The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-03-21
To the Hill 'KentIy.'
av HENRY G. WOOD.

"Lor Lorl Jabez," mumbled the
old woman, the wagon wheels creak-
ing a fitting accompaniment to her
high, shrill voice, "I'm skeercd We
uns won't never git ter the hill ken
try. Hit seems a powerful long
way off"
The wagon creakcd dolefully
along the white, dusty pike with al
most the plant of a living crea-
ture in it's monotonous whine, while
from the tangled grass and weeds
by the wayside the autumnal chorus
of insects chirped merrily--a CRATE
full contrast to the pessimistic We
hicle.
A man and woman, both past the
middle age, plodded YEARLY along
in the dust and heat, the woman
near the rear of the wagon, the man
at the horses head Now and then
he spoke word of encouragement
to the bony, patient beast, whose
strength was ill-6tted to the burden
ne pulled, although the woman lent
a willing hand wherever a small
hillock was reached, and pushed at
the end of the wagon industriously.
''We-uns III get thar all right,
mother" answered her husband, en-
couragingly, after little space Of
silence, 'by ter-morrow we-uns
ought ter see the blue hills onct mo-
by noon ter-morrow."
"Lorl but we-uns III be glad ter
ketch a sight of 'em agin, Jabcz,
we-uns air jes' pinin' fer a look.
Amt you-uns tired an sick o the
low, fiat country-it's the hills we
uns want"
The woman's voice ended in
sort of passionate wall.
The spent horse staggered to the
side of the road, and began to nib
BILE at a small patch of green un-
der the shade of a protecting bush.
The man waited.
'"That's right, Baldy-eat all you
uns kim" he said, kindly. 'Hit's a
right smart journey, yit, but we
uns III git thar, mother, don't ye
fret" he added, confidently.
The woman had pushed back her
limp sunbonnet from off her scant
gray locks, and stood looking away
vacantly toward the south, where
lay, beyond her vision, the blue up
lifting hills for which her poor old
heart SO longed.
The face had once been a pretty
one, long years ago, but now it was
sallow and wrinkled, and in the dim
eyes was the look of pining for the
hills.
The horse, somewhat refreshed
by the mouthful or two of green
grass, started again on its slow jour
ney down the white stretch of dusty
road.
AT noon the little party made
halt under the welcoming shade of
tree by the roadside, while the
woman got frugal lunch from out
the wagon, and the man brought
water from nearby spring for the
meal, and the thirsty horse.
In the afternoon they reached a
city that lay in the path of their
journey.
The noise and movement con-
fused the old couple-the sight of
many strange faces struck them
with mighty sense of loneliness
and solitude the country and the
hills they sought were as familiar
friends, but the hurrying crowds
seemed pitiless and apart from
them. There was a certain friend
lines in nature that was altogether
lacking in the busy haunts of man.
Besides, to these two, the city was
sylnbolical of all that was evil, and
cruel, and callous. Was it not a
possibly this very one-that
had swallowed in its Unsuitable
NAV an innocent girl that this old
couple had cherished and called
daughter?
Little wonder that they now
looked about them with awe and
dread, and were eager to quit the
hot, noisy streets and reach the open
fields once more.
The man ehirruped a kindly note
of encouragement to the worn-out
horse. In response the faithful ami
NAL quiekened its slow pace for a
few steps, and then suddenly went
down on the hard stones of the
street to rise no more.
In helpless apathy the couple
stopped, bewildered and dazed, then
as the full enormity of the disas-
ter dawned on the woman's mind,
abe flung herself down on her
knees, and tried yainly to lift the
Loo1 - tka 1.,.nS. oa:...oI 49, L.