Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-04-18
an EasTER gWaKEuNG.

roads and looked about him with I'M
certainty and discomfort, which the
chill gray atmosphere seemed to
share. To the north lay his father 6
farm, to the west the home OF his
fathers half brother, whom he had
always called Uncle Abram Holmes.
OF course he ought to hasten to see
his parents, but then there was Bes-
sic, whose relationship he denied for
a tenderer reason. Should he not
first tell her Of his success? Should
she not join in breaking the news9
But she hadn't written, either; nor
had she met him at the station, as
he had surely expected she would.
Why, then, should lie tell any Of
them, at least for day or so? They
were so accustomed to their vale of
tears that peremptory ejectment
might seem heartless. Such strange,
self contained, apathetic people,
without spark Of interest in their
own affairs except conviction that
these could not be changed. There
fore, let Paxton, IL he were silly
enough, worry and strive and fail |;
he might go. he might come, but the
old life must not swerve from the old
groove Of routine.
But Bessie-what bright, affec-
tionate little creature she was !!
Truly, yet even she could not escape
from the trammels Of her childhood.
Hadshe not sympathized more readily
with his people than with him? Had
she not reiterated that he couldn't
understand them? Well, thank
goodness, he was different. He never
Would have considered o leagues
plod through the mud o proper vel
come after q journey Of 5000 miles.
OF course, he was different in spite
of blood. Had he not been educated
in the metropolis by his mothers
people and encouraged to believe
that he would be well
pleased there? Had not that pros
pect been shattered by misfortune
and death, and had he not returned
to the farm, which had never seemed
home to him, resolved manfully to
perform his filial duty? Come now,
had he not done so? Had he not
struggled there sufficient time to
appreciate how fruitless such strug-
giles werey Had he not found that
the soil was sterile and exhausted !;
that the markets were too near and
TOO distant, and their prices too
meager?
Had he not perceived that the
mortgage was yearly gaining weight
from arrearage5 and must certainly
crush the old homestead? Come now,
had he not then accepted the PROPOSE
ton of those city people who had
confidence in him and gone into that
wild, newly discovered mining coun-
try, and in three months made
more money than the old farm could
produce in century?
Come now. again. had he not thus
risked health and life, and endured
hardship and gone without sleep for
the sole purpose OF aiding those who
could not help themselves, vet who
disdained his aid? Yes, and to gain
Bessie, of course His Uncle Abram
Holmes wouldn't now refuse to give
him her hand. But Bessie, in COM
pretending the strength and the
weakness Of these people, where he
failed, did she not confess similarity
to them? Was she not also cold and
apathetic? Oh, no! tender memories
shamed the thought, but yet
Paxton was in fact, more grievous-
ly disappointed than he realized. He
had written to his parents and his
sweetheart in ambiguous terms, yet
between the lines had cleaned his
great Joy. He had reiterated the
date and hour Of his arrival. And
throughout the ceaseless roll of his
journey thither he had heard songs
OF triumph. In the flashes of light
and the plunges of gloom he had
seen their greeting, had felt his
fathers fervid grasp and Bessie
proud caresses. At length he had
arrived. There was the little brown
station, an outpost of civilization
the agent in shirt sleeves despite the
cold; and that was ALL except the
mud and the chill, dark atmosphere.
And straightaway his high hopes had
become as gray as the surroundings.
So Paxton hesitated, and so he
complained, when there was a joltine
rumble and the sousing tread OF
horses. He looked up and beheld
his father homeward bound on the
farm wagon. The old mans face ex
pressed neither surprise nor pleasure
to him; naught, indeed, save the rig
idity Of years.
"Hullo, Paxton;" drawled the
farmer, refining up his steed. "Got
back, hev We? Jump aboard 7"
Paxton took his share of the buf
falo robe and of the progressiona
shaking up.
"How's mother?" he said.
Poorly"
'And Bessie?"
Much as usual, / guess Abran
and she will set by to dinner to-mor
row arter service"
''Oh, in honor Of its being Eastern
''Waal. / don't know as to tibet
We don't observe the day in ou
communion, yer know; still al
natur' celebrates resurrection, though
spring Is backward. And what tn,
good Lord shows in the seed and tn,
bud His creatures ought to praise.
There was pause which seemed
to say What nextf" to Paxton
though he was convinced that it wa
voiceless to his father. So he lightet
cigar and pulled vigorously. Th'
Id man looked wistfully toward him
but he didn't perceive the glance
The old man sighed and then chirpe'