Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-08-21
SPEED THE PLOW.
BY MRS. MAY A. FLEMING.

The November sky was liyid and
ominous and streaked with bars Of
fiery red the evening wind walled
through the black pine trees, with
ing like Dryads in the desth throes;
the loag, winding, village road was
deserted, and the lonely depot down
in dismal sandy fat was weird and
spectral enough for anything in the
ghostiy evening light.
So the tall, sunburnt young fell
low, dressed in gray homespun,
Scotch cap and tall top boots, walk
ing up and down with his hands in
his coat pockets, thought as he
watched the darkening of the dreary
day into still more dreary night, and
listened to the wild, melancholy
moaning of the mysterious pine
woods.
There was the heart Of a poet in
side that homespun waistcoat, albeit
you would hardly think so and the
wild and ghostly evening and the
wailing of the wind had at first pos.
sessed q strange charm for him, but
he Lad been walking up and down
there in the lonesome depot tor over
half an hour, and the November
night WAS cold, and he wanted his
supper and so
"Darn the train |" thought the
country poet. us tue confounded
thing never going to come? 1t will
be nice affair, don't think, if Miss
What's-her-name should not be in at
all, after keeping me freezing here
for the last hour. Good evening,
stranger-coolish, isn't it 2"
"Rather. Going to the city, eh ?"
"No. l am waiting for young
lady who is coming to visit my sis
ter. Oh here it comes at last"
With an unearthly shrek, such as
only an Indian or locomotive can
give, the train steamed in and STOP
ped to let the passengers for Ash.
field get out. Half dozen country
men, two old women, baby, young
lady and gentlemen, and little
white lap-dog-that was what the
car disgorged, and then the bell rang
and it went steaming off like a fiery
meteor to the city.
The countrymen, the old women
and the baby went away, and emily
the young lady and gentleman and
lap-dog remained, with Mr.. John
Ward in the back ground reconuoit.
ering.
The young lady threw back her
veil, disclosing pair of particularly
bright brown eyes, hair to match,
wavy and glossy, a rosy little mouth,
ard an intensely anxious expression
OF countenance generally.
Dear me, it's very oddi / told
Kitty l was coming today, and she
assured me her brother or some one
would be in waiting. It's getting
dark, and l don't see whatever we
are going to do in this wilderness"
Perhaps that fellow over there in
the gray homespun may know how
to direct u.s." suggested the young
gentleman, who was a very stylish
got.up young gentleman, indeed
with a cloak and mustache, and q
pale and interesting countenance, IL
Illuminated by pair OF large, dark,
melancholy eyes. "Shan / ask
him ?"
JOHN Ward, in his distant corner,
saw the bright brown eyes turn his
way, and becoming painfully con-
scious of his gray homespun and
coarse boots, took his hands out of
his pockets and blushed celestial,
rosy red,' under favor of the dark
ness. Resisting a delrious desire
to knock the owner OF the stylish
cloak and mournfully dark eyes
down then and there, be advanced
and touched his hat with an awk.
ward grace OF his own, to the brown
eyed young lady.
BEG your pardon--is your name
Miss Grant ~
"Yes, sir; and you are
John Ward, Kitty's brother, and
the gigs right out here waiting. Is
this your luggage -
He was lifting huge trunk and
a huge band-box, still red to the
roots of his hair. when little hand
dainty kidded, was held out, and
the pretty face was looking up at
him with the prestiest smile in he
world.