Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-07-01


slope, at the other end of the berry
patch the negro gang were singing
"iIeah dem bells! Oh, doan yo' heah
lem bells!
Day's a-ringin' fur de glory OBJ de
lamb!"
Gone softly echoed the sweetly-
lroning melody, as she waited for
George to come back. And how the
berries leaped from bush to basket, so
quickly did her trembling fingers
work. 1t had been SO long since she
had last spoken to him-since his hand
had touched hers! No wonder the
sun-beaten, commonplace berry patch
was transformed into a paradise!
Since her first day in the district
school four years ago she had claim.
I'd him as her George. She had then
boen a pale, scrawny little creature,
with great, owl-like eyes, and hair
that the naughty boys had dubbed red.
But from the very first George Haines,
the rosy checked, black eyed, strong
limhed son Of the richest man in the
county, and the acknowledged leader
of his mates, gave the timid little city
girl his special favor and protection. In
the winter he had always drawn her to
school on his sled, and had brought her
the finest reddest, largest apples to be
found in his fathers well filled bins.
But this last year or so, since he had
left the district school, they had not
often met, and when they had Gene
was strangely silent and reserved, She
was only poor girl, who we'll knew
what cold and hunger were, although
no one knew of her privations besides
herself and her widowed mother In
the summer time she "worked out"
during the vacation, and in the winter
she studied hard, hoping in time to
secure a teachers certificate.
There were rumors now of q fine
young lady visitor at the Haines man
sion, to whom it was said young George
was very attentive, and knowing ones
declared he was engaged to marry her.
Gene had long since ceased to call him
her George, and told herself such little
Tomances always ended with the school
days. But she was so sad and serious
that even her mother noticed her, and
was always cautioning her against
studying too hard
And now! Gene picked so fast that
her basket, already two thirds filled
when he had given it to her, was heap
ing full when he returned. He slipped
the change to her, at the same time
giving her hand little squeeze. Gene
drew herself up proudly, and flash of
resentment came into the gray eyes
under the sunbonnet. They were no
longer schoolmates; she was nineteen
now, and he was twenty-five, and said
to be engaged to another girl.
''EXcuse me, Gene!" he said, some
what embarrassed. But tit has
been a long time since l saw you!"
Il saw you, though, and Just the
other day, too!' returned Gene, q trihe
tartly.
Saw me? Where?"
"Rowing on the river with that
black haired girl from the city. You
were having too delightful time to
see me by the bridget"
"Geno!" But she had dived down
under the bushes, where beautiful
bunch of great black berries were wait
ing to be picked
but how do you come to be here
picking berries?" she asked suddenly
after a long silence.
Mother told me to drive down and
order some berries, and I-well, saw
such pretty sunbonnet here that I
used to see at school, and Jonas said
he was anxious for extra pickers. [
always liked to pick berries, so [
thought L might as we'll accommodate
HIM and get talk to blue sunbonnet
besides
"Oh !" And she relapsed into a
silence it was impossible for him to
bridge.
She could not tell just how it was
managed, but every basket she filed
herself was carried up by George, while
the baskets she carried herself were al
ways more than half full before she be-
gan to fill them. Suddenly George es-
pied pretty white wild flower grow
ing among the bushes, and asked her
to fasten it in the laces of his blouse.
And how could she refuse without
looking silly? But he acted very
solemn and funny, and when her
trembling fingers unwittingly touched
his neck he put his arm around her
they were apart from the other pick.
ers, whore the bushes were quite tall,
and kissed her, anyhow!
"Oh, dear, then, said Gene, half
sighingly, as she sat in the cart with
George, followed by knowing look
from Jonas, you were not engaged to
that other girl, after all |"
No, indeed + he returned, energeti.
calIy. WHO ever said was %
why, everybody And they said
your father and hers were awful anx-
ions for you to make match"
"Well, everybody knew more than
[ did about it, it seems. She was
visiting my sister, and we all like her,
and so will you-that is all there is of
it,"
But maybe-perhaps your folks will
not like me so weIl-I am poor and"
Now, Gone" returned her lover,
very decidedly, Il do not want you to
ever say that again Money is
mighty small item in such affairs, and
am sure | have plenty and to spare
for us both. Nobody could help being
pleased with you Besides here
is Jonas's storm on hand just in time
for me to ssstop and have a talk with
your mother. Do you think she will
allow me to come in ?"
And as the storm broke he threw
his arm around the little berry picker