Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-10-15
BESIDE THE LOOM.

C(THe h|@' 49, - ~
- ke luI uug me rn the Ion g
~ porch. do Nou SEE any
.ss5 change>P
II WIS The morning after my ar
rival bad been looking at the
blur m ,untalns, and breathing the
rose prrlGmed cir, and say ing over
and Ov,r to my happy self: 'pm so
glad to be IN dear old Virginia
once moIep
q have noticed but one change,
| auSw red Uucle Allen, and that
is in the occupants OF The cottage
Gy the spring. The TGents were
there when | was here before.
Baby Nay was great pet of mine
Nays father prOspered whhe
here. aud has bought little place
ut is own down by the river
and who lives in the cottage
now saw two young men con e
ont OF there before breakfast
Yes; they're my farmers this
year. The, live down there with
their widowed mOtber-a weaver
OF great renoWnl
And a big talkerr said Aunt
nyra, from the doorway. You're
such a girl for stories, Nelly, you
mnst get Mrs. Erie to tell you
some. She can serve YOU with any
kind, from a ghost story to 4
panther yarn, having met both
phantom and painter face to face.
That won IN has seen htrd
times; stirring times; excltln
tines SAID Uncle Allen, She 1t
SAID to have been a very beautifn
girl, with scores OF lovers; but sh'
went through the woods and chose
crooked stick
And got many a beating from
her cracked stick intcrpOse'
Aunt Myra again.
Yes: beatlDgS and abuses If al
kinds. Finally the stick ran AVA
throwing the support OF three lir'l
children upon her But she wa
mountain born and bred, aud ha'
the rngge strength aud stead
| fdstneSS ot her surroundings. Sh
has been The hOr0ine Of many Il
adventure. You will enjoy be-
yarns, Nelly
ImppluoSiiy has ever been on,
of my characteristics.
q should like to 60 down righ
away aud ste her weave and hea
her talkv l cried. 'Bnt how can
gst her into reminiscent train
thougbtT'
Aunt Myra laughed.
'NO matter what you say, chill
you will remind her of some il
teresting bit OF personal history
SO dOnned my hat and IA
down the hill to Call upon this w
J man of such varied life memOrie
| heard the tramp of the trea'
les long before l reached the Ope
door 81 b1sy was the weaver tbs
| bad TO knock before she saw N,
At the sound she started and ga'
such impetus to the fling of b.
shuttle, that it fell at my feet.
FASTENED to restore it, at Il
same time begging her not to ris
'YOu are Mrs. ErleP aske
4 dOu6tfully, for | had pictured
y bent and care.wOrn woman, bea
Is Ing the marks of her struggle wi
',' the wolf. l saw instead, a fgu
as straight as a plumb.llne; a ia
that suggested trailing aTbutus
my ever fanclful mind; a pair
dark eyes as bright as baby
,e and heavy black hair twisted III
on weIl.shaped head.
Beautiful as a girl? Who coG
doubt it, or that she had quaffed
Ponce de Icons fountain?
That's who am she answer
cordially; and / know who you
without asking. Yoar nnele's be
expectin' you for more'n a wet
You look enough like him TO be
daughter. Take that rockin' ch
and lay of your hat
Don't let me interrupt you,
saidl Il never saw any body wea
and came down 10 watch you
Having thus stated half
truth, drew my chair beside
loom.
The weaver smiled like ,
.......... a nhsld and honk 70