The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-07
CHAPTER IL.
NHE wind, yeering, came bitter
cold; the rain hardened to hail
the clouds, changed to brittle


the clouds, changed to brittle
nets of frost and shaken to
shreds by the rough wind, fell Kissing
In scatter of snow. Next morning
when Allen opened his door the wind
was gone the sky clear. Brier pond,
lately covered with clear ice, lay under
q blanket of snow. He hurried across
the pond, his dog following. Near the
far shore was bare spot on the Ice
cut by one of the sleigh runners. Up
in the woods. opposite, was the Moss
trail Sunlight fell on the hills above
him. He halted, looking up at the tree
tops Twig, branch and trunk glowed
with the fire of diamonds through
lacy fecIing of hoar frost. Every tree
had put on jacket of ice and become
as a fountain of prismatic hues. Here
and there a dead pine rose like spire
of crystal; domes of deep colored glass
and towers of jasper were as the land
marks of a city Allen climbed the
shore, walking slowly. He could see
no track of sleigh or dog or any living
thing A frosted. icy tangle of branches
arched the trail-a gateway of this
great, crystal city of the woods. He
entered, listening as he walked.
Branches Of hazel and dogwood were
like jets of water breaking into clear,
ahaIted drops and foamy spray above
him. He went on, looking up at this
long sky window of the woods. In
I the deep silence he could hear his heart
beating.
sport" said he to the dog, ''show me
, the way" But the dog only wagged
/ his tail.
Allen returned to the house.
WIFE," said he, "look at the woods
: yonder. They are like the city of holy
promise. Behold I will lay thy stones
with fair colors and thy foundations
with sapphires, and I will make thy
windows of agate"
Ibid you find the track of the little
sleigh?' said she.
mo" he answered, NOR will any
man, forsalI paths are hidden
Theron, may we keep the boy?"
Bhe inquired.
Allen.
The boy grew and throve in mind
and body. For a time he prattled in a
language none who saw him was able
to comprehend but he learned English
quickly and soon forgot the jargon of
his babyhood. The shadows Of mys-
terry that fell over his coming lengthen-
ed far into his life and We're deepened
by others that fell across them. Before
he could have told the story all men, |
DRY of whom he left or whence he came |
had been swept away. 1t was n house
OF riddles where Allen dwelt-a rude |
thing of logs and ladders and a low
roof and two rooms. yet one ladder led |
high to gIories no pen may describe.
The Aliens. with this rude shelter.
found delight in dreams of an eternal
home whose splendor and luxury
would lavc made them misera BILE here
below What riddle was thisI And
then. as to the boy Sid. there was the
sriddle OF his coming and again that of
his character, which latter was. indeed,
not easy ito solve. There We're few
books and no learning in that home.
For three winters Trove tramped
trail to the schoolhouse two miles away
and had no further schooling until he
was q big. blond boy of fifteen, with
red checks and large eyes. blue and
discerning. and hands hardened to the
AK helve He had then discovered the
beauty of the woods and begun to
study the wild folk that live in holes
and thciSets. He had a fine face. You
would have called him handsome, but
not they among whom he lived. With
them handsome was as handsome did,
and the face of a man, IL it We're clean
ly. was never a proper cause of blame
or compliment. but there was that in
his soul which even now had walked
the mothers wonder and set forth a
riddle none was able to solve.