Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-07-02

draw him out. III he would not draw
she must tell him the old story herself.
No strategist could have planned tiner
campaign.
IL was the evening of Easter Sunday.
The day had been bright and sunny.
The services at the church had been In
spring, and James had come home with
her for supper.
After meal which would have warmed
the heart of q cynic, let alone healthy
farmer like our hero. all the folks retired
10 the parlor, where rosy fire was glow
| ing In the CRATE, the dry maple logs
burning slowly, but determincdly, and
every coal which dropped holding its
color for an hour.
The organ was opened, and first the
pieces sung by the choir that day were
played over, as Martha Aan said, 'Just
ter hear how they sounded ter home"
Father Todd sat near the hearth, one
knee overlapping the other, his eyes
looking clean up through the ceiling,
past the bed room on the second floor,
past the stars In the keen spring sky,
past the boundaries Of space into that
beautiful land OF pure delight, where
saints immortal reign, which MarthaAnn
was singing about.
Mother Todd sat in her rocker near
him. her arms folded on her lAosas..y
bosom, her round, fair, good old face
beaming with perfect rest and peace.
James stood by the side of the singer
and joined In the chorus now and then,
for he had a robust bass voice, which
''might'd amounted ter something"
Martha Ann said, "had he only had the
high trainin' of the choir"
Aud so the early evening passed, and
pretty soon the old people went to sleep
In fitful way until the worthy sire cal
lowed il might do fer young folks to set
up, but fer as he was concerned, guess
he'd crawl off ter bed" He was soon
followed by his faithful partner, and the
field was ready for the action to begin.
Martha Ann concluded that she would
not sing any more, for her throat was
getting choked up, and with the greatest
sang froid drew the sofa up before the
fire and sat down, leaving James to look
out for himself.
This move put him in bad fix. II he
sat down anywhere in the room but in
one place her back would be towards him.
He hemmcd little aud wandered aim
lessly about, tried to get interested in a
picture Of Mrs. Todd's grandmother, and
finally sat down on the organ STOOL
Martha Ann paid no attention. She
sat with her face in her hands looking in
the fire, rs if oblivious of his presence.
There was o silence of intense and
painful presence in the room, Now and
burning logs. or a stick fell from the
logs into heap of crimson Goals.
James actually suffered. He had no
more idea what to do under the circum-
stances than the traditional child unborn.
But when the stiffness began to actually
ache, Martha Ann reused up, and turning
to him said: why, James, don't set
over there alone. Come and sit on the
sofa here by me and watch the fiickerin'.
jes' see the prettiest little home you
ever heard tell OF. Come and I'll tell
YOU"
He blushed crimson at this. Was it
possible? Was this really Martha Ann?
Was he Jim Simpkins9 ''Come and set
down right aside o. her, and watch the
flickerin'-well, I'll be etarnallyr' was
what instantly passed through his brain.
And she had turned again to the fire.
He coughed Il little, made as il to get
up, but subsidized. He turned all colors.
And there sat Martha Ann looking so
cosy.
A look of heroism came into HIS eyes,
He arose, sat down again, got up once
more, and the first thing he knew he was
actually sitting on the same sofa with
her, and she, never moving from her
place near the middle, continued her
weird stare into the fire.
"James," she said, 81 never see such a
buildin' of palaces and a maxim of
stories as there is in the fire there to-
night"
Cant say as l see much, Martha
Ann"
Look there, right side the dog.
Can't you see the little house there aud
the vines a-trailing up over the roof, and
the door wide open and the children a
playin' about. and the old we'll there
see it. James. bucket, beam. everything
jes' as natural as life, and what's them
fovvis, osnsOs, sJ.s. we'll over rnc yy,rieY
Jes' as we are over the fire.
''You got tarnal good eyes, Martha
Ann, ter see oil them things. P'raps l
amt no imagination. but / can't see
nothing but some Goals breathing sorter
like as IL they hated ter give in. 4"
Martha Ann continued her rapt atten-
ton of the drama in the fire, and James
began to get to home on the sofa.
BY and by she lifted lSr hand and
brushed back her hair, ah1 then let it
descend in careless way till it fell on
that of her companion.
What q great, strong hand YOU
have" she said, slowly. 'Do you know
the marks in the handg Let me show
you. See this longest one curving
around the thumb! That's for long life.
You will live to be very old And see
this one here. next IL? That's for riches,
and this one here-wonder what it's for2
See mine, jes' the same mark. OH l
know now; remember"
whats it ferT"
It's fer love-"
The Websterian catalogue was too
limited for the bashful young farmer to
find anything to say to this. and so they
sat in silence, her hand still resting al
most caressinglY on his. Out in the sit
ting room could be heard the measured,
solemn tick-tock of the great oaken |
clock, and outside the wind breathing |
through the trees added certain weird |
ness To- the Sabbath repose. Every now |
and then the sound of the old dog in the |
woodshed turning over restlessly could |
be heard, and all the while the mans |
heart was demanding that he should ex-
press himself, a commission the tongue
refused to obey.
Finally Martha Ann, without raising
her head, said dreamily: