Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-03-20

hurry. He had come to pass the sum-
mer on the mountain He roamed and
he rested. He visited other cabins
and made friends of all he came In
sontact with. As they found him one
day. so they found him the next.
There were those who could not I'M
derstand why he should interest him
self in such pursult-why any one
should particularly care about birds
and squirrels and fowers-but they
liked and trusted the man for all
that. 1t came at last that even the
owners Of some of the hidden stills
talked Of inviting him to visit them.
For three long months Nancy lived
in new world. There had been phys
ical and mental changes for the bet
ter. Unknown to even her mother,
she tired to teach herself to read.
Shoes and stockings were precious
things atnong the people Of the noun
tssresNh e.never since that first day had
Williams seen her barefooted She
had made herself q new sunbonnet.
She had sewed fiounce on her best
dress. She had made bow to wear
hair Of tangles and felt wave Of
pride sweep over her as she caught
the young man looking ut 1t admir-
ingly. She slyly watched him as he
ate. and she tried to copy him. He
had seen these things and hundred
others, and they had made him smile.
He had treated her In a way as an
equal and In way as a child. He
had been friendly. but he had never
talked love. He had told her of ro-
nance and adventure, Of the great
world to which she was stranger,
but not with any intent to make her
dissatisfied with her surroundings.
Had he been bit more observing he
would have seen the growth Of new
sentiments and aspirations that she
lacked the womanly ingenuity to con-
ceal, but he went on regarding her as
a child.
One evening he announced that on
the next morning he must take his de-
parture. Together they sat on the
doorstep In the moonlight and looked
down over the forests and peaks and
were very quiet. At first he told her
Of the great ocean lying hundreds Of
miles away, OF the great cities TEEN
Ing with human life, Of the wonders
she might some day behold, and she
crowded closer to him like child.
Then she sighed and sighed and sigh
ed and moved away BY and by she
entered the cabin and sought her bed
without word. She did not appear
ut breakfast. She had risen and gone
out. He waited half an hour to say
goodby, but as she did not come he
shouldered his pack and set out.
Half mile down the trail he found
her. She was seated on a rock at
bend where they had often sat and
rested and talked.
"Come down. Nancy. want to say
goodby," he called.
She came slowly, and he saw her us
he had seen her on that first day. Her
hair was hanging down her back,
stockings and shoes were conspicuous
ly absent, and bow and founce were
missing. Not exactly as he had seen
her on that first day. for now she had
been weeping
"Why, Nancy, what Is TT" he ask
ed as he took her hand.
"It's-it's that can't read" she al |
most walled. tits that | can't write, |
can't talk, can't go nowhere, can't |
be nuthin' nor nobody. It's that l am |
pore and shacklety and ignorant and |
have got to live and die yere It's
lts"--
"But, Nancy no began, and then,
realizing her feelings, he knew not |
what to add.
you'll never come ag'inr she que
rled.
perhaps not"
"And I'll have no one--no ONE
Her eyes were cast down and her
tears falling as he held her hand. BY
and by he softly said;
IT didn't know 1t till just now, Nan
cy."
But It can't be-" she replied as she
raised her head and threw her hair
back. at can't be no more than the
eagle and the crow. You-you are ev-
erything; | am nuthln' but
pore and Ignorant and shacklety, just
ftten for such n life as this"
Then she bent forward and kissed
him. wrenched her hand away and fed
UP the trail and left him looking after
her and bordering and wondering and
feeling such pity as he would never
feel for woman again. He heard
her whistllng among the rocks. She
was fighting herself; he heard her
laughing. She was going back to the
old life with breaking heart And
he knew she was right.