Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-08-09

coeya,o+sT o. DOUBLEDAY. nAee q CO.
the new lawn was shiny brown, and as
l climbed the slopes the smell Of it
came to me. Out still farther to the
left my land was already staked in
rows Of packed earth, neatly. The
scene was beautiful to my eyes, and
the imagined beauty Of tomorrow made
me almost run through the orchard
to leave my lunch basket in the kitchen
and get my tools for the afternoons
work At five o'clock, as Joe was leav-
ing the garden, and Mike had gone to
the barn to milk the COWS, I, too, put
up my tools, resolved to enjoy an
hours loaf-my first since I bought the
farm!
scrubbed my hands and face at
the kitchen sink in a tin basin which
recalled my childhood, took a long
draft from the tin dipper, filed my
pipe, and strolled down through the
budding orchard toward the brook
The song sparrow was still singing
The cloud ships were still riding at an
Choir. Even with my pipe in my mouth
I could smell the odor Of moist places
in May. Walking beside the brook, I
suddenly found the green spears Of an
iris plant amid the grasses. A few
steps farther on, under the naples, the
ground was blue and white with vio-
lets and anemones. Then the brook
entered the pines, nsping a secret as
it went, and I followed it into their
cool hush.
had scarcely gone SIX PAGES when I
heard the crackle Of footsteps on dead
twigs somewhere ahead of me, and a
moment later the vague form of a
woman was visible making her way
amid the impeding dead branches I
stood still. She did not see me till
she was close up. Then she gave a
slight start and said, 81 beg your par
don. trust I am not trespassing."
looked at her, while my pipe bowl
was hot in my calloused hand. She
was scarce more than a girl, fancied,
pale and Enthusiastically not Of this
country world. I cannot say how she
was dressed, save that she wore no hat
and looked white and cool. But I saw
that she had very blue eyes on each
side of a decidedly tilted nose, and
these eyes were Enthusiastically the kind
which twinkle.
'Trespassing Is q relative term
said I, after this, I fear, rather rudely
prolonged scrutiny.
'You talk like Hills Rhetoric "
she smiled, with quick glance at the
3naon pr17itv Of nv clothes
Naturally" replied. "It was the
textbook I formerly used with my
classes"
There was a little upward gurgle
Of laughter from the girl. "Clearness,
force and elegance, wasn't that the
great tr1umvirate?" she said.
Something like that believe" said
L II am trying to forget"
"And are these pines yours to for
get in? 1t shoul9 be easy. I was
walking out there in the road, and I
spied the brook over the wall and
climbed through the briers to walk be-
side it, because it was trying SO hard
to talk to me- That was wrong Of
me, perhaps, but 1 never could resist
a brook-nor pine trees They are
such nice old men,
"Why, then" asked, "are the little
virgin birches always running away
from tnem?"
Her eyes contracted a second, and
then tWinkled. 'sThe birches plague
them," she replied.
''How do they plague themY' I de
handed.
"Pull their pine needles when they
are asleep, Of course" she answered
'sThank you for letting me walk here
mot at all" said I, ut is always {
pleasure to entertain a true natural
list"
She smiled and made to pass on.
stood a little aside, in silence An'
in that moment of silence suddenly
from near at hand, from somewher
In these very pines, there rang out tn
golden throb Of a hermit thrush g
close that the grace notes Of his son
were audible, cool and liquid and love
~. The suddenness, the nearness, tn
W1ldness Of this song made 1t indie
scribably thrilling, and the girl and
both stood rigid, breathless, peerin
into the gloom Of the pines. Again th
call rang out, but little farther ava
this time, more plaintive, more fair.
like with distance. She took a step q
If to follow, and instinctively I pr
out my hand, grasping her arm to r.
strain her. So we stood and waite'
, while from farther still, evidently frol
the tamarackS in the corner Of nv 10
q came the elfin clarion. The SINCE
was a good one; bis attack was flaw
less, and he scattered his triplets wit
Mozartian ease and precision. Still "
!, waited, in silence, but he did not sir
> again. Then in kind Of wonder Il
girl turned her face to mine, and in
kind of wonder I realized that W;
! still holding her arm. She appeared {
!, unconscious Of it as I, till I let n
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