The Penn's Grove record., 1893-12-29
CIRCASSIA.

CIRCASSIA.
Where the rough mountain road
led up from the valley beneath it
turned abruptly into a narrow gorge,
and there, in the dusk of the falling
evening, Kendall Trance came upon a
strange scene. At first he scarce dis
tinguished the two figures and the
respective attitudes they held. He
saw an arm raised, saw 1t descend
with manly and final ylgor. then urQ-
Ing on his horse, he was at the side
of the combataDts. aud he faced the
slim youth and the tall, massive
girl, blond and muscular as a Morse
war goddess, whose round arm, firm
as marble in the twilight cher coarse
homespun sleeve was turned up from
the elbow had hurled itself aga nst
the youths head.
''F'or shame" cried Kendall Trance,
VINO E.ne ~ the youth, a pitiful fellow
enougS. whats the meaning OF
this?"
But it was the girl who replied,
standing there with heaying chest
and a frown dark as midnight upon
her straight brows:
'IIe kin let me be after this" she
remarked scowling toward the VIC
tim o. hej own magnificent strength.
81 CURED him III he'll reco'nize it
when he sees me neXt,''
"Did you insult this girl:" came
quickly from kendal, The & RI
looked up at him in the dusk. His
face had d paIlOr under the brim Of
his slorch lat
II kln help myself If he did" she
suddenly spoke, the defiance Of her
mood turning largely against this
would be defender. II don't want
hone O. your Jawin'." And she was
zone, with a bound in the thicket Of
the hillside,
"Awl she be a >hce-devil," NUT
tered the chastiscd delinquent, after
her. THAT what Sc'cashy be-
What l done anyway? l grabbed
her ez she was a-walkin' along, Just
fur a kiss. She's ow!n' Il ter me, fer
she knows she's set me plumb crazy
with tho ,e eyes o hern; and l done
axed fer 1t, and when she turned
about on me l sees sparks, and |
grabbed her. and she flung out! Aw,
she be a devil"
SERVES you right Leave her alone
after this" brus .uely said Kendall,
squirting his horse, The sickle Of the
moon was coming up above the
mounta rs The lonely road was full
of strange murmurings from the
woods. kendal Trance set his lips
together. This had been q Of the
days when the paso mot so long
passed) had surged upon him till he
sickcned, and the details OF the pres
ent life had become impossible. The
revolted bitternc IS OF his mood vas
distinct upon him, as an evil taste 10
the mouth.
Two days later it was Sunday.
Kendall Trance talked to the people
thcn-they cllled it ''preachin','-.
Q en- as he tried to teach them dur.
ing the week in the school house.
They stragg cd in-women with
babies In their arms, men In muddy
top-toots, carrying their guns The
doors were open and the Autumn
sunshine made a pale glare without.
In the blue calm OF the Indian sum-
mel the red and yellow trees stood
motiouless, Renlal began to speak
and forget his hearers. He spoke
passionately, carried on by the lonR
pcnt up stress Of contending emotions
within, losing sight OF his initial
text, OF the concrete and practical
notions for everyday application,
which he generally sought to instill
Into the dull minds OF these, his
ignoranJ fellow-creatures. When he
stopped he saw the slow wondermcnt
drawing 10 the eyes Of his hearers as
they filed out. They had understood
nothing. but that impassioned poetry
OF speech had stirred some dormant
chord within them. AS be reached
the door himself he saw a tall girl IN
blue %hDIcspun leaning against the
outside wall. She had heavy masses
blonde hair wound above a mass
i've throat lie recognized her. II
was the girl called in the mountains
''Se'cashY"-the parent ess girl who
lived alone in the cabin In the woods,
and whom he had met on the road
two nights before the girl Circassa.
He nodded to hor absently.
That night, as he sat under the
lamp, not reading, there was a sharp
tap at the door, and Gcfore he could
re ly the door was flung open and
Clrcassia entered. She stood an in
slant irresclute, her Sowing glance
absorbing the details OF the room, IS
books, Its papers Then she burst
forth, turning those strange blue eyes
upon him
ii want Ter learn some book stun :"
She tossed her thumb toward the
books on the shelves II amt never
keered for book-larnin'. but | want it
Folks SEE you teach ter the
schulz. l wanter come" she ended,
roughly.
VERY well. What makes you wish
to learn now?"
II heern you this mornin'; that's
the reason why |" she said, defantly'
81 aIn't ketched on ter what yer
said. But l wanter; that's why l
como. Yer been't like other men
round yere / hates men. But ]
kin alb de ter listen to you"
all this she spoke wish her hand
stni on the Sneb Of the door. Through
all her uncolth savagery Eendall's
instinct that cultivation of
the eye which was second nature TO
lhms perceived, as 1t were unconj
sciously, her stra-ge beauty. Thd
OF her pititul, worsted ad>
mirer on the roadside two nights be-