The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-06-28

She had rolled up her sleeves in order
to knead the dough, and with her arms
barred to the elbow she pointed out to
me a road which she advised me TO
take, telling me it would bring me to
the old Ogiethorpe bridge.
f"But your father promised that you
should take nts there" l said, land
that is a debt Of honor you must pay"
VERY WELL" she laughed, as if pre-
pairing to go, but you will go without
your breakfast, and, what is worse
Bud will call you out for making him
lose his, for he comes from the fields
hungry and out of temper sometimes"
81 would not mind going without
mine," l said, but heaven forbid that
so fine fellow should so without his"
Tears came into her eyes, but she
soon brushed them away and with
smile said:
"You touched a weak spot then. Bud
is the salt Of the earth, and he deserves
to find diamonds in this dull soil in
stead Of fighting out his life for few
pounds Of cotton"
/ started down the road which she
had pointed out, wondering what bad
come over me when my life in Boston
had seemed a thing forgotten in few
hours and my work and literary career
become a secondary matter with me.
! passed through an old orchard, where
the opening apple buds lent their fra
GRANGE to the air, and by my side it
seemed to me that the unseen presence
of Miss Ellen walked.
The dogwood was blossoming down
by the branch, and when l reached the
pine trees their crisp needles, stirring
in the breeze, seemed singing some
blithesome air instead of vailing
mournfully, as they had done the even
ing previous. ! saw her little rose
garden and, picking the only flower
then in bloom, hid it away beneath my
waistcoat. There was an impassioned
picturesqueness in the unkept lawn,
and out of the cedar and underbrush
might have expected to see some dryad
come. l found the bridge by the path
Miss Ellen had pointed out and for
an hour sat reclining upon its ivy
colored arch conjuring up such scenes
when its owners lived in aftiuence and
when women in silks and satin and
powdered hair sat in the oaken dining
hall and danced the stately minuet on
rich carpets and under many lights
In my mental vision ! thought / saw
one with the features Of Miss Ellen
who glided past all others and stood In
IN a
wooed like a princess. The picture
faded, and | saw the real Ellen, none
the less regal, but in place of the scorn
the other wore upon her lips there was
a gentle patience. and about her form
there hung q simple cotton gown more
beautiful than the stately gown woven
in my dream picture. ! must have
been asleep. then, after all. thought,
looking at my watch. for 1t was past
the time when she told me to be back.
Hurrying home the way l came.
found them seated at the breakfast
table, and pleaded guilty to an early
morning nap among the woods.
"And your dream?" she asked, as If
reading what was In my mind
"Was OF a beautiful woman clad in
Silks" l said, ''and she stood in an old
hall waiting for prince to come"
"Ah. what a sad awakening" she
said. laughing sweetly.
"But wait until tell you of the
change that came Der the spirit of my
dream" added.
"And I will some day show you the
first scene OF your picture" she said
softly.
"And the last partT
81 do not know what 1t is, and you
have not told me-"
"But will some day, and" looking
into her deep brown eyes and almost
speaking In a whisper, II like it better
than the first portion of my picture"
did not see Miss Ellen alone again
that day. Squire Hawkins called In
the afternoon and stayed to dinner
He was a kindly looking man, not over
fifty, should say, and he wore pros
porous air, and he seemed to me to
have seen q good deal Of the world
Miss Ellen did not play for US that
evening, for she and the squire took a
long walk in the moonlight, and when
she came home she went to her room