The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-15

VT, lad dear, no more, or yell be havin'
an attack an"
Annee's words sounded inconclusive.
although she fortified them by an ami
mated gesture with her plump,
wrinkled hand. Her eyes glanced
timidly from the window to David's face.
"But, AIMEE, we've no said a word of the cuckoo"
said David, plaintively.
FAY, the cuckoo" replied AIMEE, her heart sink
ing as she. sent her voice up-"the cuckoo
"Has it come? Did ye hear iii"
The old man clasped and unclasped his hands
helplessly, childish disappointment overspreading
his face.
David dear, if ye'd but listen to what I was a.
goin' to say"-Annee gulped-"I was a-goin' to say
that I've no heard the cuckoo yet, but that every
thin's so overearly, an I'm expeetin' to hear one
any time now. It's so warm there might be one
singin' at dusk t~o-day-there might be-"
might there be " asked David, his eyes brighten
ing-"might there be, Annee?"
cay, there might be, lad" and she lifted his head
on her arm gently while she turned the pillow.
tits overearly," he objected, can, AIMEE"
"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
everythin's overearly; even the ~foxglove is we'll up
in the garden; an the heather by Blaen Cwn 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; ye must be still awhile"
AIMEE went out of the room, stepping as softly
as she could. For a 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. Foxglove and columbine,
honeysuckles. lilies. and roses would bloom. but
David would see them no more! For fifty springs
thew had gone infn the Garden fooefher he ~ fr:o,
the hedge and bind up the honeysuckle. she to dig
about the rose-bushcs and flowers. And every
spring there had been one evening when the
cuckoo's song was heard for the first time, and when
there came into David's eyes a look of boyish joy.
All. lad, lad-how she loved him! And he should
hear the cuckoo again!
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 a quarter of a mile she looked
around her furtively. There lay Gwyndy Bach in
the distance. Ty. ceryg and Cwm Cloch far away,
and the Westinghouse still farther. Only the noun
tains were near by. and a few lazy sheep trailing
over their wild, gray lodges. She did not see even
a sheep-dog. When she sat down by the stone wall
there was a look of approval on her face, followed.
as she opened her mouth, by a 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-o! Pw! that sounds like a hen" AIMEE
peered about her. ecu, Gu. Then she shook with
silent laughter. II know! 1t goes over and over
again. sing-song, sing-song, like this: Cu-cu, cu-cu.
Ay, that's better" Practising the song. AIMEE
rocked herself backward and forward. 'Its CROWN
bctter!" she exclaimed; "but, lad, lad, I'm plannin'
to deceive ye," and the tears rolled out of her old
eyes. She brushed the tears away impatiently and
began the song again: "Cucu-cu cucu-cu, cucucu-cu,
CT; ay. that's fair; ay, it's fine; He'll not know me
from a real cuckoo. I'll have to be tryin' it now, for
ycvc no long, dearie."
.Annee went down into the valley, humming the
h'r!-;otcs over to herself lest she forget what she
iSd learned. She lifted her short skirts and waded
through the marshy places; in her eagerness she
was unmindful 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 t~hought-bringing his wish to Davic.
Gasping, she reached the southern corner of the cot
tage garden, and there leaned on a trellis for SUD-
port till she could get her breath. Completely en-
crossed in what she was to do. she did not think
to look about her, she did not listen for possible
approaching footsteps, and even Davie had slipped
in importance a wee bit behind the cuckoo song.
Finally She drew a long breath and began; she
paused a moment, then repeated the song, softly,
slowly. Pleased with her success, she sang the song
again. very softly, very slowly. till it sounded much
as IL it came from a distance somewhere by the
stream near the mill-wheel. She was just beginning
once more when steps rustled behind her and a
voice said, tauntingly:
"Fsi, tbs a pretty cuckoo ye make, AIMEE. an a
pretty song!"
Lowry Prichard!'
ITS overearly for the cuckoo-is it not?"
"Ay."
IAN what are ye singin' in your garden for an
David dyin'?"
Annee's mild eyes gathered fire. but she said moth
ing. =
care ye dcccivin' David an he on the edge of the
grave, aimee? It's a godly song to sing, an a tale
for meetin', Ell. Annee?"
Observation-Disclosures, an that
this minute" said AIMEE. advancing.
Lowry backed towards the wicket.
"Ye look fair crazy. Annee-crazy with wrath-ay.
and your hair is all rumpled an your smock is wet.
npWC@rNTnGW