Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-07-06
O|ANTHE Of
THE WOODS,
1t Wasn't a Witch He Caught,
but His Ideal of a Girl.
BY M. WOODRUFF NEWELL.

| "A DCfCiC altaSh va eyphNA@ $500 IN>
him considerably on the bias, SO that
he welcomed quiet recuperating old
farmhouse twenty miles from LEM
on" as desired haven and went there
for summers sojourn the lst 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 80 weak, you know.
The delirium especially is likely to
return"
Being a lone young bachelor, he en-
joyed their anxiety in his behalf and
worked shamelessly on their sympa-
thies.
"My heavenm exclaimed Mrs. Merri.
wether the morning that he told her
that, throwing away raisin that she
was seeding and putting the seeds into
the cake in her excitement.
"Oh, it's very sad disease" con-
tinued Andrew pensively, reaching for
his fifth coOky.
Then he took his camera and went
out for q 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 a clump Of birch
trees that fringed dim woodland
path, he trained his camera on 1t and
| sought the finder. He smiled happily
as he saw the picture 1t made-the
slim young trees with the long path
| winding up behind them.
That's fnew he told himself and
holding the camera steady. snapped IT.
| He could scarcely wait to get home to
develop 1t.
Mrs. Merriwether saw him coming
and exclaimed anxiously, Gracious
me, boy, where's the firei'
"Got a prize package" he answered
solemnly.
Mrs. Merriwether, honest soul. stared
after him.
"You don't suppose, now, the heats
affected his head, do your" she whis
| pered to Lemuel as he came mp from
the barn little later.
"He's been on the 90 all day in the
hot sun, and after such fever as he
had he's liable to have spells OF
| looney, you know he said so. | just
| asked him what he was hurrying SC
for, and he said he had prize pack
| age. and declare to goodness didn't
see nothing but that old camera!'
"Shoo, shoe, mother. the boys al
right. It's probably just some of his
funny business"
II they had seen 1.-THE boy" at 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 1t up dripping be-
| tween him and the small ruby lamp on
| the table.
"By Georgev he said and put II
| through the bath again.
A second time he held 1t up and scru
| tinized 1t in the dim red glow.
"By gum," he said, 'it's a witch ol
I'm going looneyr
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, peerlng 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 centur!
gown.
"How the dickens!" puzzled Andrew
Its something on the film. There
| couldn't have been a 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 q
girl Of Revolutionary days he doing
hereT'
He washed the Aim carefully and
put it through the hypo bath. Then he
washed 1t again and, hanging 1t up to
| dry, went down to supper.
There he talked at random, his mind
being full Of the mysterious picture
| His remarks were SO rambling thai
they confirmed every suspicion that
Mother Merriwether had formed thai
afternoon.
Hes Off" she whispered sharply to
Lemuel outside the kitchen door. ITS
the heat. He's way of. 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 1t awful. that poor boy
My, but typhoid's fearful disease"
Lemuel, vastly alarmed. was In
stantly ION to his job" For a watch
dog he proved Al. Andrew had diff
Guilty In shaking him of long enough
to 20 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 1t.
When morning came, however, ht
found Lemuel sticking closer than
brother. Wherever he went Lemue
went also, and when Lemuel had tt
leave him long enough to see about hi'
live stock mother obediently took VI
the trail just where he left 1t. until
Andrew, impatient and totally uncon
scious Of their anxieties In his behalf
bluntly locked his door in her very
face and, getting out his printing
frame, settled down to business.
The sunshine was bright in his soutL
window, and he had print complet
ed In quick time. He held 1t to tht
light excitedly, the water dripping
from It.
"Christmas, it's a goddess" he ejac
ulated.
She peered out at him, her laughing
face round and mischievous. He
dress was of olden style, with huge
panniers at the side and trim, laced
bodice with a low French neck ant
little puff sleeves. One tiny foot stucl
out saucily In high heeled Frenci
boot.
Andrew stared at her amazed. Th'
| arched eyehroWa and delicate fac