Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-01-05

sMWNN%# nhnn hracing, and the sky
MNWMr rksb lWM overhead clear and
~ lMsSGgy@QMj blue as sapphire.
fN%NE %SSAsgN Since early morn
SSAFfiES& ing the sun had
TI529sys shone with steady
[&gSJ brilliance, and She
SSS/TN>,&. west was still rud-
M|mN4S,h" dy with its dying
e@@ . glow, when h 9
moon rode out in queenly splendor.
But instead of yellow corn or cluster
ing sheaves, it shone tonight on long
stretches Of bare stubble. A spell of
dry weather had enabled the farmers
to secure their grain with unusual
rapidity, and even on the cold uplands
of Fife there was not q single sheaf of
standing corn. In ,e staclyard at
Muiredge, John Cal is stood regard
ing his handiwork with supreme salts
faction. From his youth he had
maintained his reputation of being the
best stacker in the East Neuk, and
though he was now in his sixty-ffth
year, the row of neat stacks before him
was sufficient proof that his hand had
lost none Of its cunning.
How John Cairns and his wife man
aged to scrapo u living off Muiredge
was problem often discussed among
the farmers in the East Neuk, for be-
sides being bleak, cold-lying place,
it consisted of little more than fifty
acres. Yet they had struggled on for
well-nigh forty years, since they had
begun life together as man and wife.
Three children had been born to
them, the eldest a daughter, who had
died in her girlhood, and two sons.
The elder of the two had made an
early and imprudent marriage with IN
out worker in the neighborhood, and
thus handicapped in the race Of life,
had been forced to hire as plowman,
from which Lowell he never aftcrward
succeeded in rising. The younger
son remained with his parents till his
twenty-third year, when, filed with n
burning ambition to seek his fortune
abroad, he left his native country and
emigrated to Australia. For few
years they heard from him at brief in
tervals, but iu the end all communica-
tion ceased, and they had not the re-
motest idea whether he still lived.
Thus in their old age John and Kir-
stem Cairns were forced to fight the
battle of life unaided, and how hard
the struggle was at times even the
shrewdesS guesscr could not have
gauged exactly.
With the assistance Of one hired
woman, John had brought in and
stacked the whole OF his grain. To-
nigat they had been working late, and
the old man, though worn out with
his long days labor, was conscious OF
strangely uplifted feeling for which
he could not account.
He wandered around the yard,
counting the stacks over and over
again, and wondering if It could be be-
cause they numbered two more than
usual that he felt so much elated.
Then remembering suddenly that
kristen would be waiting supper,
he set off toward the steading with the
last sheaf under under his arm, which,
according to timc-worn custom, he
always carried home with him. It's
presencein the house indicated mild
form of harvest festival.
Kristen was standing outside the
kitchen door watching for him, an un.
couth yet athletic-loo!1ing figure in the
short gown and petticoat of the Scot.
tish peasant woman. Her face was
eager and careworn. Her shoulders
bent with much toll, and her hands
full Of the restless movements of one
who never knows what it is to be unoc
cupied.
sIs that you, John?" she cried
across the yard.
"Aye, mistress, it's me- he ans
wered back. GIVE been langer O.
gettin' through than expeckit, but the
horses, puir beasts, begun to fail q
wee, on we had to CO. AVA cauny.
"Elspet brocht them in mair than
half an hoor syne," sue added. 81
gaed over to the stable to see that they
got bit extra fodder efter worliu
late; but what hae ye been aboot sin
syne?"
"Oh, Twas iistlcokin roun' the yaird
to ma sure a'thing was richt," he re
turned. "You should see what bonnie
raw O. stacks we hae, Kristen; here:
the last sheaf, an thumpin' big anc
it is. I dinna min O. ever bringin
hame ane like it, unless it was tha
'ear oor Dave was born. Hae ye min
ct, wumnan? We had graund hairs
that earl
'Ay, hae min o't," she answered
turning away abruptly. "Come ava
in to yer supper then; it's been waitin
this hoor an' mair.
A sparkling log fire filled the kitchen
with ruddy glow, and when the ligh
fell on Kirsten's face, it was seen tt
wear strangely troubled expression
The table was spread with the evening
meal, plate of home-baked bannocks
bit of cheese, and q bottle Of ale.
While John hung the sheas on mai
above the fireplace, Kristen filed on
cup of milk for herself from iu!
which stood on the dresser. The,
they sat down together, and ate thei
supper by the light of the log fire.
"I'm thinkin' we'll hae something
over for oorsels this ear efter VIC pa,
the laird" began John, when he ha'
quaffed off a glass of ale.
"Ye've thocht that mony q time afore
guild man, yet we're aye in the aul|
bit" Kristen made answer, soberly.
"Ye're no losin' hert, are ye, KRIS
ten? Ye're weel eneuch, I hope
,Ye've been workin' over hard thi
while back, I doot," he returned il
one breath, and in the uncertain ligh
of the fire scanned her face, eagerly.
"Dinna pit yersel aboot, John
there's naething wrang WI me, only
body Gamma help their thochts, an it
glen me sair hert this day to sec y
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