The Democratic advocate., 1908-11-06
FOUND n
TEE WOODS.
., GRANT PACKARD
,..od 1903, by Associated
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copy Literary lieSs'
tbc street corner had bios
o'eIp,n nnt with unpainted pine chest
enea ~, !. topped by the roaster,.
lgi s''nD out the fragrance of the
near nuts IN the air sent the end
H''P .s,on of workers along at a
Is p'o, nocp. Only an occasional dere-
eDa'sl atored along at a laggard's
Ii sar nuorbpad a thin haze yelled the
Ph U ,,nging the blue of the cloud
kE' sp' s-n,anent to a softer tint and
rs j, This a yellow sun burned
IDLY. pestford as he hurried toward
PAU soo shifted the odor of the roast
be o,u.t h"stnlts and smiled reminiscent
ps nt course chestnuts roasted In a
VI charcoal fire could not be
al Wv W. as when they were gathered
sso' spo wood and roasted in a fire
ilo'[' two to roast chestnuts prop
! 'V ,yro in a cozy parlor, with an
GE y, srp fT for the only illustration.
'lvl ~, ,sor all about roasting chest
IL Il was while they were roasting
l1s, ,,ts that Carol Ryder had prom
1'1 ~ he his wife. Ever since that
feht I'D : the perfume Of the e chestnut 4na nut
4s1ds s1i had reminded him of the girl
y s.l had loved and lost,
rIn D course of true love had run with
~ enstomry irreguIarity, so it befeli
airing one of their misunderstand-
~ Tobn RYDER. Carols father, had
,I,n mon evil times. His invest
~,n,s we're threatened for lack of
n money. Another man had come
II, pripr's aid and had claimed Carol
/ bis reward.
,rIo cirI had married him in the mis-
.t-, hp,ief that she owed it to her
slb,r 70 obey his wishes, and when
p,r sansht reconciliation he had
tr-1 that it was 100 late.
7, hqd come to the city that he
=, mt be reminded daily Of his
\. and had prospered greatly. He
nl orrd cngrossment if not forget
nna2 in business.
Yet always the smell Of roasting
.s;,nnts brought back to him that
tL. in the RYDER parlor, and he could
n agaia that thrill Of joy when he
grl the whispered Yes"
7Aav it came back to him more
srrcy than ever, and Oh the pages
d tlo letters he opened he could see
M nicture Of the woods about Carris-
ils rioting with color under the au-
1-l sun.
He had never gone back to the town
| he his first departure. He had never
raed to see the place. But today he
hard the country call him, and the
/ I'll was not to he denied. He arrang-
Ii with his chief clerk to look after
ilirf for y Few days. and that night
heft IN lhn sleeper for Carrisville.
Ho found the town was sadly
hncel g@;,! arrived il the early
.us, when fcw vera stirring, and Us
sleepy hacl,nan drove q sleepier
n2 thrcuzh the silent street Paul
/ al "a lump rise in his throat as when
/ ae greets an old friend and finds him
/ l.! friend no longer, but even more
/ tNfgn than an actual stranger.
The Old brick schoOlhouse had grown
! -0 stone structure several stories
height There was a new Methodist
/ 2GEcb, and many Of the old houses
I'd been replaced by more imposing
E'actureS, while in the business sec
G1 the store fronts had been altered
present metropolitan aspect.
Twas not until after lunch ard Paul
I'd started out into the country that
began to feel 1T home. He had
-9aed up none Of his old friends, fear
9 70 find them % sadly changed as
hvillase itself.
mere was trolley now to take him
the outskirts Of the town, but he
-oopped of when the canal bridge
Ae IN sight and the trolley turned
lhe road to tie river. The bridge
S not changed.
vas the same low. white structure
4'n which he had dropped many a
4P 70 the deck Of some passing canal
'al to ride down 10 the lock and beg
ride back.
oFOnd the bridge, too, the road
D-td the same. The trend cf prog
S% Aad been along the line of the
sH.y' and on this side OF the canal
@fmaausos were unchanged.
la5y mad not even mended the break
Ie renee where he formerly slipped
rocsn Tor the short cut to the marsh.
r'e 'Ne largest frogs were always to
n, ,ausht' and Paul was tempted to
.tl through just to see If he still was
aeader enough.
D., was sharp climb up the hill, and
n,- ~. was glad to pause and rest for a
H. 4',t (, When ne gained the crest. Be
,., ~, lns canal wound it's way between
hTir SS Oahks, the towpath, dotted with
De aeen ms MIC "s"in''
Ian ',er an yet the river flowed placidly
1 h,.Y 'Ie churning foam Of the rapids
4 Mr ~ aAa between lay the level acres
/ b. - 2eD0T with stubble. In the val
/ s,,. my autumn tints were not yet pro-
] Ians,c I.c' but at his back, on the
a and gold. "e' e'o''ous win
/ h. o,s. s'ar'ed out at brisk pace for
Fe,a o,n ,,,''-''' 80 where the nuts
] &r,sa" biggest and best. On the
4 ieta5 ay holiday the woods would be
b baa .itn :. the nutpickers, but today
On t.a,u Tue place to himself. He was