New-York tribune., 1895-12-22

Mr. Leeds was standing In front, one manu-
,,a,ro fast IN n cart stake the other grasping
the lines His hands were covered WIN large
leather mittens much spotted with turpehtihe
from nine logs and handling OF wood ior TWO
winters. He long dark-Diue iroch cut III
q general way like a shirt and his cal-sNh poo's
| came nearly to his knees, where MS trousers were
tucked into them. These boots had peeh sreaseu
- that degree by the owner of them that the
talIow showed in white patches on the ieather'
and the soles. as the young man looked at them.
seemed two inches thick to MIN. Inis latter per-
son stood close behind his companion, and he
nos holding TO a stake on each side Of him. but
oven thus he lurched much as the cart rattled
| about on the road.
Notbine was said for some time; 1t was not
good opportunity for conversation. But when the
horse was turned into a cartpath tnat ied thlousn
| a pasture. where the ruts were less deep ana
| ro,gh the old man turned to his companion
"You see we're gittin' under the lee or TINS NIL
| ~ the wind don't strike us much-when we gu
into the wood lot you wouldn't know the Wind
bIew at all It's jest cosey there II the chick-
| adees sing close by n you en- see um on the
| treee ~ you'd laugh to see how bold the squir-
res be there. They jest amt much lra'o WITH "'e'
They know me firstrate. -
Here the speaker gave his peculiar laugh
His mild face and flmy eyes were turned toward
the Young man who did not reply inlmedateiy'
who indeed, seemed to have siight u'Hicu'S
| In enunciating when he did speak .
You own a good deal of woodland, Mr.. Wealth
erbee told me-" ,..,,
"Wall yes considerable but now TT gittin so
7 cant work it s | could, tain't very prohtabie
~ ! have to work alone. n since my eyeslen.
failed don't have such eonilaence indcr III y in.
stinct. | guess 'tis l en- pick out the hoop oes
m cut um. n trim um, n split uin II n take
nm into Providence n sell um. expect 10 cart
Of several thousand fore sprng. But IL lose
nv eyesight much more sh' have 10 STOP IT,
| tell you. | do hate TO ontVe my us9i i,,s',
Iut how I be talkin'-a reg'lar string. l dknoW
how 'tis but it's real easy to tax TO you, tnoug4
Won be young man. n stranger. Gen ~
don't mean to git to talkin To young 1oiRs' IL
natchra they should git impatient 10 near me
The other occupant of the cart made no dis
tinct reply though he said something lnarucuiate
Presently the sOrrel stopped OF his own accord
in small clearing on the warm slde OIL d "ooueu
Here we be-" said the old man briskly, as he
clambered out of the cart lie gazed ABOUT MS
ewes blinking in the sunlight ,,,,
wow amt this pleasant he exclaimed. You
wouldn't think would ye, that the mercury was
most down to zero this n'ornng|
"To 7 should not think So" answered the young
man Let me take the horse out for YOU sup
pose you hitch him somewhere and put on TINS
He snoke quickly and began to unbuckle the
lines. Mr. Leeds took hold of the tug and gave
Jerk to II TO loosen 1t so that he might pun !, rom
Tho vhiGlletree Having done this he held the
clumsy leather strap in his hand as II he had
forgotten that he held II. ~
odd. amt it," hr exclaimed in moment sun
prasping the tug odd how voices Will make
You think of things jew you ever notice that
voicesn bring back times past"
He waited as If for an answer. and the young
man said: Yes"
Mr. leeds went on with an old mans garru
lOusness.
Now. when you spoke I thought OF my son
Ed lest as plain. Ed splendid boy. lie had
consid'a hle of a will Of his own but If you took
him right he was splendid. II do say IT. he
always got along firstrate; but he n his mother
didn't jibe the best kind spose they both
meant WELL .
a nause. The horse was taken from the shafts
and blanketed then led to the warmest place and
hitched to a tree >. ,
Sometimes began Mr.. Leeds, i feel II
couldn't die 'thout seein' Ed. But | spose hes
dead He must be dead. or he'd have come BACK
to his old father. But how be talkin'! We must
begin on the hoop-oles Do you think you can tel
a good one when you see it? Wall. you want TO
thin out the trees sot they'll grow better, you
know Les begin on them young ches nuts over
| yonder." ,
| did not go forward He turned and gazed silently
| at his companion, and then askei, just above
whisper: -,
Jew say you'd jest come from South America ?"
The young mans face seemed to break away
| from too difficult control He dropped his axe
and stepped closer TO the man near MN: his
voice ouivered a if he himself were suddenly Old
II used to go into the woods with you, ne pe'
gan. then stopped before the dim gaze upon him.
| He began again: Father. father don't you re-
member how | liked to go after hoop-'ole WIN
| you? Par, par. say'
| The old man had tOttered toward the young
| man and fallen into his arms .
In a few moments Mr.. Leeds raised himself lie
put up one huge mitten and brushed 1t across his
| face.
you needn't think I'm goin' to have fit, nor
| nothin'" he said. I'm only jest happy; N when
man amt uset to bein' happy it's apt to go
| hard" MARIA LOUISE POOLE.
|