Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-12-09
a ROMANCE OF ACADIA.
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YN RANGELlNE WEST was RID
Jca ing on an errand of grave i'm
port, but stopped long enough at
the foot of a steep decliyity 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 n 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-
Z turn to her native heath. the land of
Eyangeline. the Acadia of her heart.
She looked far up the woodland brook
with fond appreciation Of its en-
chanted beauty. Evergreen trees.
pendent willows. silver birches and
graceful elms fringed the banks.
+ speckled trout lcaped and splashed un-
afraid in the sparkling water. To
+ complete the symphony single must
sca} note at intervals pierced the odor-
y - nos. the sesll of The kliys birssrte-
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 AIinas.
Here. too. is Evangellne. but where
!. Is her Gabricl?"
AT your service" said strong.
< masculine voice Mt her ear, startling
{ her 30 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
Z brook with a rapid bound and gallop-
ing up the further side at pace that
nearly unseated his rider.
II would have served her right IL
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. lie rode
up gently, not to hasten the speed Of
Evangeline's horse. and caught the err
rant bride and restored 1t to her hand.
Peter Grant, Mt your SERVICE" he
said, touching his hat stiffiy. II am
on my way to visit very sick wom-
!; an. Pardon me-" and with leap his
horse shot ahead and was gone.
"He knows how to ride a horse il he
Is a minister" thought Evangeline.
..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 sick
woman. her dearest friend. Aunt Mag
Is 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
Z to look on the bright side and throw
on dirk foreboding that she found her
self wondering how Peter Grant had
succeeded In changing his trouble
some red hair of their school days to
bronze brown, and what had become
OF the freckles that had marred his
face as a youth before he went away
to the college at Wolfville.
Il must ask Aunt Maggie about
him." she concluded. Hes good
looking sort. although he did not prom
4 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 farmhouse
Of the old Acadian type. with fifty
year MOSES on its implanted roof and
well sweep of antiquated pattern,
picturesquely adjoining the yard. An
other horse was picketed there, and 1t
saluted her with whinny-it was the
animal Peter Grant SO vigorously be-
I strobe.
"Oh!' she cried out in sudden
alarm. "can 1t be possible that Aunt
Maggie is the very sick woman he
was coming to visit? pray that
may not be too late!'
AS she hurried into the kitchen she
found 1t filed with women of the type
Of many Of Aunt Maggie's neighbors,
and murmur Of strange unmusical
voices saluted her unwilling ears.
They had never in their lives had a
chance to peer into the cupboard of
this house before; Aunt Maggie was
not Of their sort, and to Eyangeline
their presence savored Of sacrilege.
They all started at the stylish figure
In the tailor-made costume, and they
fatled to recognize vangle West.