Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-11
CHAPTER XXI.

par that shall defy all the night-prowlers
that ever prowled a stout. solid bar
broad as my wrist and thick as my two
nhgers; that, looking upon II as II lies
IN It's sockets across the door, CHAIRMAN
henceforth may sleep and have no fear
The Ancient sat perched on his stool
In the corner, but for once we spoke
niue for l was very busy; also my
mind was plunged in profound revere.
And Of whom should be thinking but
Of Charmian7
Tis bewitched you be, Peter" said
| the old man suddenly. prodding me softly
| with his stick "bewitched as ever was"
and he chucked
| "Bewitchedy' said l, starting
| 'Ah!-theer you stand wi your ammer
! IN your 'and-a-starin' an a-starin at
/ nobody, nor nothin'-leastways not as
'uman eye can see, an a-sighin', an
| a-sighin'-"
Did l indeed sigh, Ancient?"
"Ah-that ye did-like a COW, Peter, or
'orse-'eavy an tired like An slow
you be, an dreamy-you as was so bright
an spry; theer's some-fools, like Joel
Amos, as might think as Z were the
work o. ghostes. or demons, a-castln' their
spells on ye or that some vampire 'ad
bit ye in the night, an sucked your blood
as we lay asleep, but l know different
you'm just bewitched, Peter!" and he
chuckled again.
who knows?-perhaps am, but 1t will
pass, whatever It is. It will pass"
Don't ye be too sure o. that-theers
bewitchments an bewitchments, Peter"
Hereupon the smithy became full OF the
merry din Of my hammer, and while 1
worked the Ancient smoked his pipe and
watched me, informing me, between
whiles, that the Jersey COW was ''in calf"
that the hops seemed more than usually
forward, and that he had walked that
morning with touch o. the rheumat-
les" but, otherwise, he was unusually
silent; moreover each time that I hap
pened TO glance up. 1t was to find him
regarding me with certain ixity OF
eye which at another time would have
struck me as portentous.
"Ye be palish this marnin'. Peterv" said
he, dabbing at me suddenly with his pipe
stem; shouldn't wonder If you was to
tell me as your appetite was bad; come
now-ye didn't eat much of a breakfus'
this marnin' did ye?"
81 don't think I did Ancient"
"a course mott" said the old man, with
a nod of profound approval-"it aren't to
be expected. Let's see, 1t be all o. four
months since I found ye, bean't it?"
-Four months and n few odd days"
nodded, and fell to work upon my glow
ing iron bar.
zen make tluy SnlIn one o. THESE
days, Peter" said the old man encourage
ingly, as 1 Strengthened my back and
plunged the iron back into the fire.
THANK you, Ancient"
"Ay, you've larned to use 'ammer
purity well, considerin though you be
wastin' your opportoonties shameful,
Peter shameful"
Am l. Ancient?"
"Ay. that ye be-moon can't last much
lonEer-she be on the wane a'readyv'
"Moon?" said l, staring.
"Ah, moon!" nodded the old man;
"theeTs nowt like a moon, Peter. an If
she be at the full so much the better"
But what have the moon and 1 TO do
with each other( Ancient?"
"Old I be. Peter a old. old man, but
were young once, an tell zee the moon
as lot more to do WI II than some
folks thlnk!"
Ancient" said I. what might you be
driving at?" 81
Love, Peter!"
Lover said l. letting go the handle
of the bellows
"An' marriage Peter"
What in the world-put-such thoughts
into your head?"
You did, Peter"
'I?"
"Ah. some men is born lovers, Peter
an you be one. I never see such eyes as
yourn afore. so burnin' 'ot they be- All,
Peter! some maid will see the lovelight
aflame In 'em some day. an droop 'er
cad an blush an tremble-for she'll
know, Peter she'll know; maids was
made to be loved, Peter
But, Ancient, am not the kind of
man women would be attracted by. Il
love books and solitude, and am called a
-pedant! and. besides, I am not of a
loving sort"
Some men,. Peter, falls in love as easy
E.NN a "a
an quiet-like the dawn of a summers
day, Peter; but to others 1t comes like a
gert an tur'ble storm-oh that It dol
Theirs fire ready to burn up inside
o. ye Mt the touch o. some woman's and,
or the peep o. 'er eye-ahl fire as'll
burn, an burn, an never go out again
not even II you should live TO be as old
as I be-sn' you'll he strong an wild an
fierce wi it-an' some day you'll find 'er,
Peter, an she'll find you-"
And" said l. staring away into the
distance, "do you think that by any pos
sible chance, she might love me, this
woman7"
"Ay, for sure" said the Ancient, "for
sure she will: why don't zee up an AK
er? WI a fine. round moon over cad |
an a pretty maid at your elber it's easy |
enough TO tell 'er you love 'er, aren't
it,"
Indeed. yes" said I, beginning to rub |
my chin, very eaSy!' ana L signed.
"An' when you looks into pair o.
sweet eyes. an sees the shine o. the
moon in em-why. II aren't so very fur
TO 'er lips, are II, Peter?"
mo" said l. rubbing my chin harder
than ever; "no-and there's the danger
OF H."
"Wheer's Z danger. Peter?"
Everywhere" / answered; "in her
eyes. in her thick, soft hair, the warmth !
OF her breath, the touch Of her hand the /
least contact Of her garments-her very II
step!"
II knowed III" cried the Ancient Joy
fully. peering at me under his brows'
II knOwed III"
KNEW what2" II
you be in love-good lad! good lad"
and he fourished his pipe In the air.
"In lovei" / exclaimed; "in loye-I?"
Sure as surel"
'But love, according TO Aristotle is"
Love, Peter, is what makes a man for
get rs breakfus' an IL work, an is"
but work very hard-besides-" II
Love Is what makes a man so brave
as a lion, Peter, an fall a-tremblin like
a coward when She stands a-lookln' up
al i'm: love makes the green earth
greener an the long road short-ah! al
most too short, sometimesi the love of a
woman comes betwixt a man an all
evils an dangers-why don't ZEE up an
AK 'er, PeterT II
"shed laugh at me. Ancient"