Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-10-22
When Ebb Forgot the End
Gate.

Leaning back in his chair unmind-
ful Of the little streams of water which
dr'pped from the melting snow on his
boot-heeis, Ebenezer Chenoweth re-
marked. II think we're going to have
a change OF weather.
"Do you think it'll turn warmer
Melissa turned from the table which
she was laying fer supper and looked
oft through the west window. Al
splash OF red lined The horizon, and
and its reflected light tinted rose pink
{ ie bankstof snow by the sheds and
a'ong the bank 10 the barn.
~ amt sure, but | was wondering
II we ought to take those barrels Of
I've ashes over to your mothers to-
morrow. We won't be likely to have
any more good sleddln' after this snow
goes off, and it's a sight easier TO get
'em in and out of the sled than the
wagon
"And III take my quilts ever.
Mother and the girls will help me, and
may be they've got some new patterns.
You know shaven't made up my
blue merino yeti
Melissas thought OF dozen other
reasons why the visit should not be
postponed, and her eyes sparkled with
delight as they sat down to supper.
"Maybe fathers been KILN ard
we can have some fresh meat. I'm
tired to death of ham, amt your she
said, as she poured the coffee.
"Oh, ! Dunno Eb answered, care
lessly, "but / would like a good mess
o. backbone with the tenderloin left
on.o He smiled across at his wife A.
he added, 81 reckon you've been spoil
in for visit home for good spell,
havn't you, Lissy?"
1t was not yet daylight the next
morning when the bob.sled stepped at
the front gate, and "Lissy,n mufned
in shawls and wells, and loaded with
bundles, clambored over the side Of
the sled and sat down by her husband
putting her feet on the hot bricks
which he had tucked under the robe.
| The ride was uneventful. Ebenezer
and his wife had been born and trails
ed" in the country, and familiarity
made them indifferent to the almost
uncanny beauty of the scene through
which they passed.
Tall oaks and sbagbark hickories
lifted their leafless branches in deli
cate tracery against the sky. Copses
OF hazel brush and low clumps Of haws
broke the severe lines of the tree
trunks, and TO left OF the road a snake
fence was etched boldly upon the
snow.
IL was world asleep. There was no
VIE d, and the horses feet were dead
ened by the soft snow through which
the sled-runners cut noiselessly.
! There were. many tracks Of forest
FEATURES liz The snow--bird tracks,
pricked delieately on the surface, and
rabbit tracks leading from copse to
copse. Once Ebenezer stopped his
horses and examined the prints where
some larger animal had crossed the
road near the top of the hill which
dipped to the gate leading out to the
big road.
"fhose tracks look powerfully like
a painter's," he said, as he knocke d
the snow off his boots and climbed
back to his seat. II reckon we'd bet
ter get started home early enough not
to get caught after dark. It's lucky j
brought my revolver. That's COM
fort, fnyhow.'
But the sun had set and twilight had
fallen before any one remembered the
time. Although it was Melissa's first
year away from her fathers house,
The winter had been hard and the days
so short that visits had been very in
frequent, and consequently there had
been many things to talk about, new
things to be displayed aud others to
be planned for. .aaS&s 4 ..s...
! ASA1 hSA DtSu iStlpco W DC VOpltu
and quilt pieces to be looked up, n
basket to be filed with spareribs and
backbone with the tenderioln left
on" T. And the day had proved far too
short for The need.
When Ebenezer went out to "hitch
up, he found that 1t had grown Bit
terlyt cold, and the sir was full Of a
fine, singing frost.
Mrs. Wats ON begged them TO stay
all night, and when Ter son-in-Iaw
said he could not stay away from his
stock after seeing panther's track $
she protested, "All the more reason
FOR your not goin' back through the
woods after dark
20 psbaw! Eds get his revolver,
mother" Melissa put in, 'and any
I hovpft boo ri IF x.a.-4ary, CAT