The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1892-07-22


scant black gown out OF reach of briers.
Across another field, then on through n
leafy lane where the wood was hauled
in winter, there through a gap in a
stump fence, with its great, branching
arms like a petrified octopus, to the
dusty highroad.
Not a soul in sight in the coming twi-
light. John, the children and the
scolding wife who made her so unhap-
by, would not be home for an hour yet,
for it was long drive to- East Mills.
Down the steep hill went the brave
little figure, followed by an odd shadow
of itself in the waning light, and by
tiny stones that rolled so swiftly they
passed her often, and made her look be-
hind with start to see If n pursuer
was coming.
They'd put me in an asylum, sure"
she murmured wildly, as she trudged
along.
At the foot of the hill she sat down
upon an old log and waited for the
train. Across the road, guarded by a
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, a
| shrill whistle. and she hurried To the
track, waving her shawl to signal.
! This, in the conductors vernac ular,
was crossroads station, where he
was used to watch for people waving
articles frantically. The train stopped
and this passenger was helped aboard.
| II IL. lN,.trr III oil
lady, very neat and precise.
"How fur?" he asked.
| "Bostin."
"Git there in the mornin," he said,
standing waiting for the money, as she
opened n queer little reticule where,
wrapped in clean cotton handker-
chief under her knitting, was her
purse with her savings of long years
the little sums Sam had sent when he
first began to prosper in the west and
some money she had earned herself by
knitting and berry picking.
At "A crossroads, as they went swiftly
on, she saw the old sorrel horse, the
rafting 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 bought
her through ticket for Denver.
"Its long journey for an old lady
like you" he said.
But I'm peart for my age, 'she said,
anxiously; 81 never he'd u days sick
ness since / was gal"
Going all the way alone?"
with Providence" she answered,
brightly, alert and eager to help her
self, but silent and thoughtful as the
train took her into strange landscapes,
where the miles went SO swiftly it
| seemed like the past years of her life
as she looked back on them.
Thy works is marvellous" she muir
INJURED often, sitting with her hands
folded, and few idle days had there
, been in her world where she had sat
and reste d for so long.
In the day coach the people were k inc
4 and generous, sharing their baskets
,
cars right and her carpet bag was safe.
Y She was like any of the dear old grand
mas in eastern homes, or, TO grizzleG
men and weary women, like the mem
q DRY of a dead mother as faint and fan
away as the scent of wild roses in 6
hillside country burying-ground. She
tended babies for tired women and
talked TO the men of farming and crops
or told the children Bible stories; but
never word she said of herself, moi
one.
a On again, guided by kindly hands
through the great, bewildcring city 10y
I the lake. and now through ye'
stranger land. Tired and worn by nigh
in the uncomfortable seats, her brave
spirit began TO fail n little. AS the
wide, level plains, lonely and drear
dawned on her sight, she sighed often.
, "It's dre'ful big world" she said t.
gray-bearded old farmer near her
$50 big feel e'enmost lost in It; but,
" hopefully, "across them deserts lik,
" this long ago Providence sent star L
;. guide them wise men of the east, an
4 hain't lost my faith"
d But Us the day wore on, and still tn,
d long, monotonous land showed II,
human habitation, no oasis of green
e her eyes dimmed, something like sol
y rose under the black 'kerchief ON thu
v bowed shoulders, and the spectacle
G were taken Off with trembling han'
e and put away carefully in the worn til
l. case.
: "Be ye goin' fur, mother?" said thu
4 old fa,,nar