The Democratic advocate., 1909-06-18
DIANTHE or
THE WOODS.
It Wasn't a Witch He Caught,
but His Ideal of a Girl.
By N. WOODRUFF NEwELL.

ICopyrigast. 1909, by Associated Literary
Press.1
Andrew Salisbury was on his vaca-
Hon when he met his fate.
A severe attack of typhoid had put
him considerably on the bias. so that
he welcomed a quiet reeuperating old
farmhouse twenty miles from a lem
on" as desired haven and went there
for summers sojourn the LIST Of
July.
The old couple with whom he board
ed were one Lemuel Merriwether and
his wife, and they worried constantly
for fear he should have relapse.
"I'm very apt to-" Andrew assured
them often. being so weak, you know
The delirium especially is likely to
return"
Being bono young bachelor, he en-.
joyed their anxiety in his behalf and
worked shamelessly on their sympa-
thies.
"My heavenr exclaimed Mrs. Merri
WcbueE tuS ltoAhlhb lhdt he Aoiu hNi
that, throwing away a raisin that she
was seeding and putting the seeds into
the cake in her excitement
"Oh, it's a very sad diseasep con-
tinued Andrew penslvely, reaching for
his fifth cooky
Then he took his camera and went
out for mornings prowl through the
woods.
The country was in its summer
glory, and just before he started back
to the house he took the picture that
started the trouble.
He had been walking along by the
river, and. struck by n clump Of birch
trees that fringed q dim woodland
path, he trained his camera on 1t and
sought the finder He smiled happily
as he saw the picture It made-the
slim young trees with the long path
winding up behind them.
That's finer he told himself and.
holding the camera steady, snapped IT,
He could scarcely wait to get home 10
develop It.
Mrs Merriwether saw him coming
and exclaimed anxiously "Graclous
me, boy. where's the fireT'
Got prize package" he answered
solemnly.
Mrs. Merriwethcr, honest soul. stared
after him.
'You don't suppose, now, the heats
affected his head, do your" she whis-
pered to Lemuei as he came up from
the barn little later.
Hes been on the 60 all day in the
hot sun, and nfter such a fever as he
had he's liable to have spells OF
looney, you know he said so. | Just
asked him what he was hurrying 80
for, and he said he had prize pack
age, and | declare to goodness didn't
see nothing but that old chmeraw
"Shoo. shoe, mother, the boys all
right. It's probably Just some Of his
funny business"
If they had seen ''the boy Mt that
precise moment they would probably
have been more anxious than they
were about him
He was looking at the developed
film with startled eyes. His hands
shook as he held II up dripping be
tween him and the small ruby lamp on
the table.
"By Georgew he said and put II
through the lath again
A second time he held 1t up and scru.
tlnized it in the dim red glow.
"By gum" he said, "it's witch or
I'm going looneyp
There was the path stretching out al
luringly into the woods beyond. There
were the birch trees, tall and slender
and beautiful, and there. just beyond
them, peering out between two mass
I've oak tree trunks that bordered the
path, was a girl or a witch or dry
ad, with laughing lips, flying hair and
an extraordinary eighteenth century
gown
How the dickensT puzzled Andrew.
TITS something on the film. There
couldn't have been real girl there,
alone. Lord, there amt one within
twenty miles! She surely wouldn't
walk that far, and there was no team
In sight, and, anyway, what would a
girl of Revolutionary days be doing
hereYp
He washed the film carefully and
put it through the hypo bath. Then he
washed 1t again and, hanging It up to
dry, went down to supper
There he talked ut random, his mind
being full Of the mysterious picture.
His remarks were 50 rambling that
they confirmed every suspicion that
Mother Merriwether had formed that
afternoon.
Hes oifw she whispered sharply to
Lemuel outside the kitchen door. TITS
the heat He's way Off Just see how
funny he talks. II he amt better In
the morning wen have DR.. Snow come
over. Well have to watch him with.
out his knowing It. We must be
mighty careful not to excite him. Oh
goodness, amt II awful. that poor boy,
My. but typhoids fearful disease"
Lenuel, vastly alarmed, was In.
stantly "on to his job" For watch,
dog he proved AL Andrew had diff.
Guilty in-shalSing him off long enough
to go to the dark room at bedtime.
The film was almost dry, and he
could scarcely wait until the next day
TO make a print Of It.
When morning came, however, he
found Lemuel sticking closer than q
brother. Wherever he went Lemue
went also, and when Lemnel had tc
leave him long enough to see about his
live stock mother obediently took VI
the trail lust where he left It. unit
Andrew, impatient and totally uncon.
scious Of their anxietIes in his behalf,
bluntly locked his door In her very