Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-12-06
Cascade.


Watched Her Second Old cy Pulling
Trout from Each Pool and
Cascade.
lowed she run away from somewhs.s
but where twas, she didn't want u
tell. My 'pilicn is thar's love fair
at the bottom ont all: but whether it,
so or not, it amt none o our business
She needs a home, sartin sure. She
says she means to arm her keep, which
is the right sperit, an long as she
minds us, she kin have it,
That Chip ARMED her keep" and
something more was soon evinced, for
in two weeks it was Aunt Mandy"
and Uncle Jud" from her, and Patty"
or "Pattycake," the nickname given
her that first morning from them.
More than that, so rapidly had she
won her way here that by now Uncle
Jud had visited the Riggsville store,
some four miles down this valley, and
materials for two dresses, new shoes,
broad sun hat, and other much-need
ed clothing were bought for Chip.
Neither was it all one-sided, for
these people, well-to-do in their iso-
lated home, were also quite alone.
Their two boys had grown up, gone
away and married, and had homes Of
their own, and the company of
bright and winsome girl like Chip was
needed in this home.
Her adoption and acceptance of 1t
were like a small stream flowing into
a larger one, for the reason that these
people were almost primitive in loca,
ton and custom.
I'VE don't go to meetin' Sundays"
Uncle Jud had explained that first day
after breakfast. Were sorter heath
en-, s'pose; but then ag'in, thar amt
no chance. Thar used to be meetin's
down to the Corners, n parson; but
he only got four hundred year, an
hard work to collect that, n so he gin
the job up. Since then the meetin'-
house has kinder gone to pieces, n
the Corner folks use 1t now for STORM
tools. We obsarve Sundays here by
bein' sorter lazy. n go fishin' some
or pickin' berries"
And then Uncle Jud was so much
like Old Cy in ways and speech that
her heart was won. And besides these
blessings, the old farm house, hidden
away betYeen two ranges of wooded
hills, seemed so out of the world and
SO secure from observation that she
felt that no one from Greenvale ever
could or would discover her. She had
meant to hide herself from all who
knew her, had changed her name for
that purpose, and here and now it
was accomplished.
That first Sunday, also, became a
halcyon one for her, after chores, in
the performance of which Chip made
herself useful, Uncle Jed took his fish
pole, and giving her the basket to
carry, led the way to the brook, and
for four bright sunny hours, Chip
knew not the lapse of time while she
watched the leaping, laughing stream,
and her second Old Cy pulled trout
from each pool and cascade.
And so her new life began.
But the change was not made with
out some cost to her feelings, for
heartstrings reach far, and Miss Phin-
ney and her months of patient teach
ing were not forgotten.
Aunt Comfort and her benign face
oft returned to Chip, land dear Old
Cy." as she always thought of him,
still oftener. Rays face also linger-
ed in her heart Now and then she
caught herself humming some darby
song, and never once did the moon
smile into this quiet vale that her
thoughts did not speed back to that
wildwood lake, with its rippled path
of silver, the dark bordering forest,
and how she welded paddle while
her young lover picked his banjo.
No word or hint of all this bygone
life and romance ever fell from her
lips. 1t was page in her memory
that must never be turned-an idyl
to be forgotten-and yet forget it
she could not, in spite of will or
wishes.
And now as the summer days sped
by, and Chip helping Uncle Jud in the
meadows or Aunt Mandy about the
house, and winning love from both,
%" new realm OpSu peAOIS HeT.
There was in the sitting room Of this
quaint home tall bookcase, its
shelves filed with motley collection
of books; works on science, astron-
omy, geology, botany, and the like
books of travel and adventure; stories
of strange countries and people never
heard of by Chip; and novels by Scott,
Continued IN 9Th rarN