Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-21

one day when the snow was on INT
ground, nigh on to two years ago, she
come down to the spring, but she was
go weak she couldn't git back up tkt
hill. We children heard her call, and
we come a-runnin, and we found her a
sittin over there on that rock as white
as the snow around. We children go'
her back to the house. The same doc
tor, he came, and he gaye ma physic
but-but ma never got up any more
and when the snow was all gone. and
the poplar leaves was all out. and the
mountain ivy was abloom she said shewas
a-goin to heayen, and she's there now.
She was silent. Her simple story had
been told.
There was something in Mr.. SHADES
throat which prevented him from speak
ing. but seeing the girl about to leave
be asked, Who makes a living for you
allT
Me and old Spot was the quick re-
ply.
'Can your father do nothiugT
>Oh, yes, pap does heap. He's
mighty nimble with his hands, if be can't
turn over without help. We children
gathers straw and broom corn for him,
and be makes hats and little baskets and
brooms, and the doctor, he takes and
sells 'em for pap. and that money buys
US clothes and shoes and sometimes a
piece Of bacon. Then the old cow-we
call her Beauty-she gives US milk, and
me and old Spot makes the bread. Oh,
we is all doin' tol'ble we'll. Then, pap
helps US with our books, and can read
print and plain writin, and Lucy and
Sallie, they knows their letters and can
spell little bits Of words. But when I
know enough-and pap says God will
provide a way for me to know all want
to know-I'll learn 'em all about the
mountains, and the stars, and the big
world that is over yonder across the
mountains. But must 20 and turn pap
and help the children with the dinner
And she bounded up the hill like a
deer.
Tell your father I will come in a
few moments to see him, he called out
to her.
She turned as she entered the cabin
door and nodded her head.
Half an hour afterward Mr.. Slade
was seated in the humble home of the
mountain girl. Her story was too true.
There, stretched on a lowly bed, lay the
poor paralytic, dead from his arms down,
with his snow white hair-whitened not
so much by the frosts of time as by the
agony of suffering-brushed smoothly
back from his brow. It was the abode
of poverty. There was but one room
and but scanty furniture Of the most
primitive kind. There were two doors,
both standing wide open, and the bed
of the inyalid was wheeled in the middle
of the room, in order that he might
catch the gentle breeze which came so
refreshingly down the mountain side.
Oyer the fireplace on rough shelf were
a few we'll worn books and broken jar,
filled with the white and crimson bios.
SONS of the mountain ivy and white and
blue violets, gathered that morning on
the banks of the meanderlng creek.
And that old man was bright and
cheerful.
All means that were in his reach had
been used to restore him to vitality but
hope had fed, and he knew that he
would never again rise up and walk.
Lille, even to him, had not lost all its
ioy and beauty. Upon Ida he rested for
almost all aid, for the younger sisters
were zoo small torender much assistance
Into her mind and soul he instilled
love for the beautiful, discernible in 80
many varied formes in the wild noun
tain scenery around their picturesque
though humble home. Like the sun
flower which grows so luxuriantly in
tbs southern cline, his bed was always
wheeled around so that he could see the
morning sunlight as it streamed in
through the door facing the east, and
again, when the sun went down behind
the mountain in the west, he loved for
the last rays to fall in all their golden
glory upon his head. Often when the
moon was cooding mountain and stream
and valley with mellow light he would
ask Ida to wheel his bed near the open
door, and then with her hand in his
they would look down the beautiful
valley and see the winding streamlet.
with its banks lined with Towering ivv
and laurel, looking like ghostlY senti-
nels keeping silent watch over thei
mountain home. And they thankt d
God for it all.