Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-10-22
BESIDE THE LOOM.

"Well. Nelly said my uncle, join
ing me on the long porch, ado yor
see any changes?'
1t was the morning after my arri-
val. I had been looking at the blue
mountains, and breathing the ross
| perfumed air, and saying over and
over to my happy self: ''I'm 81
glad to be in dear old Virginia once
morel'
al have noticed but one change, ,
I answered Uncle Allen, "and that
is in the occupants of the cottage by
the spring. The Trents were there
when was here before. Baby May
was pet of mine."
Mays father prospered while
here, and has bought a little place
of his own down by the river"
"And who lives in the cottage
now? saw two yonng men come
out of there before breakfast"
"Yes; they're my farmers this year
They live down there with theil
widowed mother--a viewer of great
renown-"
"And big tslkerl" said Aunt
Myra, from the doorway. You're
such girl for stories, Nelly, you
must get Mrs. Erie to tell you some
She can serve you with any kind
from a ghost story to a panther yarn
having met both phantom and
painter face to face"
"That woman has seen hard times
stirring times, exciting times!" said
Uncle Allen. "She is said to have
been a very beautiful girl, with
scores of lovers; but she went
through the woods and chose the
crooked stick"
"And got many beating from
her crooked stick" interposed Aunt
Myra again.
ssYes; beatings and abuses of all
kinds. Finally the stick ran away,
throwing the support of three little
children upon her. But she was
mountain born and bred, and had
the rugged strength and stead last
ness of her surroundings. She had
been the heroine of many an adven.
ture. You will enjoy her yarns,
Nelly"
Impetuosity has eyer been one oil
my characteristics.
81 should like to go down right
away and see her weave and bear
her talk" / cried. "But how can
get her into a reminiscent train oil
thought
Aunt Myra laughed.
''No matter what you say child,
you will remind her of some inter-
esting bit of personal history"
So I donned my hat and ran down
the hill to call upon this woman OF
such varied life memories.
heard the tramp ofthe treadles
long before reached the open door.
So busy was the weaver that / had
to knock before she saw me. At the
soundshe started and gave such i'm
petus the fling of her shuttle, that
it fell at my feet.
l fastened to restore it, at the
same time begging her not to rise.
"You are Mrs. ErleF' / asked
doubtfully, for had pictured a
bent and careworn woman, bearing
the marks of her struggle with the
wolf. 1 saw instead, a figure as
straight as plumb-line; a face that
suggested trailing arbutus to my
ever fanciful mind; pair of dark
eyes as bright as a babyis. and
heavy black hair twisted high on q
well shaped head.
"Don't let me interrupt you,"
said III never saw anybody weave,
and came down to watch you"
Having thus stated half the truth,
l drew my chair beside the loom.
The weaver smiled like one
humoring child, and bent to her
task with the brief information:
"I'm weavin' jeans
When the jeans had increased
about two inches in length Mrs,
Erie gave sudden short laugh.
sit didn't look very friendly for
me to fling the shuttle at you, said
she.
"That was my fault. / knocked
so abruptly it startled you.n
I've been weaver, off an 'on,
ever since / was a girl of eighteen.
This is the second time in all those
years that l tossed my shuttle SC
hard it went out the door. / thought
OF that other time the minute it few
out today
She stopped weaving xnd looked
past me through the open window
with so thoughtful an air that
scented my story.
"Tell me about it, p!ease,"I said
inwardly smiling at tie remembrance
of Aunt Myra's parting assurance.
II was in December and dreadful.
ly cold. Father was in the war
l.