The National tribune., 1897-07-29

"Who is that a-comin', Mirry?" called
her mother, from the inside.
It's only Henry Clay Pollock, mother"
she replied, and her bushes became deeper
| than ever.
/ Only Henry Clay Pollock" laughed her
mother. "Yo' mean Henry Clay Pollock's
| all. I'm afeared he'll have a sorry crap o.
tefbacker if he don't pay more attention 7
1t, an less L yo'. THIS is the second time
he's bin here this week"
1he horse seemed TO know his destination
as well rs his young rider. Untouched by
the rein, he dashed up toward the gate, and
stopped so suddenly that he almost went
back on his hanches. His rider stepped to
the ground with the easy grace of c6nsuth-
mate horsemanship, threw the rifle into the
! hollow of his left arm, and hat in hand
strobe up TO where Miriam had turned TO
meet him. The dogs leaped and barked
about him as If Welcoming a friend.
! wasn't lookin' for yo' today, Clay"
she said, ns she PIT out her hand.
| Nor was | lookin' Z come over here to
| day, Mirry," said he, kissing Eer hand.
But it seemed T. me that c6tldn't stand
| II t 90 'huther day 'ithout seem yo'. got
| IN all my terbacker yesterday, an went into
| the woods arTy this ffi0rnin Z git out some
| logs for our house Bot everyt1fn' seemed
| T. be speakin' o. yo', dearest. / seed yo' face
| in the purtiest flowers; the dittany seemed
| t. smell o. yo', and the birds Z lie singin'
| about yo' Finally, cooldh't stand it no
longer, so jest Jumped on DAM Webster,
| an come tearfn' over the mounting t see
yon
J" Wen, havfr' done that e'er yb' kin fest
6,,,1
over the fffodntireh she said teasingly.
But yo' needn't go rEght away tn we had
yo' dinner Elder Stornnf0itfs here. Take
Dan1 Webster round 4 the stable and help
the Elder take keer o his critter."'
The Elder Eere? said he Why not
let him marry us at once? It'H saye him a
long ride later on An yo' know I want yo'
so much every day. It gifts Harder an
harder to wait for yo'."
Unresisted, lie Slipped his arm around her
waist, and drew her Close to him.
".Bht yo' must waft-until Fail. at least"
said she gently, "Mebbe fn6tiftrll be well
enough to rake keer O herself by that tine.
An, then, neither o us fs hfgh ready. Yo'
haiht got our house even raised yft. an I've
only begun my spfhhfn'. See here"
She handed I'm the hank of yarn.
That's for OR blankets / done spun
that this mornin' Amt hit nice yarn?"
The very incest tlat any born woman
ever spnn," he said enthusiastically, and
sealed his 'commefdation with kiss.
There, now she said, pushing him off,
"'take Dan1 Webster Z the stable, an help
the Elder i must hustle 'round an git
dinner for y6' al1.'
A haIfhour later Miriam came out on n
little knoll at tie corner of the house, on
which grew profusely . old man." worm
wood, tansy ana other herbs, and blew a
musical can on a long tin horn.
Tie Z der. and Pollock went mp to the
house from the stable, ard washed in the
tin basin in the ENTRY I" between. the two
parts of the double log house. BY the basin
hung a rolfer-towel made from fax grown
on the farm, and spun and woven by Mi
RAM s hands.
Presently the two were joined by Robert
InruIe, the husband ard father, and his two
sturdy boys, younger than Miriam. All
were clad the same way-tow shirts and
trousers, the latter held up by yarn sus-
penders, the product of the household spin
ming wheel and loom. Despite their uncouth
speech and primitive ways, they had in their
bone and marrow the sovereign qualities OF
common sense courage, and honesty.
In the breezy entry the dlnner-taDle was
SET laden with homely viands, but such as
unite with honest toll TO bufid fair, stalwart
bodies.
Scarcely had the Elder finished the bless
ing when there was a cIatter on the road,
and an uprOar among the dogs. Two men
mounted on good horses rode up to the gate.
One was tail and rather slender. He wore
a suit of black, with a white linen shirt, a
IL, l. III hok lie foao
was smooth-shayen. The other was OF much
coarser mold, 1ow-statured, burly, and with
bearded face. lie was slovenly attired in |
butternut jeans and a slouched hat.
g It's Col Rhea and his overseer," said the
Elder.
They were Hospitality welcomed, and
place made for them at the table.
I've come up into the mountains to see
if couldn't buy few head of cattle for my
place" Col. Rhea exp aimed in the course of
the meal,