The Irish standard., 1904-02-13
Copyright. 1899, by Herbert S. Stone g. Co
CHAPTER lV.-CoSrls,ED.

CHAPTER lV.-CoNrlNuED
Every Sunday NIahala Cameron's
father preached in the schoolhouse, and
nearly all the people. whether they ac-
cepted the Cumberland Presbyterian
creed or not, Went to the service. Wild
plum groves made bouquets of snow
on the prairies. The woods were full
OF flowers, having such fragrance as
breaks only from old loaln All the
trees, from the rich green of the pc
can to the delicate and slowly deepen
ing maple gave out their foliage to
the sun. The Judas tree burst out like
flame in the forest
Happy boys We're seen coming home
from the river OF evenings with strings
of croppies, bass, and pike. Half-yearly
muster day came, when the local mi
1itia stepped out in awkward sqauds
and practiced such military tactics as
the leader knew to the squeak of a
fife and the thump of drum Anty-
wine put himself among the boys. He
liked life and movement. But Shicl,-
shack stood and looked gloomily on.
He knew that his own people, the Sacs,
were being crowded in their reserva-
zion, and this play of war might some
time become reality. Whisky was plen-
tiful of muster days. Antywine no.
ticed that Lincoln did not touch it.
Having considered the height and
strength of Sieur Abe, he also spat out
OF his mouth taste of fiery stuff
pushed between his lips by Grove
boy, and decided that he would fight
rather than be forced to drink.
Sticky Green and Ann Rutledge's
brother were home, working in their
fathers fields. Young Yates was seen
at intervals during the summer The
boys and girls Of New Salem found a
world of material for their own happi-
ness. There were cuttings, where the
older women labored in the afternoon
and young men and women came to
evening games.
Peggy Shickshack stood outside of
such festivities, and so did Antywine
because the singular mother of their
household had no fellowship with the
mother of any other household. For
all the villagers began to look kindly
at the unfolding womanliness of the
lame Spaniard, the blond head of An
tyWine, and the good old Indian who
loved white men.
But the festival that Peggy liked best
and was not left out of, was blackber-
rying. The girls rose at dawn and put
on their worst clothes, meeting by ap-
irtr OF
on their arms They did not speak
loud. The dust in the road took the
prints of their feet like ashes. The
Who'll sWeet-smelling world was
drenched in dew, and as they brushed
down the ravine across the woods be-
yond, they were baptized by every
bush. Then their tongues were
loosened, and they sang and told
stories. Sometimes they pretended to
see wolves sneaking to cover, but this
merely for the pleasure of frightening
themselves. 1t was the loveliest pilgri-
mage ever invented. There was peril
in it too, for in the wooded field of
wild brambles the thick-mottled rattle
snake. or objects resembling him,
Once little Jane Rutledge got a fat
grasshopper down her back, and yelled
for deliverance from-"a snake! a
snake!"
'Oh, run home, Jane! Run home,
,cuick!" cried Mahala Cameron.
But Ann tore the child's clothing
open and freed the grasshopper, cling
ing with all his feet to the tender white
back: and they all laughed at Mahala,
who would have sent her three milen
for help.
Sometimes the girls swan grass to
their waists, as in sea of dew, Peggy
dividing her way with her crutch. The
rising sun showed glittering in the
bramb.es, blackberries and luscious
dewber1ies half as long as ones thumb
melting ripe to keep that very morn
Ing's appointment. To go blackberry
ing late in the day was not to go black
berrying at all. but to hot and weary
search of rifled fields.
When the party trailed homeward
with heaped baskets they could sec
along the ridge of the Sangamor
teDts and camps of farmers who had
9so1ne long distances to mill. Each mar
was obliged to wait his turn to have
mis- grain ground. 1t was like fair
Quojt pitching, wrestling matches
facesand trading filled up the idle time
1nsensibly the season changed. SUI
mac leaves began to burn around scar
let fruit yelled in white, the oaks wer,
family tinted, and the first September
days had come.
.Antywine's reading lessons at thu
stone ended, for Lincoln was tal1in.
up surveying and going out to distan
parts of the country, and Antywine wa
to go with him as his chain-bearer.
81 put the book in my bundle" sail
the Canadian while he and Peggy wer
bidding each other farewell at tn
stone. "Sieur Abe will help me-"
Peggy's hand and feet became cold
She felt as if autumn were driving tn
Che blood back upon her heart.
'"VIane Rutledge told at school tn
other day that you are the best-lookin
Foung man in New Salem"
Antywine expanded with satisfac
tion. He always carried his chin w
SO that people called him high
headed.
ri am tall"
Don't you think Viane Rutledge i
q pretty girl, Antywine?"
eyes"
"She's the prettiest girl that goes t