Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-11-23

Chrissy trotted along the three-mile
stretch of road between the Ashley
homestead and the town, Sibylla's let
ter tucked in her bosom. Anon she
skipped and laughed at the intoxicat-
ing thought OF the beautiful gray coat
at home. She drew in great breaths
of the sweet early summer air, and
trumpeted shrilly in imitation of the
elephant she had seen at the circus.
Her heart was filled with the very Joy
of living, and she knew nothing of the
heavy tidlugs she bore in the bosom
of her pink frcck.
She longed to chase butterflies
through a wood, like that lovely little
girl in the story Miss Lefty had read
to her. She looked to left and right,
but snw no butterflies. A little way
ahead were two cows grazing by the
roadside. Cows were not butterflies,
but Chrissy must chase something,
and the cows were at hand.
Eli, yi!" she cried shrilly, and ran
down the dusty road, and every few
steps leapiug high in the air. "Hoo,
hoo !" she roared, like lion. 1t was
great fun. The placid animals lum o.,
hered heavily along before her, but
not fast enough for Cbrissy. She had
taken Sibylla's letter from her bosom
for greater security when she began
TO run, and now held it in her hand.
"Woo, WOO! IFS wild beasts after
you |" she shouted. One big, dun-col-
ored COW rebelled at further chase,
and turning out tried to climb the
bank by the road. "Shoo!" cried
Chrissy, in hot pursuit, waving her
hands.
The desperate animal turned and
made, down the bank directly toward
the girl. "Go way, go way !" she
hcwled, and Sibylla's letter fell to the
roadside on choice spot of moisl
earth, just where, second letter, q
heavy bovine hoof pressed it into the
mud.
Chrissy instantly forgot her own ter
ror, and the shrek, ending in sob of
rage, which she uttered, was more
dreadinspiring than any of her previ-
Gus limitations of wild animals.
ooh, you harv'ble beast-yo' great
foot on my beautiful letter Look at
it, all coyed wi nasty mudl can't
nevab, nevah take it like that, an 1
was so happy jes' now" She burst
into passion of tears. "What will
dol might jes' us we'll run away
from home. l nevah can face Miss
S'bylla."
She trudged slowly homeward, still
sobbing miserablY and taking poor
consolation in the thought that ''p'raps
Miss S'bylla'd write it over ag'in-
she Writes SO quick n SO beautiful"
Scmes black clouds were gathering
in the west and there was a muttering
of distant thunder, but Chrissy feared
only Sibylla's frown. She heard a
sound ola horses hoofs behind her, and
looking around beheld sigh W u
made her heart leap for Joy. Uaptnin
Julien Booth was riding slowly up the
road toward the Ashley house.
"Now Miss S'bylla kin tell him he'-
self, thought the child, can he won't
need the lettah. But she'll AK me TO-
it," she thought the next instant. "pd
better run home an 'fess it all; kin
get there befo' Cap'n Booth if 1 run
fas'."
Then the prospect OF Immediately
facing Sibylla with her dread confes-
sion overpowered the girl. "'Tain't
no use" she muttered, as she dropped
back into walk; 81 might jes' as well
die"
Captain Julien Booth had risen at
dawn and had spent the morning rid
ing slowly through country lanes med
itatinS on the step he was about to
take.
SIT may be the act of brave man
or OF coward" he had said to himself
score OF times that day.
When in the early spring he asked
Sibylla Ashley to marry him he loved
her passionatelY, or thought he did
He loved her SO no longer, or believed
| he did not. The charm of her wonder