers and such
ike--aEd, somehow, Tom got in with 'em.
Father be spoke to Tom about it, for he said:
Its no good thinkin' tina can pla' wi mud,
and keep thy own clothes clean; some on it
will stick for sUre.7
Tom laughed and told father he could take
care OF himself, and as FOR catching a stray
rabbit or bird, it were a bit O fun on dark
night, and 30 harm in it either.
Says father:
aThoult not find it bit O fun if l catch
thee at it,
SO they parted in anger, and father came
home saying l must think no more o Tom,
for that he couldna let his lass wed a poacher.
That evening when the dusk was falling
sat hv 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
And heard the corncrake in the field nigh
the cottage as plain Is now, sometimes quite
near and sometimes farther away, as it ran
about in the long grass. Presently 1t stopped
croaking. as though something had startled
it. and then there was a littlo rattle by
the lattice like bits o gravel thrown up. [
got up softly not to disturb mother, and
looked out, and there stood Tom against the
fence with gun in his hand
Il thought to have seen thee at shutdown,
Eunice lass, " he said; I've been waitin' this
half hour by the brook
II coulina leave mother 1 says; she's
worse and weaker than n while back, and
father is gone into the woods Hes main
angered with thee, Tom"
ooh. aye he says, its about the birds;
but It's naught"
| shook my head.
Father saws he'll not have me we'd thee if
thou dost not mend thy ways and leave going
with them poachins fellows What dost
thou want with them. Thou never used to
heed such like
IT'S naught 70 fret about, lass; they're
none so had as thy father thinks. III get
shut on EN- when we're wed"
what art thou doing with gun" | asked
him
Nav. lass, thou art getting too curious.
Nav be I'm going shooting filter mice, he
says laughing.
~Thoult break my heart. Tom" l says
"What with mother nigh to death, and father
angered with thee, and thou going on this
gait
I'm sorry thy mother is no better. Eu-
nice" he saws: but as for the rest there's
naught to fret about. FL come and see thee
tomorrow"
And he went OF smiling and waving his
hand rs he turned down by the copse Then
the corncrakc began again, croak, croak, all
round the meadow. and | sat and watched
mother with a heavy heart till the stars came
cut. and u young moon lying on her back,
which WIS an Ill sign, for You know the say
ing:
When the moons like boat,
There Is trouble ahoat
But | hoped it might not be for me. The
cc.-nerfkc had gone and there was nanght to
be heard save the ruS-ling o the grass and
trees The wind had turned little chill SO
closed the lattice and lay me down by mother
a while had been asleep some time, for the
moon was low in the sky and the dawn break
inc when | awoke with hearing trampling
o feet coming down the lane. | listened, and
the tranpling came nearer and sounded heavy
ike. as if they were carrying something. It
stopped at the gate, and then | heard the click
O. the latch Mothers room was at the back,
so it was no use looking out o the lattice.
was creeping softly down stairs when mother
awoke and asked if father had come in.
Il think he's coming now, mother" said.
"rI fetch thee u cup o tea" and | went down
and opened the door, and there stood one o
the keepers. William Balshaw, as married my
cousin Anne.
where's fatherF9 I said, trying TO look
past him.
See now, Eunice, he says, thou mum keep
brave heart. lass. How is thy MOTHER
"Shes no better. and asking for father"
well thou mum put her off. I've i'll news
for thee, poor lass; thy mother must know
naught of IL There's been bit o fight with
them northern chaps. an'-an' we've browt
thy father home
Ny he.rt seemed TO turn TO a stone. is
father killed." | asked Thou may as well
tell me, William"
ave that is so. I'm main sorry for thee,
Eunice FL tell EN- 10 bring him in and lay
him on the settle here, and I'll send Anne
round to thee.