Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-07
THE RUNAWAY.

Shs stoppst sr the stone ~aii u rest, Arf
looked tack tiniorouSly at the old familiar
scene
Far hehind her stretched the meadow, .
sympbony d olive and green in the late fall
HIRE and there by s1nknp bowbdsr Mood
spidiery golden rod, or barry bushes clothed
nov 10 seaTle. and gold Al intervals in the
long slope stood ,oiitary trees. where iuttsr-
ing. brittle leaves fell In the gentle chill air.
10 summer time she remembered well the
hay makers rested Ia the shade, and the Jug
with ginger water abe made tor the men was
kept there To be cool
She sensd, sfs sat there, % remember
everything The house was all right, she
was sure II that, the key was under the xitcn-
en- dor mat, the FIRE was out Ia the stove,
and the eat locked 10 the barn,
She held her work hardened hand To her
side, painting a little, for 1t was a good bit Of
walk across the meadow, and she wa 20
years old on her last birthday Tho cows
FEEDING looked homeiike and pleasant.
''Goot-by, crittsrs," she said, aloud,
"menys the time I've drnv 20 home an
mixed ye, an alius let ye eat by the way.
nor never hurri1d ye the bays done. !"
With farewell glance she went on again,
smoothing she walked the scattered locks
of gray hair falling under tho pumpkin
hooi. and Keeping her scant black gown out
Of the reach II briers Across another field,
then on through n leafy lane where the wood
was hnusi In winter, then out through
gap In a stump fence, with its great branch
Ing arms like q petrifiei octopus, 10 the dusty
high road
Not soul in sight In the coming twilight.
John, the children, and the scoldng wife
who made her unhappy would not be home
for an hour yet, for East Mills was long
drive
Down the steep hill went tho brave little
figure followed by an odd shadow Of itself in
the waning hight, and by tiny stones that
rolled swiftly they passed her often and
made her look behind with IA start to bee if
pursIer were coming.
They'd put In the asylum, sure, she
nutterei wildly "a she trudged along.
At the foot Of the hill she sat down upon
old log and waited for the train.
Across the road, guarded by big sign,
Look out for the engine, ran two parallel
iron rails, that wore TO lbs her road when the
big monster should come painting around the
curve,
At last the dun rumble sounded, shrill
whistle and she hurried to the track. waving
her shawl to signal.
This, In the conluctor's vcrnaculsr was
cross roads station, where 10 was used 10
watch for people waving articles franticaly.
IT,. tr.in sto,reJ and mi. ,aSsenger wax
helped aboard He noticed she a bright
eyed Old Indy very neal and precise.
How furf he asked.
"Bostn"
''Git there III the NORMA" be said kindly,
,..t,i,,, b., ,h, ,,,,,. a.. s,,, ,,,.,,,.J n fuoar
t,,,I. ,''',t.,,,l, ..h.,r, ,,,,dnr har Lni,,r,,r
yr,,r.., in n cl,,,n cotton bandkercbief was
har ,,,,-.,, ,.i,h n., an vio,,s C,f In, vs,rs,ho
I,.Ia s,,,,s S.,, hol a,n, nor ,,b.n H.. ars,
pam, T., ,,,,.r., ,h,.et a,.l come ,,ouav
~. h,i .,..,,s'i hcrs.,f hv tni,t,n- and ,,rry
rl,tin,
a, - -,..,.t 81, ,ha,, won't ,,if,,,,
sho s,,,y tine Gid .orrpI bors. ia. ,,ttlirg
,va,,o, AMI Ioi,, with ms f,nilv driyi,,,
h,1n,,,rI o. ,lr,,. I,,,g vii ri, No.,
f.a,i,.. ba ,uis,I,t ssa hcr am, sion tho ,,.i,
,,,, ill.,, ,,nut a., -, f,., Tint rnull ,ot ta
and th., ,ll horse i,y,,,,1 int, tina ,vo,ds and
Jnhn r.ver Thought hi. Old Amt Hannah
nj, ,h,rgs for .Sentv long wars vas RIM
ming away
Al Boston n kindly conductor bougb, her
n through ticket for D,ngrr
"Tt,s a long Journey for An old lady liks
Won he v,id
But I'm peart for my aye," She said anx
iously II never he'll n days sickness, since
a
"Gu.ur all the way alouer'
with Providence. " she answered brightly
aler, and eager to help herself. but silent and
tboughtfui IA the tram took her into strange
LANDSCAPES where the miles went 20 swif.ly il
s...,,,..i line tn, mast years of her life M sb.
looked haek on then
THY work ~ marvellous" she murmur,d
nft,n sitting with her hands folded md few
idle ia w had there ls.,u I'm her world where
~hs had sat and rest..l -, long
In tn. dav c,ach the r..nule vcrs kind and
generous. sharing their has. with her and
seeing she changed cars rlsh, ami her carpet
hay was safa She WAS hk,, my one of tho
lear old ernndmas in eastern homes. ar to
erix,lel men and weary women. like the
memory Of a iesd mother as faint and far
away as the scent Of wild roses in a hillside
country ground She tended babies for tired
,xo,,,n ami taiL.4t t., Tho man Of farming and
,.,,,,. or ,olt tho cb,I,,r.n p,hla stori,s' hu,
never word she said OF herself, not one.
On again. guided by kindly hands through
the great bewildering city by the lake. and
now through yet "a stranger land Tired and
worn by nights In the uncomfortable seats,
her brave spirit began TO fail little As the
wide level plains. lonely and drear, dawned
on her sight she sighed often.
Its a dre'ful big wurli," she said to Q
gray bearded old farmer near her, $50 big
feel e'enfuo~t lost ia 1t, but" hopefully.
across them deserts like this long ago Prov
ieence s.,ut q star TO guide them wise men
Of the east, an | hant't lost my faith"
But As the lay wore oti and still the long,
mouotonous land showed no human habita-
ton, 40 oasi. u green, her eyes dirnmed,
something like a sob rose under the black
kerchief on the bowed shoulders, and the
spsctaees were taken of with trembling
hand and put away carefully in the worn tan
ca~.
"Be ye goiu' fur. motherf" said the old
farmer
lie had brought her cup Of coffee at the
last station. and hal pointed out on the way
things he Thought might interest her
ITO Denver"
Wal, wal, you're from New England, III
he boundf'
From Maine" she answered.. and then she
commemorative for s,. .,vsr
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