Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-01-28
THE RUNA VA Y.

"Would they put her in the asylum
she wondered, "if they caught herr"
Folks would surely think she wa
crazy.
She stopped at the stone wall to res,
and looked back timorously at the OLE
familiar scene.
Far behind her stretched the mead
ow, symphony Of olive and green il
the late fall. Here and there by 6
sunken boulder stood soldierly golden
rod, or berry bushes clothed now in
scarlet and gold. At intervals in the
long slope stood solitary trees, where
futtering, brittle leaves fell in the gen.
tie chill air. In summer time she re.
membered well the hay-makers rested
in the shade, and the jug with ginger
water she made for the men was kept
there TO be cool.
She seemed, as she sat there, to re
member everything. The house was
all right, she was sure of that; the
key was under the kitchen door mat,
the fire was out in the stove, and the
cat locked in the barn.
She held her work hardened hand to
her side, painting little, for it was a
good bit of walk across the meadow,
and she was eighty years old on her
last birthday. The cows feedin.
looked home-like and pleasant.
"Good-by, critters" she said aloud !,
'Ineny's the time I've druv' ye home
an milked We, an 1 allus let We eat by
the way, nor never hurried We as the
boy, DONE"
With farewell glance she went On
again, smoothing as she walked the
scattered locks of gray hair falling
under the pumpkin hood, and keeping
her scant black gown out of the reach
of briars. Across another field, then
on through a leafy lane where the
wood was hauled in winter, then out
through a gap in stump fence, with
lbs great branching arms like a petri-
ded octopus, to the dusty high-road.
Not a soul in sight In the coming
twilight. John, the children, and the
scolding wife who made her so un-
happy would not be home for an hour
yet, for East Mills was long drive.
Down the steep hill went the brave
little figure, followed by an odd shad-
ow of itself in the waning light, and
by tiny stones that rolled so swiftly
they passed her often and made her
look behind with a start to see ii
pursuef were coming.
"They'd put me in the asylum, sure
she mut,ered wildly as she truged
along.
AT the foot of the hill she sat dowL
upon an 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 were TO be
her road when the big monster should
come painting around the curve.
AT last the dull rumble sounded, q
shrill whistle, and she hurried to the
track, waving her shawl TO signal.
This, in the conductors vernacular
Gas CROSSROADS station, where lie was
used to watch for people waving ar
ticles frantically. The train stopped,
and this passenger was helped aboard.
He noticed she was q bright-eyed old
lady very neat and precise.
"How fur?" he asked.
"Bostin."
''Git there in the mornin'," he said
kindly, waiting for the money, as she
opened queer little reticule, where,
under her knitting, wrapped in clean
cotton handkerchief, wa. her purse
with her savings of long years-the
little sums Sam had sent her when he
first began TO prosper in the West, and
some money she had earned herself by
knitting and berry picking.
AT crossroads, as they went swift
ly OH, she saw the old sorrel horse, tho
rattling wagon, and John with his fam
lily driving homeward. She drew back
with little cry, fearing he might see
her and stop the train, but they went
on so fast that could not be, and the
old horse logged into the woods, and
John never thought his old Aunt Han
nah, his charge for twenty long years,
was running away.
At Boston kindly conductor bough
her a through ticket for Denver.
"It's long journey for an old lady
like you," he said.
"But Pm peart for my age" she saio
Anxiously; 'I never he'd days sick,
ness since was a GAL"
"Going all the way alone?"
"With Providence" she answered
brightly, alert and eager to help her.
self, but silent ano thoughtful as the
train took her into strange landscapes
where the miles went so swiftly II
seemed like the past years Of her life
os she looked hack on them