River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-04-30
A CHANGE OF HEART.
BY SARAH oRSE JEwErr.

All winter through the bare trees she
could see the next house farther down
the hill, but now the budding orchard
had suddenly made thick screen. After
many defeated glances neighborwarJ
she was too conscious of being cut of
from companionship and social pleas
ures, and folded up the blue gingham
apron which she had been hemming.
and took her shawl from the nail be-
hind the door. There was a look of
anticipation on her face; she had evil
IDENTIFY found herself dull company for
once. She brought a deep wicker bas-
ket, brown with age, from a closet, and
going down cellar filed IL with russell
apples, and then locked the door after
her and went her wsy.
The grass was green by the roadside
and she walked in the footpath at its
edge, feeling the ground under foot
with much pleasure and stopping once
10 look at some bluebirds in a maple
tree One always feels young again
with the spring. and this year the snow
and mud had fingered late and kept her
much indoors.
Sally Martin had not much to look
forward to except continued poverty
and anxiety, but she was one of the per-
sons who have imagination. that en-
chanter's wand, which would have kept
her satisfied with life except for one
regret which could never be quite put
behind her or forgotten.
1t was the day for youth and pleas
ure, and when she was out in the open
air her face grew serene and childlike;
she stopped to lis.en to the bluebiris
and watched their pretty colors ir tn.
gray branches, then she walke1 on
DOWN the hill with her golden riIssets.
The widespread lower country and thu
bills beyond it were blue with the soft
spring haze. Her neighbor's house
stood not far away, at little distance
from the road, and the narrow lane
Into which she soon turned was pretti-
CT than ever that spring, with its shell
tcring turfas soft as velvet, and an early
dandelion or two shining againsi the
fence. The old apple trees leaned their
long bOughs over it so that they almost
met, and in later summer they would
he hung thick with wisps of hay and
Etraw from the high-heaped loads that
went into the barn. This was a huge
building like an unwieldy elephant in
the landscape, while the house was low
and small.with a tiny pointed porch
and door that had three panes of glass
at top. When you stood in the entry
within you could scarcely get room tn
shut the door behind you, and were
at close quarters with an old colored
goOd-cut of Gen. Washington, which
greeted strangers with an impartial air
of dignity. On the right anOther door
opened into the Bascoms' living-room,
which surprised one in so small house
with its size and cheerfulness. The
windows looked both north and south,
and there were plenty of bright braid
ed rugs on the clean floor.
Il saw you comm up the lane, Sally,
md don't know whenever was more
pleased said Mrs. Bascom, who was a
lame woman and could not rise to greet
her friends except in spirit. Now
bring that little rOcking-chair right
over close to me, and let's have a good
talk. It's so pretty looking out o. my
window. I'm all alone, the folks have
gone to the village, shoppin'. David
found his old pillow wouldn't do him
this year, and Cynthi' she's always
ready and willin', so they started right
off after an early dinner. I'm braidin'
UP my rigs as usual; l couldn't seem
TO do anything else just because l felt
so busy. There's everything to be
done this time of year, amt there?"
II walked up feelin' all of hustle,
too. and i soon came down to hemmin'
me a blue bingham apron that don't
need one bit" confessed Sally. 81 ex-
though there amt no leaves TO show
for it. / guess the trees themselves
must feel just the same"
The two good women smiled and
Sally reached over and took n handful
of dark wOJlen strips and began to
braid in company.
Il brouf Int you folks some o. my APP
pies" sh' said presently. I'm on the
last barrel, but they never were nicer
this time of year. They wilt right
away quick as You bring EN- up from
long as they last"
II call 'em a :, reat treat: our apples
have been gone some time and the last
of 'em were very poor. There amt
such a keepin' cellar in town as yours;
il seems to give everything a good
taste"
Grandfather always used to saw
that il cost him most as much to dig IL
right out of the rock there as il did to
build the house above it," said Sally.
"You know twas that little glimpse of
the sea you only get right there, and
he couldn't bear to set his house any,
where else. Three sides o. the cellar is
sound rock; ! don't knows you re-
member. it's so many years since you
was able TO get down"
Il recall all those things used to be
In the habit o. seeing as IL il were YES
terday," said Mrs. Bascom. II find my
thoughts such good company that 1
don't miss goin' about as much as
ev rybody expects. Everybody knows
Just where 10 find me. and so they come
TO me; folks like to feel a certainty
when they make some effort to come"
Il don't know but what I should have
been disappointed pretty bad to-day
myself. Sdtu CulAN. Secfueu 10 miss
seeing the house as sat there to INV
window sewing. The trees and bushes
have budded out amazin' since yester-
day. l kind Of missed you and felt
lonesome. l expect can see the lower
light for some nights vet, till the leaves
really come. and Cynthi's light can
see all the year round in her window up-
stairs. can't seem to go to bed till
she does" and they both laughed.
"'You and Cynthi' used 20 make sig
nails when you was girls. don't you re-
member, wavin' things and movin'
your lampsg'
Twas kind o. convenient. really.
We used to be havin' our plots together.
and we had ways o asking things an
snswerin' YES and no. / seem TO for
get a good deal of il now" explained
Sally.
you're just as much Of girl as ever
you WERE" said the elder woman look
ing up with an affecticnate and an ap
preciative smile.
''well, I did feel as IL / wanted %
stop and make dam by the side of the
road there where the water runs out
under the stone wall" and Sally smiled
I'm her turn
"Sping Is spring. amt IL? Always
5ust ss new every year." Mrs. Bascom