Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-04
4Ee Light
/, II, the
Clearing
A Tale Of the North
Country In the Time
Of SiIss Wright
IRVING 1xcnELLEH

(oepysishs, iSiI, Irvtns Dschsller,

himself and blew. out his breath and
brushed his hands upon his trousers
by way of stepping down into this
world again out Of the close and dusty
loft Of his memory. But I called him
back.
what has become Of Enochr' !
asked. <A.
"wal. cir. Enoch started of West
bout three year ago an We amt heard
q word from him since that day--nary
n word, mister. suppose We will some
time. He grew into q good man, but
there was q kind Of queer streak In
the blood, a. 70 might say. on both
sides kind o.. We've wrote letters out
to Wisconsin. where he was pintin'
for, an to places on the way, but we
can't git no news bout him. Mebbe
he was killed by the Injuns."
We walked out Of the graveyard to-
gether in silence. gN
could sec a glimmer Of light in
the thicket Of pines down the valley. I
unhitched and mounted my horse.
"Take the hrst turn to the right"
sud the old man a he picked up his
scythe.
I'm very much obliged to you,"
said.
"No 70 amt, nuther," he answered
"Leastways there amt NO reason why
We should be-"
Ny horse, impatient - ever to and
the end Of the road, huSxied me along
and in a moment or two we were down
under the pine grove that surrounded
the house Of old Squire Fullerton-a
big, stone house with q sraveled road
around It A great black dog came
barking and growing at me from the
front porch. I rode around the house
and he followed. Beyond the windows
I could see the CLEAN OF candlelight
and moving figures. A man came out
of the back door u I nearsd 1t.
who's thereT' he demanded.
my name is Barton Baynes from
st. Lawrence county. Kate Fullerton
is my friend and wish to Dee her"
"Come up to the steps. sor. Don't
git of yer horse-'til I've chained tho
dog, Katell bs out in a minute"
He chained the dog to the >hitching
post and as he did 80 a loud, long.
wailing cry broke the silence Of the
house. 1t put me In mind Of the COM
plant Of the damned which remem-
bered hearing the minister describe
years before at the little schoolhouse
in Lickitysplit. How It Narrowed me!
The man went into the house. Soon
he came out Of the door with lighted
candle in his hand. q woman following.
How wildly l remember the little muir
muir Of delight that came from her lips
when he held the candle 80 that its
light fell upon my face! Jumped of
my horse and gave the reins to the
sman and put my arms around the poor
woman, whom I loved for her sorrows
and for my debt to her, and rained
kisses upon her wlthered cheek. Oh
God! what q moment it was for both
of US!
The way she held me to her breast
and patted my shoulder and said my
boy!'-in low, faint, treble voice 80
like that Of child-it Is one Of the
best memories that take with me into
the new life now so near, from which
there is NO returning.
She led me into the house. She
looked very neat now-in a black
gown over which was a spotless white
apron and collar Of lace-and much
more slender than when I had seen
her last. She took me into large
room in the front Of the house with a
carpet and furniture. handsome once
but now worn and decrepit. Old, time
stained engraving. Of scenes from the
Bible, framed in wood. hung on the
walls.
told all that I had heard from
home and of my life in Cobleskill but
observed, presently, faraway look in
her eyes and judged that she was not
hearing me-. She whispered:
"Sally?'' ~
"she has been ct school in Albany
for year." I said. "She is at home
now and am going to gee her."
"You love Sally = she whispered.
"Better than love my life"
Again she whispered: Get mar.
riedp t&
1--WE hope to in 1874. I have agreed
% meet her By the big pine tree on the
river bank at eleven o'clock the third
Of June. 1874. We are looking for
ward to that day"
A tall. alim woman entered the room
then ana said that supper was ready.
Kate rose with q smile and followed
her into the dining room where two
tables were spread. One had certain
dishes on It, and white cover frayed
and worn. She led me to the other
table which was neatly covered with
snowy linen. The tall woman served
a supper on deep blue china, cooked
as only they could cook in old New
England. Meanwhile I could hear the
voice Of the aged squire-a weird.
empty, inhuman voice it was, utterly
cut or from his intelligence. It came
out Of the troubled depths Of his
misery. ,z e y 7.
$50 that house-the scene Of his
great sin which would presently lie
down with him in the du4t-was food
ed, a hundred times a day, by the I'M
happy spirit Of It's master. In the
dead OF the night heard Its despair
oerhoing through the silent chambers.
Kate said little as we ate, or as we