The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-03-16
wait for the grinding Of their load OF

wait for the grinding Of their load OF
grain, MI, IL, vi, ,sE. i; J
1--WE: shall havee., . long day by our
selves, Tony, DEAR" said Jenny, more
ia herself, than the child; ''but there'll
be plenty of work to do, for sister must
bake the bread and cakes for Sunday,
and father snd Steve VIII be wanting
good hot supper tonight"
''Tony help sister," isped the boy.
YES, Tony shall help sister, and sis
ter will fry him doughnut man."
Clapping his chubby hands, the child
drew his little cricket to the table,
where, BY climbing upon it, he could
overlook his sisters operations at her
moldilg board, and so, with frolic and
cheer, the short winters day wore on.
Gradually the sky, which had been
clear in the early morning, grew over
cast with clouds, and Jenny saw from
the window the air filed with gray
mist. =, l~s ~ ~ e.. J.
"It's surelyzgoing to snow" she said
to herself, little anxiously. "But
father promised to be home early, and,
anyhow, Meg and Dobbin are strong
enough to pull them together"
A few feathery flakes came floating
down as she spoke, which proved but
the fprerunner of . mighty host, as the
storm slowly settled over the landscape.
Hour after hour passed. There were
no longer any tracks to be discerned
along the narrow roadway, which was
the, only avenue of approach through
the dense forest.
Inside the cabin it grew so dark that
Jenny placed lighted lamp upon the
table, and, having finished her work,
sat down to listen forithe first distant
sound of sleigh bells, while Tony cur led
himself up sleeping upon her lap.
Suddenly she heard the muffled beat
shadow darkened the window, and
moment later a heavy knock resounded
upon the door. Jenny opened it, hold
ing Tony In her arms.
The visitor, who had dismounted and
stood holding his horse by the bride
rein, was a large, powerful man, in
hunters dress, carrying brace of pis-
tolls, and a long, sheathed knife stick
ing in his leathern belt.
A little city-bred maiden might have
tainted with fright at sight of so for
midable an apparition, but Jenny was
too we'll accustomed to the rough ex-
terror of the backwoodsman to be easily
startled.
The stranger looked at her keenly
as the glow of the open fire lit up her
little figure, with Tony's golden head
upon her shoulder.
Then he said:
"Can I stay all night? I've been
caught in the storm"
The young girl hesitated, but only
for moment.
"We're all alone, sir-I and the baby
My father and brother went to town
this morning, but expect them home
every minute, and I'm sure they
wouldn't like me to let anyone go on
in the storm. So you're welcome, sir;
and you can put your horse in one of
the empty stalls in the stable yonder."
| The man made no reply, but having
led his horse away in the direction in
Gated soon returned, and, taking his
place in front of the fire, began to dry
! his wet garments.
| His face, which might once have
shown fine lines, wore hard and bitter
expression, as the pickering shadows
played over his bent head and averted
eyes.
A vague sense of discomfort crept
over the spirits of his little hostess.
II wonder if he is in trouble, poor
man." she thought. HE looks so MIS-
erable!"
| Then she said aloud:
| IF you haven't had any supper, sir,
can give you some of the pork and
beans I'm keeping hot for father and
Steve"
II don't want any," he answered, still
without looking up.
Little Tony, who by this time was
broad awake, had slipped from his Sis
ter's arms, and stood with great, blue,
wondering eyes fixed upon the
stranger.
1t was something wholly new to
Tony's short experience to find him.
self quite unnoticed by visitor, and
he was evidently bordering deeply the
problem of this unsolved personality.
He walked slowly up and down the
room, at each turn approaching lit
tie nearer the grim, silent figure be-
fore the hearth.
At last he paused, and laid a little,
rosy hand on the mans knee. Still
there was.no response.
The child's breast heaved, his breath
came quickly, and grieved expression
curled his pretty lips. "
'Man,"' he: said, with tremulous baby
accent, half breaking into sob, "why
don't 90 love little boys?'
The man started, and a spasm of un-
comfortable feeling passed his bearded
face. He turned upon the child, whose
golden hair shone in the freight like a
halo, and with swift. irresistible mo-
ton, swept him into his arms.
Some marvellous change seemed to
have TRANSPORTED his face, and the
hard lines softened like ice before the
sun. He held the child close, murmur-
ing in his ear inarticulate expressions
of endearment.
Tony, on his part, accepted most gra-
ciously this tardy homage to his
charms He tugged at the strangers
watch chain, laughing so merrily that
Jenny could not repress soft echo
from her own corner.
The man looked up, transfixed her