The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-13

Seyen O'CLOCK the mare ana starred
again, well fed and eager to 60 on.
1t was summer morning that short
e,is the road--even that of the young
lover. Its air was sweet with the
breath of the meadows. The daisies
T and the clover and the cornfowers
and the wild roses seemed to be wav-
1 ing welcome to me, and the thorn
trees -shapely ornament of my native
hills in blossom. A cloud Of
pigeons swept across the blue deep
above my head. The great choir of
the fields sang to me-bobolinks, song
sparrows, meadowlarks, bluebirds,
warblers. wrens, and far away in the
edge of spruce thicket I heard the
flute OF the white-throated sparrow.
II bathed at brook in the woods
aud put on clean silk shirt and tie
out OF my saddlebags. / rode slowly
then to the edge Of the village Of Can
| ton and turned at the bridge and took
| the river road, although had time to
spare. How my heart was beating as
| il neared the familiar scene! The
river slowed its pace there, like dis
corning traveller, to enjoy the beauty
of its shores. Smooth and silent was
| the water and in 1t were the blue Of
THE sky and the feathery shadow-spires
I5kcedar and tamarack and the reflect
ed blossoms of iris and meadow rue.
IT was lovely scene.
Where was the pine, but where was
my lady? I dismounted and tied my
mare and looked at my watch. It
lacked twenty minutes to eleven. She
would come-I had no doubt Of it. I
washed my hands and face and neck
In the cool water. Suddenly ] heard
La voice / knew singing: Barney
Leave the Girls Alone" turned and
saviour mother, my SON. (These
i last lines were dictated to his SON.
She was in the stern Of birch canoe,
all dressed in white with roses In her
| hair. ] raised my hat and she threw
/ a kiss at me. Old Kate sat in the bow
waving her handkerchief. They
stopped and Sally asked in a tone OF
playful seriousness:
young man, why have you come
here?"
"To get you," answered.
what do you want Of me?" She
was looking at her face in the water.
| Il want to marry you," answered
bravely.
i "Then you may help me ashore Il
| you please. am in my best white
slippers and you are to be very care
Iful."
4 Beautiful! She was the spirit o.
the fields of June then and always.
i / helped her ashore and held her Ii
my arms and. you know, the lips have
a way of speaking then in the old, con
vincing, final argument Of love. The!
left no doubt in our hearts, my son.
.'When do you wish to marry me?'
she whispered.
"As soon as possible, but my pay Il
only sixty dollars month now"
rseTfee s.. SHAH alA, make qa5 ss It d. she an
your aunt and uncle and the Hackei
and the minister and a number of OF
friends are coming In fleet Of boats
''We are prepared either for picni
or a wedding" was the whisper {
Kate.
4 Lets make it BOTH" I proposed
Sally.
"Surely there couldn't, be bette
/ place than here under the big pine
e it's so smooth and soft and shady
e said she.
l. "Nor could there be better day {
o better company" I urged, for I wf
:, not sure that she would agree.
f The boats came along. Sally and
y waved a welcome from the bank an
e she merrily proclaimed:
]. 'It's to be wedding"
e Then cheer from the boats,
which joined.
e shall never forget how, when I'll
= company had landed and the greetin!
o were over, Uncle Peabody approache
It your mother and said:
II SAY. Sally, I'm goin' to plant XII
Z on both O. them red cheeks O. your
t, an do 1t deliberate. too"
n He did it and so did Aunt Deel ar
b old Kate, and | think that, next
e your mother and me, they were IL
n happiest people at the wedding.
q. |
There is lonely grave up in Il
d hills--that Of the stranger who die
L long ago on Rattleroad. One day
Is found old Kate sitting beside it and {
y stone lately erected there was Il
4 name, Enoch Rome.
e, ut is very sorrowful," she viii
L pered. "He was trying to find n
4 when he died."
u We walked on in silence while / r
: called the circumstances. How stran;
10 that those tales of blood and lawle
daring which Kate had given to Am
Grimshaw had led to the Staying
to her own son! Yet, so it happene
I'd and the old wives will tell you Il
'r story up there in the hills
e The play ends just as the night
| falling with Kate and me entering Il