Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-15
Observation-Disclosures


Eh ing on an errand of grave I'M
~ port, but stopped long enough at
the foot Of a steep declivity leading to
a babbling brook to give her tired
horse a long cool draught of the clear,
swirling water before he forded the
stream. He was a livery horse, hired
at the railway station, no other means
of rapid conveyance being available
The young woman was home again
after several years of absence, during
which she had improved her time and
opportunities, and she was glad to re-
turn to her native heath, the land of
Evangeline, the Acadia of her heart.
She looked far up the woodland brook
with a fond appreciation of its en-
chanted beauty. Evergreen trees,
pendent willows, silver birches and
graceful elms fringed the banks,
speckled trout leaped and splashed UNI
afraid in the sparkling water To
complete the symphony a single musi-
cal note at intervals pierced the odor-
Gus silence, the call of the bell-bird to
its mate.
"Oh," cried the girl, longing to hear
a human voice, surely
This is the forest primeval,
In the Acadian land on the shores OF
the basin of Minas.
Here, too, is Evangeline, but where
Is her Gabriel|
AT your service" said a strong,
masculine voice at her ear, startling
her so that she dropped her bride
rein over her horses head. She turned
and saw a man in clerical garb one
of the travelling preachers of the prov
ince. and looked at him ungraciously,
ANNOYED at his quick application of
her impromptu question addressed
solely to herself Giving him a cool
nod. she attempted to secure her bril-
die. which was entirely beyond her
reach. Her horse, feeling its free
dom. sprang forward, fording the
brook with rapid bound and gallop-
ing up the further side at pace that
nearly unseated his rider.
It would have served her right if
the new Gabriel had left her to her
fate. but after lapse of time enough
for him to observe her plight. and as
she Thought angrily enjoy it. he rode
IN gently, not TO hasten the speed of
Evangeline's horse, and caught the err
rant bride and restored IT to her hand.
peter Grant, at your service" he
said. touching his hat stifiy. Il am
on nv way TO visit a very sick wom-
an. Pardon me-" and with leap his
horse shot ahead and was gone.
"He knows how TO ride a horse If he
is a minister" thought Eyangeline.
peter Grant! Why. we were school
mates. but he has forgotten me-"
Then she urged her horse forward,
for she, too. was going TO see a sick
woman, her dearest friend. Aunt Mag
gle. who had been ailing for some
time. and she had been delayed and
had heard no tidings for some days.
But such is the power of hopeful youth
TO look on the bright side and throw
of dark forebodiug that she found her
self wondering how Peter Grant had
succeeded in changing his trouble
some red hair of their school days TO a
bronze brown, and what had become
of the freckles that had married his
face as a youth before went away
10 the college at Wolfville.
Il must ask Aunt Maggie about
him" she concluded. Hes a good
looking sort although he did not prom
ise much in the old days. and he
knows how to ride and-he did not
recognize me-that pleases me."
A few more miles OF hard riding
and Miss West reached a farmhouse
OF the old Acadian type with fifty
year MOSES on its implanted roof and
a well sweep of antiquated pattern.
picturesQuely adjoining the yard. An
other horse was picketed there, and It
saluted her with whinny--it was the
animal Peter Grant so vigorously be
STROBE.
oh" she cried out in sudden
alarm. "can it be possible that Aunt
Maggie IS the very sick woman he
was coming TO visit? l pray that 1
may not be too later
As she hurried into the kitchen she
found it allied with women of the tyne
of many Of Aunt Maggie'S neighbors.
and a murmur of strange unmusical
voices saluted her unwilling ears,
They had never in their lives had a
.hsnse 80 peer into the Cupboard of
this house before: Aunt Maggie was
not of their sort. and 10 Evangeline
their presence savored of sacrilege.
They all started at the stylish figure
IN tt tailor-made costume. anil they
failed 10 recognize yangie West