The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-18

UT TWO IOuNRcTS. anu they BreeL6u me | respectfully. but without any undue de- ference. They had known me in my boyhood and they would not be over powered now by a Governor. Didn't expect you to-day, Cover nor, but can get you a carriage and send you over or telephone to your Uncle Paul to bring one, whichever you wish'' said the agent. Neither thank you," l replied. "l want to walk"
 Don't blame you," he said, wish ! I could get away from here myself. i and take a plunge into that" l He looked at the great glowing for
 est of red and gold that curved about
 the station, and shook his head lugu-
 briously. He felt the wilderness spell
 that comes over all of us Kentuckians at tmes-we are not yet far enough away from the wilderness days for it to grow faint-and felt 1t too. turned away from the station alone and plunged into the splendid mass of red and gold, and my mind, as 1t al- ways did when l came to Carlton went back to my first returning. Truly ] much water had flowed under the bridge for me- It had been a rapid and turbid current, but felt more at peace now than at any other time in my life. The sea does not go on for ever. One must come to port at last.
 I fingered a little in the forest which was but a narrow belt, seeming more massive than 1t was, ana l 1elt here the freedom from care that comes to the strong man in the woods. l mark 1 cd with glad eyes hillocks and little valleys where I had played when
 boy and I resolved that they should often know me agaln.
 I left the woods and approached our home, it's warm red brick walls glow ing in the brilliant October sunlight. A tall stiff figure was upon the porch, yielding a broom. and I know that 1t was Aunt Jane. sweeping away the falling leaves of autumn. She saw me cast aside the broom and with an un- usual appearance of emotion came down the steps.
 Harry" she exclaimed. Here you come walking home, alone and without warning. Will you always be a boy?"
 Would you have me to be an old man before my time," I replied, as kissed her.
 Then we went into the house, and soon Uncle Paul came. He said noth- ing unusual, but gave my hand powerful grasp. Before night Seth arrived, having taken later train with the baggage, and in the evening. which was sharp and crisp, we sat around a great glowing fire of logs and talked lazily of many things. They gave me all the gossip of the neigh borhood. details about everybody ex- cept Alicia They did not refer once to her or her mother and I did not ex- pect them to do so. There was an 1n- nate delicacy in Uncle Paul and Aunt Jane; they understood, and l was. yet content to wait.
 We had no light save that of the fire but the mellow glow on the walls and the floor deepened and with it deepen ed the feeling of peace in my heart. It seemed to me that the stormiest of my days were over, and fate having against me would be compelled to spare me now. When Uncle Paul and Aunt Jane rose to bid me good night Aunt Jane said: .%,
 Harry, we never abated particle of our faith in you during that awful time, when they were attacking you. nor did we change when you made your speech to that meeting" 'I knew you wouldn't. God bless you both," I said.* and there were tears in my eyes. I rose early the next morning to an- other October day of glowing colors and gorgeous : sunlight, and, after the fields. All the time something had been calling me. The invisible current created by intense feeling was estab- lished between; Alicia and me and l knew thatgI was going to her. I left the field, entered the forest, and ap- preached the little embowered spring set in its-eup of a valleE-- It had all ways been left just as it was in the Indian days and it was never to be defaced by any so-called improve mentS.
 I looked down at the clear water of the pool, and then felt with the cer- tainty of knowledge that she was com. ing. The call was for us both. look ed up and I saw her through the trees. Alicia coming toward me! An, God! it was worth our years of suffering this one moment!
 was no mourning was cast aside-and the bloom of gfrlhood was on her checks. She was a girl again, and was 8 boy. We were not old in years, only in life. and suddenly I realized our youth. us
 It was the first time in all these years that I had seen Alicia happy. and she was very human and very beautiful. made to love and to be loved. Pinned upon her breast was a sprig oe some late wild flower. and it's deli- cate rose matched the delicate rose of her cheeks.
 "I felt that I must come," she saio shyly from the other side of the pool. | 'It was foreordained that you and I should meet here at this tine.'' said. | 'I know it.' she said.
 | Curiously, I felt no shyness. It was no boy love of mine. but one that had
 been tried by every test. and I had
 come forth with courage to seek what
 wished.
 I went around the pool, and I took
 both of her hands in mine. Alicia" I said gravely, God would
 not have brought us through so many
 evils to meet here to-day if he had not intended from the first that we should belong to each other"
 She was silent. but agreeing. and,
 putting my arm around her waist,
 kissed her on the lips. while the color flooded her cheeks.
 "You will marry me in the winter,
 will you not, Aiicia,'' asked.
 T will marry you, Harry. whenever YOU come for me-, she replied, and she sighed in deep content. She, like l. had found peace and rest at last. | repeat that we were not boy and girl The gossip of the world had had it's will with us. and would touch us again. had been in prison, and none would forget it. she had been the wife
 of man who had taken the life of
 another and his own. but secure in our love we did not care.
 Thus we stood. with the beautiful
 world about us and, on our heads. the
 glorious sunshine fell in brilliant
 sheaves of red and gold. like a benison.
 THE END.
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