Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-05-19

| un Wtut tIiiI, Ltkt. uiuu ulcui
ter hyah hit, but tn parson talked SC
louh. War she trooly widder, Zeke,
an Ean-did she trooly wanter come an
be EMistis Ezekiel Sykes down cen
Ra ecoon Holler?"
III was ont ut last, and the sentence
see med to end almost in moan. One
tear fell down from above him, but il
splhshed only the little hand that sooth'
ed bis wour.ds.
'fD'rindy." he answered after long
sill, nee, II had er mind ter keep my
iayF shet, but hit hain't no use now.
An I don care noway. D'rindy, Sal
Boiler hes done lined ter er city feller,
an hit war him what shet tibet ar eye
Hi makes yuh jump. an hit made me
jm bp, too, at fust. D'rindy, ef any
NAH he'd er said ter me yestiddy morn
in when went out er thet gate, 'Ezc-
kie Sykes. Sal Boiler is fined ter er city
fel Ter, an tn city feller is goin ter lick
yub afo' night. I'd er said he war er
diflpcd fool II no worser. an ter Is face.
Bul them ar is tn two things hes come
ert but. An / mus say thet, while
doil' think no better or Sal Boiler. but
OH the contrilrywise do set her down fer
er huzzy, hit mus bc lowed thet thar
rs euthin more in city fellers n most
gir orally have let ON. only hit amt or
fai fight ter open up with subbinders
on the ear when er man is hung cen his
coat sleeve. "
An did yuh see 'er, Ecker"
NO. / seed whar she war said ter be
er Twin, an then me an the city feller
thet had gimme a lift got ter jawin, an
hit|come out that Sal Boiler was done
j'nIed lntor him two weeks or more
OnE word started ernuther." he added,
"ab ernuthcr started the subbinder. "
Ezekiel was expanding under the hu-
mabe treatment and could afford even
TO indulge in pleasantly.
l|lrs. Sykes dissipated the charm that
had been woven about them by appear
ing suddenly with great quantity,
Though limited variety, II the physic
that "natur' 4" had called for in behalf Of
En|kiel, and to which the patient took
kindly, not To say greedily. Dorinda
wa lchcd him eat with vague unrest IN
her heart. There is nothing ut any time
Attractive 10 woman in the sight Of n
hungry man ut his meals.
but when Ezekiel went in To lie down
upln his mothers bed, rs ho used 70
whIn u boy when tired OF troubled
and was he not still her boyf-the de-
ser ed girl stood up gazing on the
mo hntains veiled in their violet mists
int which the blue sky Of the ending
da,I was melting their depths shot with
rusb bate rays The scene was miniatured
in her shadowy eyes. where softer
lig bt was tcaming.
He's come back free, an he said my
hal war soft IS or patch er moss, an l
wax es putty cs the sunset OH tn noun
til is he said hit" Her eyelids drooped
ov,|r their orbs, and her chin sank upon
hen breast. Then. starting as frum "A
DIR, am, she followed into the house.
That night when Dorinda lay dram
ind in the little shedroom so full Of her
own life there came down the valley a
de, b. booming. roaring volume Of sound,
and the house trembled responsive to Its
vibrations. Nearer it approached. and
hei| room was filed with the fierce light
Of Ln electric flash. which seemed 20 ex.
plcEc there. Blinded, stunned, terrified,
shJ groped toward the door and lifted
thJ latch. She was almost thrown down
blythe storm that burst III upon her
III air seemed full Of timbers, stones
ami flying drift, and the thunder was
as The thunder of the waters that come
dcrkn at Tallulah when the river Is full
Her voice when she called was beaten
baiIk rs feather III her throat The
| tinlbcrs Of the little room seemed about
TO hy apart. Gasping with fear. unable
10 tlose the door against the mighty
bis Ist. she gave herself up for lost. With
hclE limbs benumbed, she tottercd and
fell. There, ~ she lay awaiting death,
a rban came, and in the screaming fry
of the storm lifted her in his arms
Th5r was moment i'll which the del
ugt splashed her face, and the next in
staht she was drawn into the warm
ki,Ehen. She saw by the tremulous light
OF khe mysterious flame the half black
en,Id face Of Ezekiel bent over her, and
faihtly as one calling afar off heard his
mG ther's voice:
"He holds tn thunder cen es han
An rides upon tn storm,
iu,It as the parson used TO line it out at
Ze bulon Then came darkness.
When Dorinda gained consciousness,
he adopted mother was bathing her
fade. They were alone, Ezekiel having
Withdrawn at her command The storm
wis now at its height, and the room
w.s full Of the sudden and fearful
bl,l lzes. Dorinda struggled TO her feet
aghin. Her lips moved rapidly. but all
so1nd was lost in the din of the battle
wlged about them. Suddenly she broke
fr,lm the elder womans clasp and rush
ed TO the porch. For an instant her
mjther thought that, crazed with fear,
sht had thrown herself into the storm,
buk in the next back came the girl
Though the furious elements drenched
auh with her hair blown wildly over
het half nude shoulders. The lightning
| tr,mbled over and seemed 10 lick hei
fo,hn from head to foot, and by the
shl en- Of its liquid, wavy flame she saw
thk the girls hand clinched the little
photograph Of Ezekiel, torn from its
| fr,l me of mica, while her face In Its
be hutiful triumph seemed almost glori'
fieh. The secret was written there.
'D'rindy, D'rindy, child" she cried.
why hain't yuh tole me afo'T'
The words, screamed as they were III
thk night from the heart of the woman,
did not reach the girl, who covered W
thk little picture in her chilled bosom
anh crouched shivering by the smolder-
ink fire. Her companion gazed upon heI
| pi1eously, then kneeled beside her and
pointing upward moved her lips Do
riilda understood and followed her ex-
nlple. Still ragged the storm. Such
| one had never before burst upon Raccoon
H,Illow. Suddenly there was noise as
Though the mountain itself had been
riJen asundcr, and the house shook un-
| till the crockery danced upon the shelves.
THEN all grew still Rising to her feet,
thk elder woman drew the shivering girl
to the bed where the old man, deaf to
| thk storm and oblivious OF life, slept
thk sleep Of second childhood, wrapped
a blanket about her and thrust her un-
| der cover. -.
Ma" she moaned, and the word
i -. IL J,l x.,1,oy, cr, that sad day