The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-01-27


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Red Hill was hemmed in by the
breathing silences of scattered woods,
open fields and the far reaches or
misty space, as though it were in hid
ing from the railroads, mills and high
ways of an age of hurry. Upon its
long, level crest it bore but three CEN
ters Of life and a symbol-Maple
house, the Eirs and Elm house, half
hidden from the road by their distinc-
tive trees but as alive as the warm
eyes of yelled woman; and the |
church.
The church was but a symbol-a |
mere shell. Within, it presented the
appearance Of a lumber room in dis
use, a playground for rats and ha-
ven for dust. But without all was as
it had ever been, for the old church
was still beloved. Its fresh, white
walls and green shutters and the aspir-
ing steeple, towering into the blue'
denied neglect and robbed abandon
ment Of its sting.
In the shadow of it's walls lay an old
graveyard whose overgrown soil had
long been Undisturbed. Along the
single road which cut the crest of the
hill from north to south were ruins
of houses that once had sheltered the
scattered congregation. But the ruins
were hard to find, for they, too, were
overgrcwn by juniper, clematis and
crowdiNg thicRet of mountain ash.
On these evidences of death and en-
croachms8c the old church seemed to
turn its back as if by right of its fresh
walls and unbroken steeple 1t were
still linked to life. Through its small
paCed windows it seemed to gaze con-
teBredly across the road at three
houses. widely separated, that half
faceC it IN diminishing perspective.
The three houses looked toward the
sunrise; the church toward its de-
cline.
On DAY in early spring Alan Wayne
was summoned to Red Hill. Snow still
hung in 2he crevices of East Noun
tain, On the hill the ashes, after the
total eclipse of winter, were meekly
donning pale green. The elms Of Elm
house. too, were but family outlined in
verdure Farther down the road the
naples stretched out bare, black limbs.
Only the frs, in phalanx, scoffed at
the general spring cleaning and looked
old and suileE in consequence.
The colts, driven by Alan Wayne,
flashed over the brim of Red Hill on to
the level top. Coachman Joe's jaw
was hanging in awe and so had hung
since Mr.. Alan had taken the reins.
For the first time in their five years
Of equal life the colts had felt the
cut of a whip, not in anger but as a
reprOof for breaking Coachman Joe
had braced himself for the bolt, his
hands itching to snatch the reins. But
there had been no boiling, only a sud-
den settling down to business.
For the first time in their lives the
colts were being pushed, steadily,
evenly, almost-but never quite-to
the breaking point. Twice in the long
drive Joe gathered up his jaw and
turned his head, preparing spoken
tribute to a master hand. But there
was no speaking to Mr.. Alan's face. At
that moment Joe was a part Of the
seat to Mr.. Alan, and, being coach
man of long standing in the family, he
knew it.
Couldn't of got here quicker If he'd
let 'em bolt" said he, in subsequent
description to the stable hand and the
cook. He snatched up pail Of water
and poured it steadily on the ground
Jest like that. He knew what was
in the colts the minute he laid hands
on 'em, and when he pulls 'em up al
the barn door there wasn't drop left
in their buckets, was there, Arthur
Mary a drop" said Arthur, stable
hand.
"And his face" continued the coach
man. "Most times Mr.. Alan has NJ
eyes to speak of, but today and tha'
time Miss Nance struck him with tn,
hatpin-'member, cook ?-his eye
spread like fire and eat up his face
This is black day for the Hill. Some
thin's going to happen. You mari
me-"
summoned in no equivocal terms and
for all his haste, it was with nervous
step he approached the house.
Maple house sheltered a mixe(
brood. ]. Y. Wayne, seconded by Mrs
]. Y, was the head of the family
Their daughter, Nance Sterling, ant
her babies represented the direct line
but the orphans, Alan Wayne ant
CIematis McAlpin, were on an equa
footing as children of the house Ala
was the only child of J. Y.'s dea,
brother. Clematis was also Of Wayn
blood, but so intricately removed tina
her exact relation to the rest of tn
tribe was never figured out twice t
the same conclusion. Old Capital
Wayne, retired from the regular army
was an uncle in a different degree t
every generation of Wayne. He wa
the only man on Red Hill who dare
call for Il whisky and soda when b
wanted It.
When Alan reached the house Mr.
J. Y. was in her garden across tn
road, surveying winters ruin, an
Nance with her children had born
the captain of to the farm to see tina
oft-repeated wonder and always we
come forerunner of plenty, the quit
new calf.
Clematis McAlpin, shy and Ion
!lmbed, just at the awkward age whe
woman misses being either boy or gir
had disappeared. Where, nobody knew
She might be bird's-nestlng in th
swamp or crying over the "Idylls {
the King" in the barn loft Certainl
she was not In the house. ]. 7. Wayr
had seen to that Stern and rugged {