The Washington critic., 1886-09-23
THE OLD SLEIGH.

L'Zabeth
"Coming."
"There, mother, old Speckle has re.
turned thanks at last holding up a
plump white egg that would do credit
10 any queen Of the poultry yard.
"Well, alters said that hen wa,
thankful for past mercics, though
your father would laugh every time |
said so. Liddy Stephens has jest been
here; she wanted TO see you, but you
was gone so long thought you must
be down to Mis- Pennell's."
Yes. met her as she came through
the yard"
"She didn't tell you the news, did
she2'
"she told me viii Marston had re.
turned from California"
1T does beat all bout that boy
seems jest like the piece o. poetry you
read sometimes about the feller that
went off and stayed so many years and
then come back and took his mother
out o. the poor-house-only it's the
father this time. The very worst of
the deacon's SIX 1t called him, and
that's jest what Will was then. l
never believed he had anything to do
with that scrape down to the village.
Liddy says he's terribly rich, and is
going to fake care of his father; the
deacon must be glad, for guess he's
stayed with Caleb most as long as he
can comfortably. They say he s going
to marry Sam Miller's darter Ruth.
You see when Bob Miller went out
there for his health Will found him
out and done little kindnesses for him,
and when he was too sick to write
home Will wrote for him. Part O. the
time Sam was sick hisself, so Ruth an
swered the letters, and he fell in love
with her in that way. There didn't
anybody but the deacon and the Mil.
lers know he was coming. Sam drove
down to the depot and carried him up
TO Calebs. Guess they was some sur
prised to see him."
There is no knowing how long Mrs.
Allen would have gone on, her tongue
keeping time to the busy click-c -clack of
her needles, had not Mr.. Aliens step
sounded on the walk.
'Lizabeth never talked much, and the
mother did not mind her silence to-
night. A slight quiver about the sensi-
tive mouth alone told how keenly the
words were felt, and the sigh of relief
which escaped at the welcome sound of
her father s voice was lost in the noise
made as he entered stamping the snow
from his boots.
"Why, father, does 1t snow? ben
so busy talking haint thought to look
out Of the window for some time"
'Yes, it's begun to come down right
smart; shouldn't wonder If it was good
sleighing by tomorrow"
"You don't think it's going to be q
long storm?"
Mrs. Aliens face had an anxious
expression as she asked the question,
for n long storm meant days of exile
for her.
mo, sh'll be surprised if it dom t
clear up by tomorrow noon-so's 5
Elizabeth and can take ride to the
village; that'll be treat, won't it dar.
ter :" and the smile that lighted up
his daughters face pleased him better
than any answer could have done.
"Guess I'll get the old sleigh out.
Ben Smarts ben down to the city. and
he says he saw lots jest like it; it's five
years since l sent jim to the village
for the new one, and it's never been
out since. Pm glad it's come into
fashion again, for never enjoyed my
self complete in the new one-always
felt little above my station" and
Farmer Aliens laugh rang through the
old sitting.ro room at the fitness of his re-
mark.
"Well, 'Lizabeth, you get supper on
the table, and I'll tell father the news
while he warns his feet. He's ben
down to the wood lot all the afternoon
and haint heard nothing of the strange
things that has ben happening up
here"
Having arranged things to her salts
faction, the stockings Mrs. Allen had
dropped on the entrance of her hus-
band continued to grow under her deft
fingers, while the news lost none of its
interest with repetition.
That night, after 'Lizabeth had taken
her candle and said good night, Mr.,
Allen sat for some time looking at the
fire, then suddenly broke out :
Mother, don't you think 'Lizlbeth
looks kind O. peaked lately? Tnen
she don't seem to eat as much Us usual -
There, father, you re always fretting
bout that girl. | don't know what
you'd done II you'd had six like your
brother Jonathan"
81 didn't know but the news about
Will might affect her some. You know
they used to think so much of each
other"
"Massy, falhcrl that was years AMI
years ngc, when they were children.
'Lzabeth's s too sensible girl to let a
Teller like win Marston to disturb her.
When he stopped writing TO her she
gave him uD She's worked hard To
day, and good nights rest will bring
her round"
Tnele seemed nothing more TO be
SAID. so be took II light and proceeded
to make everything safe for the night,
lut lug afrr his good wife was
isltrp ! G lay awake thinking Of the
Tale face his daughter had lifted for
The good night kiss.
Liz lbelh was not likely to got the
strength her mother thou ght from a
nights rest. Until the first rays of
morning lighted up the cast she lay
thinking or the old days and living
them over again. She could not re.
member the Time when she nul WIN
had not seemed to belong to each
Other.
Wien they were children he had
drawn her tO and from school on his
sled. saved her the largest half of hli
apple or orange and fought all her bat
lies with vigor worthy of m ollGn
knight. When the years in their flight
made them no longer children, it was
always VIII who, at the close Of meet
ing or singing. school drew her arm
through his with an air Of proprietor