The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-11-07
m 0a3Sey
BY oFIE Read.

a pathway rarely traversed- And here In
the door Of his cabin ne had sat. playing
tune that must have come up cut OF the
adjacent ground. so indigenous was IL TO
the soil. All strangers were the legitimate
prey Of his dr0llery, and the shrewdest OF
Pinksrton men could have drawn from
rim not one word more than his peculiar
impulses prompted him TO utter. And 50
he lived. year after year. smiling the wild
perfume Of summer. and lowering over his
rough Lsarthstone as the winter wind
roared in the woods. But at LAST the prim-
eval trees began 10 fall about him. He
heard them crash and thunder upon the
ground; numerous men began TO dig up
the dirt to heap IL into long ridge, and
TO put iron upon Il: and one morning the
old man was startled by the shrek OF
railway engine. He stood upon a knoll,
with bis gaze upon the rising sun as he
listened. and then sadly he went into his
shanty. In one moment he had made up
his mind. A tentaele of the world had
been shot forth TO sting him. TO grapple
him, to choke him. He would go farther
into the forest. But his daughter begged
him to remain yet little longer. He stood
dumb before her unable to conceive Of a
cause why she should wish 10 stay-he
mystery But soon 1t was solved The man
who had surveyed the road has fallen in
love with this wild and tangled vine, the
old fellows daughter. and was even now
at the door to ask for her hand. The
squatter was staggered. He put his hand
to his head as If TO feel OF the place where
the blow had fallen, but suddenly a mel
ancholy light cleared away the darkness
that had gathered in his eyes And With
out word he turned away With his wife
he went farther into the woods. leaving
his daughter behind to contend with the
trials OF civilization. But he had left his
heart with her. and when the old woman
had been tucked away beneath eternity's
sneets, ne turned back, searching the dis
tant sky for the smoke OF progress, listen
ing for the Shrek OF a rushing "enlight-
eminent" He found his daughter living
In the edge of town in a house that was
marvellous 10 him. Rain was falling when
ne arrived, and when he saw that the
roof did not leak, his wonder was in
creased. He put his long, hairy arms
about his daughter and turning suddenly
about, stormed as If at dog. to hide his
emotion; and the woman knew that there
was no dog. but she stormed. too: and
then they stood in silence But a new
light leaped into his eyes What did II
mean! little girl, his granddaughter.
came forward to meet him. and when ne
had gathered her into his arms. she said:
Il want you TO tell me about the old
bear"
Ana night after night he told her the
story. as upon his lap. in gown of white
she sat- warming h4r bare feet by the
hre; and she always said, TELL it again."
How gentle was the old fellowi Time
had cowed him. The dazzle of the world
hurt his old eyes But when twilight
came, when the child was upon his knee,
he swore that never had he been so hap
Ply. In a corner of the yard he planted a
miniature forest-twigs stuck into the
ground-and he built a model of his once
famous cabin. with the hopper near by.
And when wind and weather" damaged
his premises he would set about immedi-
ately to make repairs, and thus time
went on with him from year to year The
little girl never grew weary of listening
to his droll talk when an imaginary siran-
ger drew rein at the door of the cabin.
He was so absorbed in his employment.
day after day, that he did not know when
the girl put on long dresses. He had seen
a shy young man about the house but
had paid no attention to him. One even
ing the young man was walking in the
garden with the girl He held her hand
as slowly they strolled down the path,
and she must have pretended that she
did not know he held ii, for when he said,
with a sort of self congratulation, "You
don't care If 1 hold your hand. do you.
Minnie?" she snatched 1t away as IL sud
denly 1t had been burnt Why was he %
shy? Was It because he recently had
been appointed TO the chair Of mathe-
MATES in a college not far away? Is u
not singular that a mathematician should
be so deaf when woman's heart speaks
to him?
81 was in hopes that you did not care"
he said.
She had inherited some Of the old mans
drollery. "Do you suppose girl wants
to walk along with her hand In a vise?"
she replied
swell. really-no. I presume not. But
do you know l was not quite aware of the
fact, If, indeed, fact II was, that the pres
sure could have been so great? 1t is quite
possible that you may not have observed
it, but may say-indeed, will say-that
1t is a fact, nevertheless, that ever since
have first known you'll might say-in-
have found myself deeper in-in-shall I
say love with your
''Oh, yes, you may say II II you have
time-if ii isn't too much Of an effort"
"Oh. thank you. Very kind of you, am
sure"
Not at ALL" she replied, and for a time
they walked along in silence.
81 was wondering" said he, that IL
dftvf tpna ruh wa
turn upon ourselves an investigative eye
was wondering that If al such a time you
found your heart favorably-I might say
inclined toward me. Am / presumptu-
ous?'
"Presumptuous" she laughed. "Oh.
you are charming, you silly thing. and 1
love you just as much as you do me-"
ooh, thank you. You are very kind.
Yes, / thank you"
You needn't be so thankful. l can't
help myself"
(which news to me is a cause for ex-
ceeding seif-congratulation. I assure you"
He put his arm about her and kissed
her, declaring that she was the sweetest
problem that had ever come under his eye.
And now he began in his way to hint a.
marriage, and then in her drollery she
said:
TITS nothing 10 get papa's and mammals
consent. but / won; marry unless gram
per says / may. And you'll have 10 ask
him"
So it was arranged that the professor
should call early the next day and ap-
proach the old squatter as ne sat in front
of his cabin. And he appeared just as the
old man had taken his accustomed seat
10 wait for the imaginary traveller with
whom the exercises Of the day were usu
ally begun. The professor stepped Up,
off a twig of the miniature fores;.
and said.
81 hope 20 see yeu well this morning"
Hope you do. Don't wish no mans
eyesight no harm"
"AhemP eoughed the professor.
"Ahemg' eoughed the squatter.
And then there was silence. The girl
peeped from behind e tree. The squatIer
took 10 his fiddle and played at the first
part of the famous Old tune-the "Arkan-
saw Traveller"
"You seem &c be enjoying good health"