Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-12
CHAPTER VI
The Ancient Problem OF the Cro'eded
Land

THE rising sun quivereu "o,s % .na
l. hind its gridiron Of trees anu ''0
day promised warm
The little horse was put early 10
tho buckboard so that they VINO were
,o,rnevinp to the north might nhaNo
the best of their way in the cool ol
the morning.
The good folks waved their farewelis
ro,,ra-tbe children ran beside the
blackboard as far as the turn OF 'he
road.
.Good.by. Mser Billedeau! Come 10
. make us gay again!" was the cry
which followed the old fiddler and MS
messenger until they were deep in the
forest.
II was cool th>re. The beeches shooK
drops of dew upon those VINO passeo
beneath. The fresh fragrance or the
morning woods came to their nostrlls
moist waftings from clumps OF
witch.hobble where the damp soil was
odorous. balmy whiffs from fresh Ver-
dure. aromatic savors from io"ls
matches of pennyroyal where cooweps
spread their dew.spangled fabrics
fairy handkerchiefs dropped in revels
overnight.
That was Billedeau's suggestion
that last.
4 "Those little folks-those merry
elves-they forgot when the talry
fiddles play; they dance very wild ana
they have lost their lace moucholrs'
Eyangeline smiled at the conceit'
II seemed a long way behind her
that desolate yesterday.
The woods, the fields. the compan'
ionship of poor people of simple faith
and kindly joys, comforted her more
surely. more sweetly, than words OF
sympathy.
Nature, on her screen or WOOD ana
sky, slipped pictures in such deft and
quick succession. that there was nc
time for mournful introspection. A
deer was silhouetted on distant
slope: rabbits cooked inquiring ears
and peered through tangle OF brakes
Birds caroled in the mad Joy OF June
When at last they came out of the
forest into the fields again, she looked
nm at the snow.puffs OF clouds in the
lazy sky and inhaled the scents o
rlpening strawberries in the waysid'
grasses.
One more turn Of thes road an'
Evangeline gasped when the seem
opened. They had come upon IN
mighty valley of the st. John. The!
were on the hills. Far below the azur
river mocked the sky. The little wave
twinkled where the breeze brushe
whoris upon the water. A bateau' crep
along the farther bank, its oars fiasf
ing with silvery light. Cows strolle
on pasture swards, sheep trickled Il
Indian file among the rocks. Scum
OF farm and field rose to their ears
restful sounds made faint by distance
The girl forgot the dusty blackboard
the hard seat, the dished wheels "a
tltnx against the hillside rocks an
ledres. It seemed to her that she wa
floating over this panorama on a magi
carpet.
II have thought sometimes. Nam
selle." said the old man, speahn
softly in the mellow Acadian patoi
sthat would like to go after deaf
ana fiddie merry music for the fair
dances. But when / see the valley
the good st. John think I would lik
another work for all the days
eternity."
q He swept his hand with broad ge
Lt Lure. The imagination Of his rae
4 1|ehtsd his face.
II would like to have God give m
- new mind and put me among n
arfI<st angels who keep SO very bus
~ happy copying out new plans f'
ether worlds the good God
neart swsllsd. This imaser
rflo but she understoo