Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-06-29
HANNAH'S FURROW.
81 think II is smoke"

with sweet face. expressive of mucn
silent resolution and great self-control.
The second speaker was an old man.
whose faded brown eyes had a startled
look as If suspecting that people We're
about to bring him trouble, or else as
serting that they had already brought
1t
The old man was known among the
rsnchmen as old John Blasland. He
owned a great ranch. The young wom-
an was called Hannah. Il don't know
what her t'other name IS" the old man
would have told a questioner. "She
came from the East somewhere, want
ed to hel2 my housekeeper, Mrs. Tuth-
erly. and l didn't care. That's all
know about 1t. l don't care what her
name is. l am little 'spishus of what
she wants; they all want something"
1t was the mystery enwrapping Han
nah like an atmosphere, and 1t was the
old mans suspicious of her motives
and purposes, that made her presence
an annoyance to him IN spite of any
words to the contrary. When he now
had told her that any sign of smoke
she simply replied: 'If Young John
were here. he could tell US"
The faded brown eyes began to fash
The husky voice trembled with petu-
lance.
Young John" he snarled; 81 guess
II Old John don't know, you won't pick
up any Information from that young
nan."
II might have seemed as II he were
angry with Young John''-no. with
the young woman who mentioned his
name.
II know. l know he silently said.
as he turned away. "She cares more
for Young John than Old John. Too
much going on between those young
people. Next thing there will he mar
riage. don't want her meddlin' with
that young man"
This other young person, like Han
nah, came from the East. had proved
very acceptable to the old ranchmen,
and was great favorite with him.
The ranchmen in the neighborhood, TO
distinguish the two, called one Old
John and the other Young John. Peo-
ple sometimes thought they were faith
er and son. No; there was a son al the
East who had offended his father, and
had been forbidden TO come or even to
write to him. The old man wondered
sometimes whether he did not trace
familiar features in this young adven-
turer from the East. Any fancied re-
semblance was not pleasant to the old
RI n.eh n II y
thoughts as he would drive a cloud Of
mosquitoes from his house.
And Hannah. she still fingered back
of the barn, watching that smoky stain
on the blue of the sky. 1t was Sunday
morning. The great prairie was ai-
ways still and always secluded, though
in reality anything but shut In. 1t had
such an openness to the wide, wide sky.
There was no resemblance of fence or
wall IN any direction until, IN the east,
one saw a fold of blush color along the
prairie's rim. That meant the Rocky
Mountains.
81 think It IS growingr' she muir.
INJURED. That smoke-cloud is rolling
up bigger. What II II should come this
way, and sweep over the ranch, And
yet he does not think 1t is smoke. /
wish John were here, When will he
Gomez He said he would be home on
his pony early this morning and 70
with US to church"
Hannah It was Old John calling
Come! Mrs. Tutherly says II we are
a-goin' to church, we ought TO be gettin'
ready. Come! Watchin' that sky won't
git you ready"
Hannah made no reply. 1t was Of no
use to notice all his fault-fnding or any
of Il. She had shown rare self-control
In her steadfast silence. She now turn
ed and went Into the house, while the
old ranchman shufiied feebly to the
barn and began to harness the horse
into the wagon.
81 have horses in abundance, but they
are all off with the men watchin' the
cattle" he muttered. land so, Jim, you
must pull us to church. Humph, !
s'pose she will say we can't gO-that
there's fire out on the prairie. Non,
sense, If my John was here, he could
tell about that smoke"
He dropped the harness as II hand
ling the coil of snake. What had he
said? MY Johnr That was the name
also Of the offending son IN the East
The father never knowingly mentioned
this form OF name. MY John" Lifting
the harness again, he now arrayed Jim
in 1t.
What do smell?'' he asked.
Young John would have told hin
Smoke" but he was not willing te
smell anything of the kind.
In the meantime. Hannah had givcr
occasional glances at the suspicious
northern sky. From n window She
Glanced to look toward the east. Ii
alarm. establishment, terror. she
dropped n bonnet whose green trim
mings would have set off her fair face
even as an applc-tree's emerald foliage
sets off its pinkish white blossoms.
"Oh-Oh-Oh, I did not look that
way at ALL and here ii IS right upon us
The wind must have shifted" she eS
claimed
Over at the right was a large tower
ing cloud of n dun-brown color, witt
ragged. iilmy edge. compact in the cen
ter, and OF deeper hue there, rs II Its
mailing that Its mission WAS ruin.
Sir. sir-r-r.' she stammcred. ms she
met Old John. The fire will soon b.
iAon MS, Young John is not here. Hell
M harness lin into the plough"
W-w-wha;?" he srammered In reply
so dazcd that he WIS like one palsy
stricken.
Hannah flew out of the house. an;
quickly Embarrassed Jim. attached hin
to the plough. Fat Mrs. Tuthcrly Wa!
better in an emergency than one woult
lave supposed. She now came NJ
bravely, like an old-fashioned Dutcf
cruiser at a critical mopent In thu
battle-hour.
You drive the horse. Mrs. Tutherly
and III hold the plough, and W WI