Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-05-17
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Pag4,
nOWN the mountain path came
Dwoman with face like the dawn
of a summer day. Her hair was like a
golden cloud, and her smile like the
sunshine on the mountain side, illumin-
ed her lovely face and shone in her eye
that were blue as the water in the shad.
owed lake below. She wore a plain
blue frock that was short like a girl s,
and swung little white ruffled sunbon.
net by the strings. There was Won
derfuI. bird-like grace about her lissome
figure as she came down like happy
creature from another world.
Meeting her came a tall, broad shoul-
dered man with form like a Hercules
and a face like Apollo's. A strange
hungry light shone in his dark eyes as
he swung easily up the steep path that
led to the stone cabin perched on a
curiously bumped shoulder Of the noun
tain. The path was daintily bordered
with ivy, ferns and delicately blossom
ing arbutus. It was under the shining
green branches Of dropping rhododen-
dron that they met, and the arbutus
flowers, so like her pink and white face,
lay about her feet.
>Reubenl Reubenv There was world
of caressing joy and thrilling love in the
low, sweet voice as she stopped with
clasped hands before him, her eyes ablaze
with love.
Margeryr He had stopped also but
his arms were folded across his breast,
and his somber eyes were on her face.
'Ah, Reuben. it is heaven Just to stand
here before you'll
And you were not truev AS he spoke
slowly, reproachfully, the light faded
from the girls face, her eyes darkened,
and her lips whitened.
Wait, Reuben; don't say that until
tell you how it was. And; Reuben, m
free now-free to loye YOU She spread
out her little white hands with quick,
bird like motion, and flashed binding
smile into his face. lie turned his eyes
away.
But for the-accident | must have
greeted you at your door, Margery, as |
have the other women, with a word and
handshake,' he said slowly. bringing
bis sorrowful eyes back to her lace.
But there aOas an accident, Reuben.
Again her face was radiant. but be tow.
cred aboye her dark and stern. The
early sunlight touched her little white
face like loving, tremulous fingers, as
she went on.
Reuben, darling, it was not long
after you were gone till grandfather
died. He was old; we had not thought
OF that. He died and was alone and
poor and very helpless, for what could
| do, Reuben-I who had been taught
nothing bat to gaze at the mountains
and the stars, and to gather the wild
flowers that grandfather anelyzed and
sent away? What did know but this
and the old, old books that I read to
him up there in the cabin? So there
came time when there was no food in
the cabin and no money in the purse.
But you were coming and nothing else
mattered. l ate berries and chewed
roots until the winter came. My handa
were slim then and my limbs weak, and
sometimes my head was light as thistle
down.
The mans dark face quivered and his
eyes softened. She went on, her voice
strangely soft, her words following each
other slowly.
VThe snow came and then | found
David standing at my door. 1t was he
who brought news of your death. Reu-
ben; and when he told me in his gentle
way, the light faded from the hills and
life died out Of my heart. And when
he asked me to 60 with him l went
That was all: not forgetting, Reuben
but dead, 80 that / could not say no.
My brain was dull and l did moi
heed the minister'swords and afterwards
was in David's cAbin. When 1T was
cold / sat by his fire, and when the sun
shone I sat outside his door gazing at
the mountains that had shut you away
from me. | ate and slept and that was
all, only that David was always gentle
and kind-like mother with little
helpless child.
u came to life again with the hope o.
seeing you. 1t was like a quickenfnq
fire in my veins, Reuben. l felt my
heart leap up to the old quick action
and all my pulses throb with life.
Ut WAS stranger who stopped for the
night, and by chance mentioned your
name TO David as they smoked outslde