Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-10-01

ENOW iidlSu Oil " OSoJ FtllhSs ~ OA Al
be clipper at sunup Tomorrow"
An hour before daybreak Anne's deep
sleep was broken by what sounded like
tornado in the tiny adjoining room; in
reality, if was small Roselle in frenzy OF
joyful haste. Anne could not remember
having ever been awake so early in the
morning. She gazed out wonderingly.
A great star hung bright in the west, and
the east was deepening slowly from pearl
gray to faint rose, and from rose 10 coral
pink. The barnyard below was in violet
shadow. .Thaddeus Beard crossed If
IeisureIy with his milk pals rattling on
his arm. Far and near the roosters crow
ed. AS Anne brushed her hair. shivering
a little in the chill, she saw Roselle dart
out, mount the well curb, and with one
sweep of her arm and a musical call bring
two hundred noisy fowls TO their break
fast.
eve want to get off by sunup," Aunt
Deborah said, when Anne came down.
stairs. The old lady seemed to be in
far greater hurry than the occasion re-
uured, and her mouth looked a little
drawn as she raced with The sunrise.
With Roselle scutting in her wake, she
hustled from pantry to kitchen, from
kitchen 10 dining room. Once, as she
hurried between the china press and the
table, she faltered for single moment.
81 declare" she said, "maybe-after
all" Then she rallied. "Pshaw, how
body settles into rut, day by day, year
in, year out -
Then she turned briskly on the orphan.
"Get into your purple gingham, Ro-
selle, she said. "ThaddeuS, put Colonel
to the rig while dress-be quick, both
OF you."
When they climbed into the vehicle,
the sun was just rising above the pine
ridge. Ithad been aneck-and-neck race.
The chicken yard was loud with the in
quiring speech OF garrulouS hers and
ducks, and old Red lowed Justify at the
bars but Aunt Deborah, settling the rim
OF her bonnet, looked neither to the right
nor to the lett.
"Now, Thaddeus." she said, "Pve told
you everything. Keep your head, what
ever you do, and look for me by Thurs
day week. We are going to sort OF circle
about Bentley, and take the longest way
round"
She gave the reins sharp flap, to the
resentment of Colonel, who bumped his
ancient sorrel back, bounced forward
kittenishly, and refused for several hun
dred yards to come down TO his natural
gait.
Two roads led out of FairfieldS. One,
seldom used, ran through the hilly part
of the farm, and joined the State pike a
quarter of mile away; the other, which
they took this morning, was the we'll
worn trail to the Bentley highway.
"lll skirt BeHtley," said Aunt Deborah,
with firm decision. There's no call TO
have all the citizens thinking that Deborah
Crane has lost her reason, tripping II al
this hour OF the day. Well 60 right
round the town, and tonight we'll stop at
the Browns, up near Clintwood they're
quiet folks that don't ask questions"
What questions the quiet folk would
have cared to ask, Anne forgot 10 wonder
in the delight of that first hour OF the
Journey. II was one Of those perfect
days that come lettering along in late
September. Sunlight turned the meadow
mists far below into silver, and the wide
cornfields from bronze to gold. The air
was clear and spicy sweet from the light
frost that had lain all night on dry autumn
leaf and weed.
AT the first rise, Anne turned and looked
back. Aunt Deborah turned, too-a little
reluctantly. The roof and walls and clus-
tered outbuiIdings OF old Fairfields basked
in the early sunlight; the maple at the
east side OF the house was red as flame,
and from the tallest chimney rose thread
of pearl-gray smoke.
"Hey ~ said Roselle, who was SEEM
ingy unmoved. at looks like it's lone
some I"
Aunt Deborah Offended Colonel again
with an unnecessary yank OF the lines,
and he carried them down the long slope
so swiftly that the familiar scene was soon
lost
They travelled until noon; and pleasant
enough going it was, for the highways
were hard and smooth and the land was
beautiful. On every hand fields waited
to give up their harvest, and where the
road wound through wooded places, the
travellers found the glorious color OF early
changing oak and hickory.
Aunt Deborah chatted like a magpie.
From the moment they left the farm gate
she talked gayly and necessarily. She
was by nature woman OF so few words
that Anne could hardly believe her ears
the girl remembered how many time
she had driven to Bentley and back with
her aunt without her ever opening her
lips. Today Anne had only to sit and
listen at times she almost believed that
Aunt Deborah's gayety was not wholly
sincere.
"Ah, this is living!" Aunt Deborah
declared, when they turned aside to eat
luncheon in slip OF pine woods near a
gurgling stream.
II was living, indeed. for Roselle and
Anne. with their robust appetites; the
basket gave up delectable meal-chicken
sandwiches and stuffed eggs, cold milk.
little frosted cakes, and mellow August
! apples.
Aunt Deborah, however. ATE scarcely a
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