Gilpin observer., 1909-12-16

woman came nearer
MY sakes! Is that you, Hubby Al
den?" was the answer Il should like
to know where you've started fur? I'm
out after little more pennyroyal;
you know it's good till the first frost
comes-an' | was afraid | didn't hev
'nough to last; so many set sech store
by 1t that / alters like to hev plenty
on hand. But where be you an old
Maize goin'?" =.
"I'll tell you, Mary Ann Record.
jest where we're goin'! We're goin'
back home where we belong. I'm sick
an tired of alters doin' what some
body else tells me, an now I'm goin'
to be my own mistress an live in
my own house an see how twill seem
to do things es other folks do
We'll, there, Huldy," said her COM
panion, Il think you're doin' jest right.
You never hev had chance to take
any comfurt, an l hope you'll never
go back to John Alden's to live"
Together the two old friends walked
slowly across the long pasture. The
pungent odor Of tansy, checkerberry
| and sweet fern arose from the bruised
herbage under their feet.
Presently they reached the boun-
dairy of the field where Mrs. Records
quest ended, and Huldah paused for .
few parting words.
Now, Hubby" said her compan-
ion impressively, you jest stick to
it an don't you never go back to
Johns. no matter what he says. Mas
sy sakes! You dunno how much COM
Il fur foly xrrhn eyif olR
home an can do jest as you please"
mo, I'm free now," was Huldah's
answer, "an' I'm goin' to live my life
in my own way after this. All my
life long my souls ben in bondage.
but now it's goin' to be different. I
tell you, Mary Ann, all summer I've
been tryin' to get spunk 'nough to
take this step. l never RELY thought
I'd dare to, but now hev, an John an
] Clarindy can never make me go back.
Thank the Lord I've got means 'nough
to last me, an l can be free an inde-
| pendent. | don't believe l ever see
quite so nice mornin' es this is, did
you, Mary Ann? Seems to me every
thin looks brighter an prittier than
it ever did before. Why can't you
come over an spend the day with me
next week? I'll be settled by that
time. I've laid out to hev lots of COM
p'ny this winter an go visitin' too.
Can't you come over next Wednes-
day?"
why yes, 1 dunno but 1 can," was
the answer, AN I'm goin' to bring
over a couple of kittens. They'll be
a sight O. comp'ny fur you, an you
uster to be monstrous fond O. cats
when you was girl"
My! that will be NICE" and a graft
fed smile spread over Huldah Al
den's faded face. Il never had cat.
an l uster want one above all things;
now don't forgit to come, an bring
two of EN-"
And she and old Maize climbed the
stone wall together and walked slow
ly up the hill on the other side. At
last they came in sight of their goal.
Then MAZE gave an ecstatic yelp and
bounded up the hill as fast as his
tired old legs would carry him. HUI.
dab followed more slowly, her hungry
eyes drinking in every detail of the
, weather beaten old house and its sur
roundings. AS she opened the front
! | gate, ftuludu alutu near SOAti dStSa
, with a sudden fear, for there, on the
doorstep, in the shadow of the tall
lilac, where she and William Jewett
| had said goodbye to their youthful
hopes, was the figure of a man, his
head bowed upon his hands in de.
jected, discouraged attitude. Just then
the old dog came around the corner
of the house and with joyous bark
flung himself upon the motionless fig
) ure. AS the man raised his head and
; patted old Maje, Huldah gasped weak
ly to herself: My soul an body. it's
! William Jewett! what shall l do?
The Lord must hev sent him here to
: meet me when | came home" and her
trembling limbs refused to carry her
any farther. She still stood there in
the gateway, holding on to the gate
ior support, as the man, turning his
; glance in that direction, saw the pale
| faced trembling woman, watching him
with n half-frightened look in her ia.
ded blue eyes. In that one glance he
seemed to see and understand why
, she was there, and in another moment
, he was at her side. Thank God,
Huldy!" he began, you hev come
back-I hev waited an watched so
: long fur you'll thought you'd nev.
er-" and hoafse sob checked his
utterance as he gathered her into his
arms, while his whole frame shook
with the emotion he was vainly try
ing to subdue. There, there Hubby"
as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
You poor little thing! don't you take
on so; I'll look out fur you now"
"Oh. William, l Jest knew the good
Lord had sent you when l see you
there In the same spot where we'd