The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-01-20


two-the Presbyterian spire and the
Methodist steeple, held two hearts apart
for four good years or more? 1t was as
tonishing how unbridgeabie, by dint Of
brooding over and cherishing, this
trifiing matter had become. But 10!
the elements had arbitrated. Mr.. Cook
announced his finale at the breakfast
table: THANK the gods and, graces.
odds are even at last; faithful Bools
and warm-henrted Cathy can con nscien-
tiously wed.'
After this outbreak the weather re-
sumed the even tenor of it's way; charm
ing days rolled by, one so much like
the other that few called them singly
to account. Locust Nest stood in the
midst of dreamy old garden and The
hum of bee and the drone of insect
child, when she was not haunting the
stairway and window lodges of the de-
hghtsome old nest itself. haunted this
garden. She started out of nook or by
path, taking Mrs. Winters often un.
awares. and always with book in
hand.
Mrs. Winters, liking to pull beans
herself and to "fuss'' among her vege-
tables. stood one day under an apple
tree surveying her store, when a some
thing dropped from the gnarled
branches above Mercy, child. where
were you? Why do you always have
that book?"
"It is not that book, IL is another.
Father and Think schools are Disagree
nble. so I study by myself. 1 learn all
over just what wish to. and every Fri
day evening father and visit together
and tell him what do not know. You
see when people have not got much
but each other they think a good deal
of each other. Folks say. have lost
my mother, but father said that am
not real well acquainted with anybody
but old nurse, who looks like your
Cathy. and father; we cannot stay here
much longer now; thought would
tell you. We like corners; you always
find something nice around corner;
the city is full of corners, so think
we will go away soon," and blue eyes
met blue eyes. At that instant the thud
of hoofs was heard, and away down the
drive and out into the road ran the
child. Mrs. Winters hastened into her
kitchen. That evening closed in early
full of darkness and storm. Heaven
and earth seemed to shake beneath the
mighty tread of its approach. Light.
ming cut the air, thunder rolled; the
creek a quarter mile above the Nest
rose defiantly so that fording was made
impossible, and the bridge might easily
be missed in such night. Grille, who
had been studying up thunderstorms
of late, desired her father to neither
stand nor to run if ever caught by one,
tall, pointed objects being fine marks. f."
Several persons watched from windows
the increasing gloom and fury without
when dinner was called, but scarcely
were they seated at table when the
waitress appeared at her mistress ell
bow. The school-teacher at the pro-
fessor's was very i'll; no doctor to be
found. Would DR.. Flint accompany the
messenger?
Grille uttered an involuntary "Oh!"
Mrs. Winters not q word nor even raised
her eyes. Cyrus Flint rose and strode
from the room. He reappeared be-
capped and becloaked and opened the
outer door. Boo.s was there with two
hcrses and lantern, under whose red
glover glistened the coats of rider
and horse. A fierce gust of wind met
him, but he made his way out.
"Father!" the doctor bent from his
saddle; hold this high and sit low,"
and the little figure stood on it's tip
toes and reached up a small sunshade-
that precious blue silk parasol-sacri-
feed by warm little heart to cleo
trio greed, confident that surrounding
that beloved head it would be quite
stall" enough and pointed" enough
to avert "Bless you, sweetheart!
Take her in," he cried; but Cathy's
arms were already about her and she
was carried in while her father rode
away into the wild night.
The chime-like stroke of the great
clock was telling II when a violent
knock came on the kitchen door and
Bools' voice was heard. Cathy set the
door ajar when Bools pushed it open
and entered, followed by neighboring
farmhands bearing rude litter upon
which was stretched form whose gar
ments, as did those of the other men,
dripped water which trickled right
and left over the polished floor. The
cook wrung her hands.
"Oh, my! Oh, my! Is he killed or
drowned that you fetch him on raft,
and his fatherless babe above stairs.
Oh, my! Oh, my!"
Hist! Where's the lady?" But Mrs.
Winters. her eyes wide and full Of
alarm, already stood on threshold
beckoning. "Bring him this way into
the bedroom, and do you, Dools. watch
all the trains and catch the first doc
tor who comes" Then she and Cathy
worked over the injured man until day
break with which came Rools and DR.