The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-11-05

IN AnnceS words sounded luconcluSYc
L Va although she fortified them by an ami
mated gesture with her plump.
wrnkled hand. Her eyes glanced
tmidly from the window to David's face
But. aimee, ye've said word Of the cuckoo"
said David. plantyey.
"Ay, the cuckoo replied aimee, her heart sink
ing as she sent her voice up-"the cuckoo
Has it come? Did yc hear III"
The old caspcd and unclasped his hands
heIplessly, childish disappointment oyersprcading
his face.
David dear, if yed but listen to what was a
gon' to say"-Annee guped-'I a-goin' to say
that I've heard the cuckoo yet, but that every
thin's so overearly, an I'm cxpectn' to hear
any time now. It's so warm there might be
sngin at dusk to-day-there might be-"
Might there be asked David, his eyes brighten
iug-"might there be- Annec?'
"Ay, there might be, lad and she lifted his head
on her gently while she turned the pillow.
ITS overearly," he objected, AN Annce-"
"Na David dear, be STILL" she commanded draw
ing his head close to her bosom before she put him
down on the pillow again Pastor Morris says
cverythins overcarly; even the foxgove is well up
in the garden; an the heather By Blacn Own will be
bloomin' a month carly, an the hills will be pink.
lad-soon. Now, dearie, I'll be back by-and-by with
the broth; yc must be still awhile
as she could. For moment she stood on the door
SILL looking into the old garden green at last after
the dreary winter and beautiful in the promise OF
coming summer blossom. Foxgove and columbne
honcysuckles. lilies and roses would bloom, but
David would them morcl For fifty springs
they had gone into the garden together, he to trim
the hedge and bind up the honeysucklc, she to dig
about the bushes and flowers. And every
spring there had been evening when the
ouckoos song heard for the FIRST time, and when
there came into DavidS eyes look OF boyish JOY.
All lad. lad-how she loved him! And he ShoHd
hear the cuckoo againl
Resolutely aimee started uphill climbing close
by the high pasture wall and painting, made her
way as best she could over boggy places After she
had gone about quarter of a mile she looked
around her furtively. There lay Gwyndy Bach in
the distance, Ty Ceryg and Cwm Cloch lar away.
and the meeting house still farther. Only the
tans were by, and few lazy sheep trailing
over their wild. gray ledges. She did not even
shecp-dog. When she sat down by the stone wall
there was a look of approval her face, followed
as she opened her mouth, by look of appealing
misery.
"Ay, it was somethin like this; Coco, Ocm, let
me see; every year I've heard it, an David he does
it. Coo-o-ol Pw that sounds like hen aimee
pccrcd about her. "Cu, GU Then she shook with
again sng-Song, sing-song like this: Cu-cu, eu-cu
Ay that's better" Practising the song, aimee
rocked herself backward and forward. ITS growin
bcttcrl" she exclaimed; "but, lad. lad I'm plannin
TO deceive yc" and the rolled out of her old
eyes. She brushed the tears away impatently and
began the song again "Cucu-cu cucu-cu cucucu-cu.
Gu; ay that's fair; ay. its fine; He'll not know me
from real cuckoo. I'll have to be tryn' it now, TO-.
ye'ye no long, dearic,
Auncc went down into the valley, humming the
brd-noes over to herself lest she forget what she
had learned. She lifted her short skirts and waded
through the marshy places in her eagerncss she
was unmindul Of the pasture bogs, her seventy
years her weary body; and her sparse gray hair lay
damp on her forehead In her mother-heart was
but one Notwithstanding his wish to Davic
Gasping she reached the southern of the cot
tagc garden and there leaned a trellis for sup
port TIL she could get her breath. Completely en-
crossed in what she to do. she did not think
to look about her she did not listen for possible
approaching footsteps, and Dave had slipped
in Importance 4 wee bit behind the cuckoo song
Finally she drew long breath and began; she
paused moment, then repeated the song, softly
slowly. Pleased with her success, she sang the sons
again. very softly very slowly till it sounded much
as II il from distance somewhere by the
stream the mlwhcel She just beginning
more when steps rustlcd behind her and
voice said tauntingly:
"Fgi, It's a pretty cuckoo yc make. AIMEE. an :
pretty songp
Lowry Priehardp
TITS oyercary for the cuckoo-is it not2'
"Ay"
"An' what yc singin' IN your garden for an
David dyin'i'
Annec's mild eyes gathered fire. but she said moth
ing.
Are yc dcccivn' David an he on the edge of til
grave, Annee2 It's gody song to sing, an tai
for meetin, eh Anncel"
"Yc-inay-g -go-out-ol-this-gardcn an tina
this minute" said AIMEE, advancing.
Lowry backed towards the wicket
"Ye look fair crazy, Annee-crazy with wrath--a,
and your hair is all rumpled an your smock is we
rIAONO No0cSO