Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-08-05
DIANTHE OF THE WOODS.

considerably on the bias, so that he well
coined a quiet, recuperating old farm
house, "20 miles from lemon," as de-
sired haven, and went there for a sum-
mer's sojourn the first OF July.
The old couple with whom he boarded
were one Lemue Merriweather, and his
wife, and they worried constantly for fear
he should have relapse.
al am very apt to-" Andrew assured
them often, "being so weak you know.
The delirium is very apt to return"
Beinga lone young bachelor, he en-
joyed their anxiety in his behalf and
worked shamefully on their sympathies.
"My heavensW exclaimed Mrs. Mer-
riweather the morning that he told her
that, throwing away raisin that she was
seeding and putting the seeds into the
cake in her excitement.
ooh! it's very sad disease" con-
tinued Andrew, pensively, reaching for
his fifth cooky.
Then he took his camera and went out
for a morning prowl through the woods.
The country was in its summer glory,
and just before he Startee back to the
house he took the picture that caused the
trouble.
He had been walking along by the river
and struck by clump of birch trees that
fringed dim woodland path, ne trained
his camera on it and sought the finder.
He smiled happily as he saw the picture
ii made-the slim young trees with the
long path winding up behind theml
"Thats fine" he told himself, and
holding the camera steady, snapped it.
He could scarcely wait to get home to de-
velop it.
Mrs. Merriweather saw him coming and
exclaimed anxiously, Gracious me, boy,
where's the fire ?"
"Got surprise package" he an
swered solemnly.
Mrs. Merriweather, honest soul, started
after him.
"You don't suppose, now, the heats
affected his head, do you?" she whis-
pered TO Lemuef, as he came up from the
barn little later.
"He's been on the 60 all the 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 so for, and he said
he had a prize package, and ! declare
to goodness didn't see nothing but that
old camera"
"Shoo, shoe, mother, the boys all
right. It's probably just some of his
funny business"
"lf they had seen 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 it up dripping between him and
the small lamp on the table.
"By GeorgeP' he said, and put it
through the bath again.
A second time he held il up and scru-
tinized it in the dim red glow.
"By gum," he said. OTIS witch, or
Pm going looney."
There was the path, stretching out al
Turing into the woods beyond. There
were the birch trees, tall and slender and
beautiful-and there, just beyond them,
peering out between two massive tree
trunks that bordered the path, was girl,
or witch. or a dryad, with laughing
lips, flying hair and an extraordinary
eighteenth century gown.
"How the dickens |" puzzled Andrew.
"It's something on the film. There
couldn't have been real girl there alone.
Lord, there amt one within 20 miles.
She surely wouldn't walk that far, and
there was no team in sight, and anyway,
what would girl of revolutionary days
be doing here ?"
, He washed the film carefully and put it
through the hypo bath. Then he washed
it again, hung il up to dry, and went down
20 supper.
There he talked at random, his mind
being full Of the mysterious picture. His
remarks were so rambling that they con-
firmed every suspicion that Mother Mer-
riweather had formed that afternoon.
"He's off," she whispered sharply TO
Lemuel outside the kitchen door. "It's
the heat. II he amt better in the morn-
ing well have DR.. Snow come over.
Well have to watch him, without his
knowing it. We must be mighty careful
not to excite him. Oh, goodness, amt
it awful. That poor boyl My, but ty-
phoid's a fearful disease"
Lemuel, vastly alarmed, was instantly
"onto his JOB" For watch dog, he
proved 10 b. an A /. Andrew had diff
ficulty in shaking him off long enough TO
90 into 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 a
brother. Wherever he went Lemuel
went also, and when Lemuel had to leave
him long enough to see about his live
stock, mother took up the trail just where
he left it, until Andrew, impatiently and
totally unconscious of their anxieties in