Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-01-01

~ Nh u or sugar. tnree-quar-
tiers of a cupful of butter"
~ droned Tabitha Ross as she
bent over her great-grand-
mothers recipe book. Goodness knows.
these New Years cakes take "A heap of
butter and eggs"
Elmer always went distracted over
your mas New Years cakes obsery.
ed her neighbor. Mrs. Nip Tucker.
"You haven't forgotten 'er Lane.
have YOU? | thought he as.~ 10 be an
old beau of yours. Tab"
oh" Tabitha returned to her cake
howl and stirred vigorously. How
did you happen to think Of Elmer
Lane. Sarah. He hasn't been in Broad
Brook for twenty years"
He Is here now"
Tabitha breathed Il little faster. and
her round cheeks became quite pink.
What do you think of that?" asked
Mrs. Tucker imnatiently.
Two tablespoonfmls of caraway
seeds" said Tabitha absently.
"Oh. pshaw. Tab. You needn't pre-
tend you're not interested in Elmer
Lanes homecoming. Why. the whole
village is upset by il. He's been away
for twenty years. and no II has
heard a word about where he's been
All we know is that he quarreled with
his pa right after Mrs. Lane died, and
Elmer went away and eve came
back. Old Mr.. Lane passed away cry
ing for Elmer. And be has come
home now. quite gray headed. and he is
dreadful worn looking. He went right
to the old house and locked himself in.
He's peer there twenty four hours. and
folks are wondering If anything's hap
pened TO him. The man ought to have
something to cut and a fire. It's nip
ping cold weather to stay in IN old
house that's been closed for five years"
I'm going to send you some of my
cakes by and by remarked Tabitha.
I'VE would miss 'em dreadfully If
you didn't returned Mrs. Tucker as
she wrapped a blanket sha wi about
her sharp face and opened the door.
Il s'pose We'll see you on your way
to watch meeting. Tab?"
Yes; I'll bring the cakes along when
| come
The door slammed. and a gust of icy
air swept through the warm room.
Outside the snow was lying In fro
zen drifts almost to the window lodges.
The afternoon sun caused a million
sparkling atoms to dazzle the sight
Every branch and twig was clothed In
ice and flashing fire.
Tabitha could look back through the
years that had fled and see the same
picture-and more. She saw a mans
youthful. well knit figure leap the gate
and come swinging up the garden
path to the back door. In the kitchen
were the fragrant smell of freshly bak-
ed New Years cakes and her mothers
tall, matronly form moving to and
fro in the background.
The picture suddenly faded. and Tab.
itha found her eyes full of tears. She
brushed them impatiently aside and
went back to her baking, piling the
great blue platters with the spicy OBJ
longs of sweetness which she would
wv sut WIN uti uClSnDOiSs d6 uDudls vi
New Years day.
As she went to and fro Tabitha was
thinking deeply. This was New Years
eve. and twenty years ago today Ell
mer Lane had disappeared from Broad
Brook without a farewell. 1t was sig
nifcant that he had returned home on
the anniversary of his departure.
The rim of a full moon was just lift
ing above the top of Thimble noun
tain when Tabitha locked her door
and started down the road toward the
church. where the watch meeting
was TO begin at 8 o'clock. In her hand
she carried a plate covered with a
napkin. Under the napkin were a doz.
en- New Years cakes for the fuckers.
When she reached the corner OF
Woodbine road Tabitha stopped and
looked wistfully at the rambling old
Lane house. The tall elms dropped icy
branches over the snow covered roof.
and there was an air of GOODNESS and
desolation that struck a chill at Tabi-
tha's heart.
Almost unconscious of her own
movements. Tabitha turned into Wood
bine road and went to the sagging gate
of the Lane place.
Up the snowy path was a single line
of deep footprints.
There was no light visible. and the
chimneys were outlined cold and stark
against the starry sky.
Il will just peep inside. There can
be no harm" Tabitha decided.
The snow was deep. and she walked
with difficulty. fitting her small rub
Der boots into the mans larger foot
prints. just as she reached the front
porch she stumbled over the top step
and fell headlong.
The plate of cakes spun out of her
hand and fell with a crash of broken
china against the front door.