New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
AFTER HOOP-'OLES.

from the ground and had the appearance OF spin
ming in the air before they touched earth AGAIN.
"Oh. nv goodness. mari" cried girl who en-
tered the kitchen with her arms fun OF stove
wood Jest you look out n see Tom Wea'hei-
bee kitin' UP to the door spose hell preah MS
mock soma time or other with that colt, out
hope 'twont be In our yard
The middle-aged woman who was pairing apples
at the table let fall apple on the moor as she
craned about to gaze from the WINDOW
.J puess he's come to see yer father, amt he!
Yes guess he has she responded as she con-
,,,ued 20 stare into the yard. There he is a.
talkin' with him now. But who's ne got VII"
him? You didn't say ne want alone Emmer-
line Why didn't you say he want aiohe' ELL"
merline?'
81 s'pose I didn't notice. was the response
from tho girl who now dropped her wood pell-meh
into the box behind the sore, and then hurrleu
forward to the window but keeping carefully out
of sight of any one near the house
..Didn't notice." repeated the mother In great
scorn "You must be gittns blinds your father'
,hen. But you can't see nothin' but Tom Weather-
bee II he's anywheres within gunshot never
did see such girl. Stan outer the way can !e'
Don't We think l wanter git er glimpse OF SOME
thing myself uo
The girl moved little to one side AS 'he
woman reached still further forward another
annie rolled from her lap and went to the most
distant corner of the room
Fmmerline blushed deep red she cast iooN
of anger at her mother. but she did not SPEAK
outside the steaming colt had been pulled up
hv an immense pile of hoop-poles that coVereu
tho whole Of the east part of the yard. Near this
pile man was at work with his axe spn''ins 'i'e
poles and carefully placing those ne hao pre-
pared on a heap close by him.
A drooning sorrel horse stood few yards away
,..achad n a long farm carr. The man worked
SLOWLY. and he peered at his poles and his axe as
ono who cannot see clearly. AS the young morse
stonped the man leaned on pole and looked up
the bright winter sun shining full on his old face
and making It look still older
TON, Weatherbee's companion, a heaVily
boarded Young fellow in ulster that came up
above his ears here made quick movement as
n he would leave his seat in the buggy out ne
changed his mind and drew the bearskn yet
more closely over his knees. shiverlng as ne olu
so. and still gazing at the old man.
THAT you. Tom Weatherbee?' now asked the
man.
"Hulo. Uncle Ben. course it's me-" was the
answer.
.1 thought twas your colt by the way ne came
into the yard Got him bout broker
pretty nigh" replied Weatherbee. Are you
roin' after hoop-'oles this mornin'?
81 was thinkin' I'd go. l amt good for much
these DAYS but / make cut TO cut hoop- oies
'bout the same's ever. amt quite outAVeu MY
usefulness yet. tell my wife hope the Loro Ii
call me fore / outlve my usefulness
Here the young man in .he ulster began TO
coueh He drew out his handkerchief ana
coughed still more.
wifi Amt
the old man. Won't you both git out n come
IN m warm? Thermometer only two above this
,oornin' tell 'em we ough,er have snow 'Taint
seasonable to have winter come in 'thout snow.
N it's lot easier to sled the hoop-oles than us
TO wheel 'em. Better come In, hadn't We? EN-
merline amt you. Tom. since You n she
went 10 that concert
Here the speaker laughed little far down IN
his throat.
.Sba knows I've been away-been to Boston,
said Tom. I'm comm over this evenin' Can
stop now This young feer come out from Bos-
ton with me; he's got great notion he wants 10
go into the woods N see hoop-'oes cut 'oid
him 'twa'nt much of sight, but he couIo go
with you. Uncle Ben
Certain. certain" briskly. I'm goin' to start
right off. If YOU ben five minutes later l sh'd
have ben gone. | hope you're wrapped up welh
Young man. it'll be real chilly goin' over, but
when We git into the woods 'tain't nigh so cold
IN it's lest as pleasant 1t can be- tell um
fhe woods are Jest about pleasant In the WIN
fer g they be in the summer only folks dom
know s. much how they be then But mebby you
won't like IT over there. BE you from Boston,
young man."
The speakers blurred eyes were fixed on the
stranger like one who tries to see clearly and
cannot
Yes" said the young man. Just now I'm from
BOSTON. but I'm only three weeks up from South
America"
"south American" .epeated the old man in a
low. interpretive voice. He was silent a mo-
ment before he said:
81 gently stay in the woods all day. DO you
think you en- stan III!
"I'n try. Put in an axe for me and III see II
can keep warm.
Uncle Ben laughed down in his throat again
his face lighted up wonderfully.
Mighty glad to have company" he said III
60 in m have wife put few more doughnuts
into nv tin pail. n mnce pie-mince pie S rea
stayin' food-you en- cut lot of hoop-'oles aginst
half er one er my wife's mince pies haoh Se
better come IMP
mo; I'll stroll about til you're ready"
The vounc man now threw back the robe with a
dacisive movement and swung himself from the
buggy TO the ground.
Much obliged to you Weatherbee,' he said
TO which that young man responded:
"Oh, that's all right
Then the colt. which had been industrously
paving among the hoop-pole chips, made very
short turn out of the yard and the two neal
wheels spun about in the air before the anima
struck into his long. fast rot down the road
The stranger left in the yard stood moment
then he walked TO the b-.rn, paused there anc
shifted the odors Of hay and cattle. before goins
to the east door, which opened into the cowyard
which opened into the lane. He went down th'
lane his feet resounding on the hard frozer
earth At the foot Of the slope ran brook. There
was a narrow stream of sparkng water now
going swiftly between its edges OF ice