The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-09-02
A CLOUDY DAWN.

home meadow said l, pausing to lis
ten. as the harsh. grating, but most
summer-like of sounds came clearly
through the warm. still air this June
evening, mingled 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 gar
den and fair. green fields beyond. and
the lengthening shadows cast by the
elms. their leaves glancing golden in
the setting sun.
was sitting in the old-fashioned par
lor. with its heavy oak beams across
the ceiling. its dark, polished furniture
and old china bowls full of dried rose
leaves, and wide-open latticed windows,
through which floated the scent of mig
monet and pinks. while Mrs Hartley
brought out the sweet home made cake,
and the frothing new milk in a quaint
mug of old china.
"Aye," said Mrs. Hartley; 1.-THE corn
crake. So it is. Miss Nelly, so it is"
Something in her voice struck me.
'Does it make you sad?" l asked.
Il like to hear the bird. though it does
make such strange noise, it always re-
minds me of summer evenings when
the grass is long"
Eyes, that's when it comes. you
never hear it after the grass is cut. It
reminds me O. my young days, Miss
Nelly"
mind well hearing the corn-crake
that summer that my mother died, and
l thought the sun would never shine
fair on me again, SO full O. trouble and
death was it-many long year ago
now was it Mother had been ill q
long while. and was nigh dying, for
her life seemed to 60 as the grass grew,
and We knew sho would never bide here
till the fall O. the leaf. Father was a
game-keeper, and we lived in that cot
tage by Northover woods. Me and
Tom Marsden-he was the blacksmith
at Northover-had been counting long
while, with fathers consent, for Tom
was well-to-do and the forge was his
own. 1 thought deal of him, for he
was good to look at, and strong; never
lad in the village could come nigh
him for looks and 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 like-and somehow
Tom got in with 'em. Father had spo-
ken to Tom about it, for he said: It's
no good thinkin' tina can pla' wi 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
catching a stray rabbit or bird, it we're
a bit O fun on q dark night, and no
harm in it either.
Says, father:
"'Thou'lt not find it bit o. fun if
catch thee at it.
80 they parted in anger, and father
came homo saying l must think no
more O. Tom, for he couldna let his
lass wed poacher.
This evening when the dusk was
falling,I sat by mothers bedside think
of it all. Father was in the woods and
mother asleep, so the house was very
still. and all the windows open, for it
was that time O. year. And heard the
corn-crake in the field nigh the cottage
as plain as now, sometimes quite near
and sometimes father away, as it ran
about in the long grass. Presently it
stopped cRoakipg as though something
had startled it, and then there was a
little rattle about the lattice, like bits
O. gravel thrown up. l got up softly
not to disturb mother, and looked out,
and there stood Tom against the fence
with a gun in his hand.
~ thought to have seen thee at
shutdown. Epnice, lass he said, I've
been waiting this half hour by the
brook.
80 couldna leave mother says;
she's worse and weaker than while
back, and father has gone into the
woods. Hos main angered at thee,
Tom
40, aye he says; Its about the
birds, but it's naught'
Il shook my head.
Father says III not have me wed
thee if thou dost not mend thy ways
and leave going with them poaching
fellows. What dost thou want with
themp Thou never used to heed such
like
"'Tis naught to fret about lass;
they're none SO bad as thy father
thinks. I'll get shut on 'em when
we're we'd
What art thou doing with gune'
asked him.
Nay. lass, thou art getting too
curious. Maybe I'm going shooting
flittermice.' he says, laughing,
Thoul't break my heart. Tom,'
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,
Eunice.' he says. but as for the rest,
there's naught to fret about I'll come
and see thee Tomorrow
| ''And he went off smiling and wav-
ing his hand as he turned down by the
copse. Then the corn-crake began
again croak, croak, all round the
meadow, and Isat and watched mothe,
with heavy heart till tho stars came
out, and young moon lying on hel
back. which was an Ill sign, for you
know the saying:
When the moons like boat,
There's trouble afoat'
'.But hoped it might not be for me-