The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-08-17
THE RUNAWAY.


Would they put her in the asylum, y
she wondered, IF they caught her ="
Folks would surely think she vas crazy
She stopped at the stone wall u rest and
looked back timorously at the old hamil-
lar scene. Far behind her strg tched the
meadow, a symphony Of olive and green
il the late fall Here and there by n
sunken bowlder stood soldieriy golden
rod, OF berry bushes clothed nov in scaT-
let and gold Al intervals IN the long
slope stood solitary trees, where futter-
ing, brittle leaves fell in the gentle still
air. II summer time she remembered
vel the haymakers n 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, 70 remem-
Der everything. The house was al
right, she was sure of that; the key was
under the kitchen door mat. the fire Vas
out in the stove and the cat locked IN
the barn
She held her work-harIened palm 70
her side, painting q little, for il was agood
bit Of a walk across the meadow, and
she was eighty years old on her last
birthday. The COWS feeding looked
homelike and pleasant
aGood-by, critters she said aloud
~many's the time I've druv' ye home an
MIXED ye, an aIlus let ye eat by the
way, nor never hurried ye as the boys
done
With 4 farewell glance she went on
again- smoothing as she walked the scat
tered locks Of gray hair falling under the
pumpkin hood, and keeping her seant
black gown cut Of reach Of briers. Across
another field, then OF through another
lane where the wood vas hauled in win
ter, there through a Sap IN stump fence
with its great, branching arms Ike pet
rifed octopus, 70 the dusty highroad.
Not a soul IN sight in the coming twi-
light. John, the children and the scold-
ing wife who made her 20 unhappy,
would not be home for an hour vet, for
il was long drive TO East Mills.
Down the steep bill vent the brave
little figure, followed by an odd shallow
Of itsslf in the waning Light, and by tiny
stones that rolled 50 swiftly they passed
her often. and made her look behind
with a start 70 see ia pursusr vas com
ing.
They'd put ne il an asylum, sure,
she murmured wildly As she trudged
along.
At the foot Of the bill she sat down
under an old log and waited for the train.
Across the road, guarded 0y big sign
Look out sor the engine, ran two paral-
lei iron rails, that we're 70 be her road
when the big monster should come pant
ing around the curve
At last the duh rumble sounded, a
shrill whistle. and she hurried TO the
track, waving her shawl to signal This,
in the conductors vefnacular. was a
crossroads station, where he was used to
watch for people waving articles frantic-
ally. The train stopped and this passeu-
ger was helped aboard. He noticed she
vas a bright-eyed old lady, very neat
and precise.
'sHow flr?n he asked
aBostin."
aGit there IN the morn ing, he said,
standing waiting for the money, as she
opened a queer little retieule where,
wrapped IN a clean cotton handkerchief,
under her knitting. was her purse with
her savings for long years-the little
sums sam had sent when he first began
70 prosper In the vest and some money
she had earned herself by knitting and
berry picking.
Ata crossroads, as the went swiftly
on. she saw the old sorrel horse, the rat
ting wagon and John with his family
driving homeward. She drew back with
a little cry, fearing ne might see her and
stop the train bat they went on &c fast
that could not be. and the old horse Jog
ged into the woods, and John never
thought his old Aunt Hannah, his charge
for twenty long years, was running
away.
At B ston a kindly conductor bought
her a through ticket for Denver
sIt's long journey for an old lady
Ike YOU, he said,
But Pm peart for my age" she said,
anxiously. 4 never he'd 4 days sickness
since was gal"
"Going all the way alone ?"
with Providence, she answered,
brightly, alert and eager 70 help her
self but silent and thoughtful as the
train took her into strange landscapes,
where the miles went 50 swiftly It SEEM
ed Ike the past years Of her life as she
looked back on them
Thy works IS marvellous she mur-
INJURED often, sitting with her hands fold
ed, and few idle days had there been in
her world, where she had sat and rested
for 30 long
In the day coach the people were kind
and generous, sharing their baskets with
her and seeing that she changed cars
right and her carpet bag vas safe She
wasIike any Of the dear old grandmas in
eastern homes, or 70 grizzled men and
weary women. Ike the memory ofa dead
mother as faint and Ear away as the scent
Of Wild roses in hillside country bury
ing ground. She tended babies for tired
women and talked to the men 0f farm
ing and crops. or told the children Bible
stories; but never word she said Of her
self, not one.
On ag4iu- guife,f bv kindly hand.