The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-12-21
ailLA.

1 CvWIlLAs
Although she was 90 unhappy, no on'
was unkind TO Cyrilla. But the farm VA
busy place. and there was little time u
pause and say pleasant things TO the fair
hatred little girl who braided the mats tha
no one wasted, for Aunt Eunice had
wealth of strange and many-colored rug
she had made herself.
Bot Cyrilla longed TO be Of some use, ant
In the intervals Of braiding rugs abe knitted
Innumersbls socks and mittens. She look
cd almost with envy st her Cousin Flora
moving swiftly here and there oil day long
for motion like that WAS impossible u
Cyrilla, with her lame and crooked back.
Her Uncle Nelson had brought her home
when her mother died, and her Aunt Eu'
nice had made her welcome. But she
knew 1t was an added burden; and she
tried eagerly to make the burden less, Low.
ing ever rybody, and desiring fsvsrishly to
help her aunt about the work, and her IN
Gle, whom she adored, about the farm.
they were fervent prayers she Whispered
In the meeting house, and bitter tears she
shed at home. Her arms we're strong; she
could beat the egg, and chop the mince =
meat; but on the whole, she felt she was
useless.
The farm lay on the edge Of the marsh es
behind the sand-dunes. Sometimes she
heard at night the roar Of the distant surf,
but the foam Of the breakers and the glow
OF the lighthouses were hidden by the
dunes. Cyrllla loved the summer colors Of
the desp-grsen levels melting Into violet,
the mists, the little white sails skimminR
through unseen channels, and the gunda-
low with its dark square canvas above the
load Of salt hay winding up the wider
stream between the multitude Of haycocks
still waiting to be brought home.
In the fall she loved tho broad reaches,
rich with reds and browns. And In the win
ter the frosty rime twinkled on the stub
bic. The wide expanses seemed to Cyrills
full Of pesce; yet she had heard her uncl'
say there was nothing more treacherous or
more cruel than the narah.
A large part Of her uncle's property lay
in this marsh-lsnd, and every summer be
brought of great bost-loads Of hay that the
teams hauled from the landings to the big
barns. She bad gone down with Flora and
the boys once when the men were cutting
the thatch that grew twelve feet high, the
low tides and strong summer suns having
made 1t dry underfoot. They had carried
bsksts Of pies and cake; andlall had foatsd
homo on top Of the hay on the big gunda-
low, singing and calling, laughing and sil'
ent, 10 the broad moon. And at the land
ing her uncle had lifted her In bis arms, ,anc
carried her home.
This year had been Z fine ore for the
grass; and . great deal Of that on the salt
me sdows had been left stacked on the stad
dies to be hauled of. when the marsh sheuld
freeze up.
Well, wife, said Uncle Nelson, one raw
winter night. guess we'll be going down
to the Big Bend tomorrow sunup, AND
bring of the salt hay. The cold spell bat
frozen the marsh pretty stiff. There's
couple dozen stacks waiting there. There's
been little more sun today than just
like, and It's setting In bank Of cloud with
the wind to the south'ard. guess ]
sha'n't be any too soon.
But, father, It's going to be melting. ]
don't believe the marsh will hold.
Guess Ill have to risk It. II the thaw
gets hold, It'll just food the meadows and
sweep that hay out TO sea.
The day dawned mistily. That Amt
anything. said Mr.. Nelson to bis men. Wen
get that hay OF before the thaw aets Il on.
| should sort Of hate to see all that hay
floating out into the bay. And they ate
their breakfast hurried'y, Cyrilla pouring
the coffee, and her aunt and Flora frying
the cakes and stepping swiftly to walt upon
them.
Cyrilla watched them al out Of sight, the
ten yoke OF oxen, her uncle and the men
ard boys. Az be turned his mighty should
crs, she saw bis smile and the blue Hash Of
bis eyes, and thought there was no such
man a. be In all the country round.
They made quite procession round the
,urn OF the old marsh road, behind the
meetirs house. through the bit Of woods,
and out upon the marsh. Cyrilla took her
knitting TO the window, although she could
zee nothing but the softly thicheping
weather, while Flora spaher aunt hustled
about the morning work.
Wen have big baking, SAID Aunt Eu-
nice. They'll be hungry ~ hunters when
they GET back.
IL waa very early 10 the forenoon when
the men and teams reached Black Creek, .
crooked little stresm, hundred feet vide,
b.t~ cen the msin mnsh aud the upland
where The bay ~ss stacked. The Tide wAs
ou', and there Was Only ehoash water TO
ncs, The Ice that rose ard fell With the sbb
and now. Had lie tide been full, there
would have been black ~ater in the wAv,
~ !, wss, lbe fscl that the Ice was not
strong wss ofn, consequence.
But M Nelson thouxhi Il IN vice TO put
h,. hs,ief c.ale on the ice.snd he seut over
orly t~o ,ohe Of reers vi b the sIeds
Tnsn they loaded The sied', and BY the
ctsins tbey had slre ched aeeoss, the big
oxen on The other aide psised over the
leAda