The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-04-07
=. AT EVENTlDE. :.
By Helen M. Merrill.

HL winters Gay was drawing TO-
ward it's close. The sun was out
of sight behind the western hills, leav-
ing behind long rays of brilliant Grim
son, which shot across the deep blue
of the cloudless sky. Over all the land
scape lay the pure snow, sparkling
when the sunlight fell upon it, but
which now took on tinge of blue. re-
fected from the sky above.
Sleigh bells were jingling merrily,
light silvery ones mingling with those
of deeper, richer tones, for farmers
were on their way home from the vii
lage stores, and gay young SWANS were
On their way to the homes of bright
eyed and rosycheeked country girls.
This evening the long-talked-of sleigh
ride to a neighboring village, where a
turkey supper would await them, was
to take place.
Snow had been late in coming this
season, and a green Christmas had
come and gone and New Years had
passed several weeks ago, without snow
enough to hide from sight the FROST
killed vegetation, or bring the longed-
for sleighing, until now.
Elias Hunters old sorrel mare trotted
contentedly along the "river road"
turning of her own accord up the hill
road, which wound around the foot of
Gates mountain. She was getting old,
like her master, and, not unlike him,
plodded on, doing the same thing. day
after day, from force of habit. Three
miles up hill and then half mile
stretch of level road, and she turned
into a long narrow lane which led to
the Hunter farmhouse. The road on
either side of the lane was lined with
apple trees, with here and there an
evergreen, whose branches bent with
the weight of snow still clinging to
them.
Weird and ghostly shadows were be-
ing formed in the rapidly approaching
darkness, but Mr.. Hunter was accus-
toned to these scenes, and only thought
of them as reminders of days gone
by, when he mad driven over this same
road, knowing that he would soon reach
home, to find warmth and good cheer
awaiting him.
Now no welcoming light would shine
forth from the small-paned, old-fash-
toned windows, and no warm sup
per would await his coming; for the
home was desolate, and he would find it
as he had left it four hours since, soil
tary, except for his old gray cat Tim.
Two months only had passed since over
this same road they had borne the re-
mains of the wife of his youth, and he
bad been left alone.
Seeing the preparations for the sleigh
ride among the young people at the vii
lage had brought to his mind a similar
occasion years ago, when his son Daniel
had been one of the participants, as had
also his dark-haired, rosy-cheeked
daughter Hannah.
Old sorrel had been colt then, and
she had made Daniel and Hannah very
proud, and all the other young people
envious, by her speed and beauty.
"She beat them all, father!" Daniel had
said next day, as he stood rubbing down
her sleek sides and patting and strok-
ing her arching neck. "Not one of
them could hold candle to you, could
they, Nan?" he continued, and Nan had
whinnied, as if replying to his question,
and rubbed her nose affectionately
against his shoulder.
The old man sighed as he gave the
reins pull, hoping thereby to start old
Nan into trot, for it was growing
colder and he was anxious to reach
home; but the days of Mans speed were
over, and she continued to jog lazily
along, while her master resumed his
meditations. @9s x.... ID.
He had never forgotten the day when
the knowledge that his only son was be-
coming incorporate had been brought
home to him. It had come with shock,
and a terrible sorrow had filled his
heart, not equaled even when year
later he had, together with her mother,
watched the roses die out Of Hannah's
cheeks and realized that death would
soon claim her. Daniel had left his
home and gone to distant city, where
after few months all traces Of him
was lost, and when his sister died his
whereabouts were unknown. Elias