Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-09-04
CIRCASSIA.

turned abruptly into narrow gorge
and there. in the dusk of the fallin;
evening, Kendall Trance came upon
strange scene At first he scarce dis
tinRuished the two figurec and til,
respective attitudes they held. III
saw an arm raised, saw it dcsccnC
with manly and final vigor. then urg
ing on his horse, he was at the sidt
of the combatantS. and he faced tht
slim youth and the tall, massive
girl, blond and muscular as 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 against
the youths head.
"For shame" cried Kendall Trance,
who knew the youth, pitiful fellow
enough, whats the meaning Of
this?"
But it was the girl who replied,
standing there with hcaving chest
and frown dark as midnight upon
her straight browS:
''He kin let me be after this" she
remarked, scOwIing toward the vic
tim OF her own magnificent strength.
II cufIed him till he'll recO'nize it
when he sees me next"'
"Did you insult this girl?" came
quickly from Kendall. The Z RI
looked up at him in the dusk. Ills
face had a pallOr under the brim Of
his slOuch hat.
Il kin help myself If he did" she
suddenly spoke, the defiance Of Eer
mood turning largely against this
would-be defender 81 don't want
none O your Jawin'" And she was
gone, with q bound in the thicket OF
the hillside.
"Aw! she be shec-deviI," nut
tered the chastiscd delinquent, after
her. That what Sc'cashy be -
What l done anyway? / grabbed
her eH she was a-walkin' along, Just
fur u kiss. She's owin' it ter me, fer
size knows she's set me plumb crazy
with those eyes o hern; and l done
axed fer it, and when she turred
about on me- l sees sparks, ami
grabbed her, and she flung out. Az,
she be devil"
">erves you right Leave her alone
after this" bru5 luely said Kendall,
spurring his horse. The sickle of he
moon WAS coming up above the
mountains The lonely road was full
OF strange murmuringS from &c
woods. Kendall Trance set his lips
together. This had been one OF the
days when the pas. mot so loAg
passed had surgei upon him till he
sickened and the details OF the pres
cnt life had become impossible The
revolted bitterness OF his mood vas
distinct upon MIN, IS an evil taste in
the mouth.
Two days later it was Sunday
Kendall Trance talked to the people
then n-they called it ''preachin',''-
eren as he tried to teach them dur.
ing the week in the SchOol-hou C.
They stragg ed in-women with
babies in their arms, men in muddy
tOp-boots. carrying their guns The
dsors were open and the Autumn
sunshine made a pale glare without.
In the blue calm OF the Indian sum.
mer the red and yellow trees stood
mntionlcSs Kendall began to speak
and forget his hearers. He spoke
Da IS siOnately, carried on by the long
pent up stress of fcOntending emotions
within, losing SIGHT OF his initial
text. OF the concrete and practical
notions for everyday application.
which nc generally sought TO instill
into the dull minis of these, his
1cnolln6 fc!!Ow-creatures. When he
stopped h saw the slow wonderment
drawing in the eyes of his hearers as
they fled out. Ticy had understood
nothing. but that imprisoned poetry
Of speech hal stirred some dormant
chord within them. AS he reached
the door himself lie Saw tail girl In
blue homeSpun leaning against the
outside wall. She had heavy masses
OF blonde hair wound aboye mass
i've throat lie recognized her 1t
was the girl called in the mountaius
.Sc'cashY"-the parentess girl VINO
lived alone in the cabin in the woods,
and whom he had met on the rold
two nights before the girl Circassa
lie nodded to her absently.
That night, as he sat under the
lamp, not reading, there was a sharp
tap at the door, and before he could
Ic ly the door was flung open and
Circassia entered. She stood an in
slant irresolute, her scowling glance
ahsurbin. the details of the room. Is
looks, It's papers Then she burst
'nrth, turning those strange blue eyes
upon him.
Il want 'cr learn some book STUFF :"
She tossed her thumb toward the
books on the shelves Il amt never
kee. ed for booklarnin'. but l want it
now. Folks sez you teach ter the
schule l wanter come" she ended,
TO 'shly.
Very well. What makes you wish
to learn now"
Il hecru you tbs mornin'; that's
the reason why" she said, denantly'
Il amt kctchcd on ter what yer
said. But l wantcr; that's why
come. Yer bccn't like other men
round ycrc l hates men. But l
Kin abide ter listen to you"
All this she spoke with her hand
still On the knob of tho door. Through
all her unco1th ssvaSery kendaIls
Bsthetic instinct that cultivation oi
the eye which was second nature &c
him. perceived, as it were uncon.
sciously, her strange beauty. The
eords Of her pltiful, worsted al
Hirer en- the rosdside two nights be-
fore sshe done s.t me plumb crazy
with those eyes of hern," flashed
back upon hin. They were remark
able eyes Dlue-green in the lamp
light with something inviolately vir-
Kinal in the core OF their bold bril-
liancy. And even as he thought it
she was gone, with a clang OF the
door.
And thus. with new pupil in th>
mountain settlement, 8, 900 feet above
sea level, the winter began for the