The National tribune., 1890-12-18

]
nun, widow, who had loved and known
IL was the understanding that she was in
deed widow, because under her genial face
was a mind settled and irrcsp0nsiye TO man.
The day the beams were hauled from the
old ruined House in the Woods across the
Gap and down TO Creeper Turtles was made
a chestnut-hunting day i'm the mountains.
The Seminary was given a holiday and
selection was made from among the moral
single and married neighbors TO 90 along
upon that golden Saturday at the brink Oi
] December, and all contend for a prize OF
4 pool Of n few cents a head, the whole
amounting TO almost a dollar.
! The idea of so much money within the
4 possibility Of her hands impelled Perry to
come out Of the faithful mourning she had
worn upOn her sOnl, and q trace of which
had been also on her scanty apparel, and
Join IN the contention with energy which
gave also genial animation 10 her nature
POOR DOVE HAD TO STAY WITH HER EM-
PLOYER
and assist in the sausage making which
was sporadic thereabout, and Perry, who
knew the mountain and almost every tree
upon it like a personal acquaintance, was
oppressed by her first responsibility as a
]
She felt a large obligation to see those
beams removed from the old house.
Some treachery might omit one piece Of
wood.
Some carelessness in removing might
break precious Tafter Of which treasures
few had been already destroyed by time
and crash.
There might be accidents in wagOnng,
and the piltering people along the mountain,
OF whom old Creeper Turtle had been one,
might in this moment Of transfer and pic
mic, steal ioist, or a studding, or a bit OF
door and window 10 make their dinner fire.
"A poor mans friends, ran the adage "are
his worst enemies, when he comes TO a
good chance
Ii was a mile and half from the former
House in the Woods 10 Turtles sty, and 10
go there from the village and follow the
one wagons two loads TO and fro would re-
quire a walk Of eight miles, which Perry
did not care for, and she could pick some
chestnuts on the way but the agile and
sometimes greedy Seminary girls were also
thinking of the dollar.
A dollar was the sun and moon Of that
material, unhyp0critical society, which no
more desired money than other societies,
but kept ii harder and ayOWed the avarice
openly
The competition sharpened Perry's wits
"All the ambitions ] have got she
unused, came out Of love. / can find, maybe,
some girl in school who will love me and
pick chestnuts for meH
Her mind ran upon two tall girls from
virginia, who were room mates and often
in deep council Perry suspected that they
were In the mystery Of love and would well
come tender counsel.
Glrs," said she, as they came 10 the old
orchard among the stone road walls at the
foot Of the mountain nearest the village
you don't need that dollar az much rs me.
] have got no parents as you have. IL would
buy me a black calico dress TO mourn nav
lover in. Listen, kind friends! ] will tell
you my fairy tale il you pick chestnuis for
me to-day and put them in my bag"
=" What is the fairy tale about, Miss
PeHy2"
THAT wonderful thing they call Love"
The tall girls looked at each other and
sprang up the mountain path, TO gather
ehestnuts for the reward of true tale Of
Love.
Perry went the other way, by the road,
and picked chestnuts as she went with forest
sight and steadiness, Heserying her strength,
and at last reached the fallen house, like
tomb in the wOOds-the tomb Of some
hermit who dwelt by nothing but spring.
She remembered everything which had
taken place there In the immediate past, and
nothing more.
The memory Of them who had injured
her was already lost the ungenerous perish
like stones which fall into the ground and
never sprout again, while the kind come
forth like grass and the seed Of them who
loved Bs is a tree
Perry saw Brian ia fancy again at the
gate upon his horse admiring her white arms
raised 10 the clOihes-line. She thought Of
the song she had been singing, and looked
into the spring 20 see il il were true that
Al old man bublhed from below,
And pulled Miss Kitty doWn.n
Her face looked very strange 10 her eyes
in the black spring, but she could not think
it ugly
Il reckon that's intelligens that makes
me seem so quar-" reflected Perry; is in-
telligens a-kind Of cruel?"
She remembered how much had passed
since she said that day 10 0'COHnOr,
LORD, / DON'T Know MY LETTERS"
and now she knew the Roman and the Pit
man alphabcts
That kiss OF Brian's upon her hand so soon
after they met, seemed 10 be indelible there
OF TO have been conveyed 10y her blood
through her being. for she felt il yet
That other kiss OF pity in the old cabin,
fallen now and never again 10 be a ienalIle
home, scented recorded in the sky, and the
sacred love which rushed upon it's giving
was electrical IN the broad, gray arch above
the world. o, the silence which followed
that perfect KISS Was il continuing still :
The bliss OF everlasting silence was borne
20 the girls conviction upon the memory Of
that day, when, having kissed unwittingly,
they had been both afraid and waited, his
hands not moving AT her shoulder and mouth,
while the aKmans strokes fell soft above i'm
the cushion Of the air and the wood Silence
she felt TO be the blessing OF God when love
WAS no more 10 be.
An at once pair Of tit-birds, like those
which had fought the amour into that room
OF the silent beirothal of their human hearts,
began 10 fight again above the ruins of the
House in the Woods.
Even as she heard and saw them and felt
her lashes dim with tears, Perry went on
/ picking cheslnuts
As she stepped back Of the house, 10 a low
milk or meat shed, an animal burrOwing
there came forth and licked her hand-the
/ poor cur which never barked but once al
/ Brian OCOnnor. She took the dog in her
arms and they were happy together, but,
/ carrying him along, she still picked chest
nuts
Yet she must needs remember the instant
/ Of passion, the gust Of fierce defiance of all
institutions restrictive Of love, when at the