New-York tribune., 1903-07-23
CHAPTER xiv.
TIE AWAKENING oE AMY

of sunshine and the last gray goose gone north.
Oh, the hint and promise in the cherries! Oh,
the bright gold Of the dandelons! Oh the small
Irish lads unclothed and shivering to the first
chilly plunge, Oh the quintessential sweetness
of the year!
So one might think But modern America
desires in her cities no such glory. Celebrate
instead the slush, clogging the high piled van
which moves from undesirable house to unde-
srable fiat. Sing rather the long drawn. unin-
telligible scream which heralds the approach Of
the rag and bottle manor is it the Italian with
strawberries? Who knows till he comes in
sight? Groan lamentably with the lamentable
groaning Of the street piano and It's Neapolitan
parasites-what taste the Latin nations have
in torture since the Spanish Inquisitioni Cry
aloud Of the bargain sale, and the lawn sprink-
Iers and newly spread ingathering banana
peel. These are the signs Of May IN Carfax.
Amy fed them. going to Murdoch's country
place, where she liked the stiffness and the
trees; and there on Saturday afternoon, Muir
doch took Bradford. too. The pickle maker
never thought of asking his niece whether or
not he should bring the young man. He liked
Bradford. and rather fancied Amy did, and
what other chaperon than liking could be de-
sired? Any author, writing short stories of
society for 81 a page. could have told him glibly
Of his error had he but asked Bradford went
dered: sometimes he only feared. When Amy
Power saw the two drive UP. in the early twi-
light, she thought-who may say what maid
thinks, whose eyes are clear and gray as water
IN a spring, and whose face is untroubled by a
line? Not Bradford. at least could tell
The pickle makers country house ram
bling one storied, slate colored bungalow, stand
ing on the roll Of wide and shallow hill To
the north and east pine woods clustered right up
to the house, the great trees solemnly looking
down upon the house. and in q wind leaning
over to drop cones down the chimneys South
and west sloped the lawn. broad and riotous in
flowers. and ended in both directions at the
river which here swung round curve The
river was six feet deep and ninety wide, and ran
full and strong like racehorse Beyond the
river again, reached by two log buttressed
bridges the land climbed to ridge, and all
the pines seemed hurrying to the top to look
over. Thus 1t IS plain, on all sides the patter-
ing stiffness of the forest shut in the clearing.
An elderly grumbler by the name of Lowton
lived at the place, and with his daughter and
two grandsons, aged respectively five and nine,
took care Of it in winter. He was wholly in
dependent in speech, but as faithful as watch
dog If he were given his leave to growl. He
growled in particular at the woods. Bradford.
fraternizing with him. thought to please him by
remarktng on the beauty of the place. but Low
ton could not agree.
There amt a speck of cut wood on the
place." he declared. that's fit to burn an yet
miles of trees right on top of us! Mr.. Muir
doch, he won't have one cut an why? He's so
fond of his darned old blooming nature ez he
calls it, that he wants 'em all to stand. There's
lots Of dead trees fallen he sez; Jest use them
Lowton. How kin I them? Rotten wood
won't burn; s agin nature, It's all right fer
ell
the river dancin' and your old nature jest
a-caperin' like a young calf. but you'd oughto
be here in winter and watch her prance! Them
old snags behind the house there" (Lowton
ferred to the majestic pines) 18th their tops all
full of snow. a-bowin' and a-bendin-by gosh.
ever time the wind comes up. an it always is
up, I kin jest hear 'em snap! Then crash! II
go one off IN the woods som'ers and
pectin' ever night that onen slosh down onto
the house and cut our beds right clean in two.
How'd you Ike four-foot pine fallin' your
bed? Where's your old nature then? swear
to gosh hang I won't stay here another winter
like Iast-yes. sir, I to gosh hang You
wait minnit. an I'll show you somethin."
He says the same thing every year" observed
Amy. But he always stays
Look a. here" said Lowton. coming back.
You wanto see what sort of winters get
here? That there's calendar for March, an
put down every day right there what happened.
You look at that. an then you talk about
Nature"
You had troubles of your own. sure enough"
said Bradford Look, Miss Power And he
showed her Lowton's curiosity of annexation.
Each day had it's comment.
March 4-snow
5.-snow
6.--set one hen
7.-snow
S.-rain and snow
9.-perfectly lovely
1O.-set hen
1.-snow and rain
12-heavens will it quit
13.-rain
14-one hen of spoiled thirteen eggs
drat her
15.-rain
13.-fair day
1T.-fair DAY
IS-bad cold and snow on we'll
Thank you" said Bradford. choking He
returned the calendar 10 Lowton and fed behind
the house Christian resignation he pro-
claimed to Amy Christian resignation II
ought to be framed And that final heart
broken ''Oh! we'll" made even Amy laugh.
Sunday morning was consecrated TO Murdoch.
The pickle maker led Bradford everywhere. ex-
patriating in the pride OF ownership He ex-
hibited horses and a COW. chickens and minia-
ture falls pigeons and a distant hill all purple
in the haze the river and the bridges. all the
rooms in the house and wagon brake OF
his ousn invention: and he nlled in with praises