Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-23

Ucrck balanced u upon his lips and
slciggcd
Scene, the interior Of Squire Dewitts
barn.
Hay at the sides, hay at the back, and
great mountains of hay rise into the
husky regions Of the loft.
In the centre stands Jiercb Dewitt,
Just returned from his noon interview
with Major Slzerrett.
AT the left sits Ike Van Wart asleep
with his mouth open. Perhaps, like
voltaire, he hears partially with his
Lonsils.
On the right old Sam Galsworthy is
killing time with old sledge for weapon
His right hand has just beaten his left
and won the stakes, viz. twelve oats.
Hendrecus Canady stealthily APP
proaches the gaping sleeper on the left.
He holds head Of timothy grass-in
these times of war we perceive that it is
a good model for a cannon sponge. Hen
lrecus introduces timothy's head into
Van Warts mouth and begins to tickle
the tonsils and palate, so rosy.
To these enters pretty Katy Dewitt
blushing and smiling. Fragrance
comes with her, and well it may, for she
bears dinner-a deep yellow dish of pork
and beans and a pumpkin pie exquisite.
ly vanished.
Tender hearted Jierck Dewitt at once
remembered the wife who in happier
days crisped his pork and sweetened his
pie.
Hendrecus dropped his ticker into
Van Wart and sprang up to help his
sweetheart Her pretty smiles stirred
happy smiles on his face-a bright and
good humored one, though still Of pill
fed complexion. His loverlike atten-
tons brought ont blush on her cheeks.
That fair color seemed to make the old
barn glow and all the haymow bloom
with fresh heads of pink clover.
Poor Jierck Dewitt recalled how there
were once smiles as gay and bushes as
tender between him and a damsel as
buxom.
Poor fellow his dinner did him no
good. He grew moodier and moodier
The little scene between his sister and
Hendrecus had made him miserable
He could not sleep like Van Wart, nor
play cards with Galsworthy nor sky
lark with Hendrecus. He sat brooding
over his sorrow. His powers Of self
control were weakened. He could not
throw Off this weight of an old bitter
ness. A great vague misery oppressed
him. He began to fear his wits were
going.
IF l could only get these ugly feel
ings into shape" he thought, 81 could
grapple with them and choke them down.
/ must do something or | shall go mad.
l believe I'll steal round through the
woods to where / can see old Bilsbys
house and the chestnut tree where Abby
first said she'd have me. Looking at
the places may help me TO drag this
grief out of myself and put it on them.
Now that the British troops were with
drawn for Vaughans expedition, Jierck
felt quite secure in lodging about the
woods Of the manor. He left his COM
panions in the barn and stole off toward
his father-in-law's old red farmhouse.
He felt as if he We're his own ghost,
compelled to haunt a spot where he had
been murdered
It was quiet sunset. The golden light
Of evening was among the golden woods
The forest showered golden leaves upon
the ground and melted away in golden
notes across the level sunbeams.
Jierck stole along until he came to q
little glade crossed by pathway. A
great chestnut tree had made the glade
its own. Lesser plants were easily
thrust back by its stout overshadowinl
branches, and its brethren Of the forest
had willingly given place to see whar
their brother would do with its chanc,
of greatness. 1t had done nobly. Il
was an example to trees and the world
Of the wisdom of standing by onel
roots, expanding to ones sunshine anJ
letting ones self grow like a fine ole
vegetable.
This had been Jierck's trysting tree il
the times when the pastoral poem Of hi
life was writing itself, a canto a day
Under this chestnut one summers eve
when the whole tree was a great bou
! quet of howery tassels, Jierck had sud
denly ventured TO pop his shy question
! Full throated robins mp in those yer,
branches had shouted his sweetheart
''yes," for all the birds and breezes 4
, yepeat.
! Jierclz, hidden in the thicket, locke,
/ kindly at the old tree. He smiled to re
call the meetings there when he was
: timid, clumsy lover. For a moment rec
b objections half comic and all pleasant ban
e ished his agony OF a man betrayed by
d disloyal woman.
!. But presently he heard sounds tina
were not the light clash of falling lea
g with falling leaf. Footsteps and voice