The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-07-29

daughter, Edie Calder, came over With
a Draw red frock and five-shilling
bonnet and kist fun Of things thar
brought my dear mothers eyes out
like parten's.
took no great stock Of girls at
that time, for It was hard for me to
see what they had been made for.
There were none of us at Birtwhistle's
that thought very much Of them; but
the smallest laddies seemed to have
the most sense, for, after they began
to grow bigger they were not so sure
about 1t. We little ones were all of
fight and was carrying tales, and
couldn't so much as shy stone with
out Tapping its arm like a rag In the
wind was no use for anything
So when this one came to the stead
ing at West Inch 1 was not best
pleased to see her. / was twelve at
the time lit was in the holidays) and
she eleven, thin, tallish girl, with
black eyes and the queerest ways. She
was forever staring out in front Of
her, with her lips parted as If she saw
something wonderful; but when
came behind her and looked the same
way could see nothing but the
sleeps trough or the hidden or ia.
TIERS breeches hanging on a clothes
line. And then If she saw a lump Of
heather or bracken, or any common
stuff of that sort, she would NOPE
over 1t as II 1t had struck her sick, md
cry, "How sweet how perfectT just
as though 1t had been a painted pic
ture. When I used to tell her tnat
she was good for nothing, and that hes
father was a fool to bring her up like
that, she would begin to cry, and say
that was a rude boy. and that she
would go home that very night. and
never forgive me as long as she lived,
But In five minutes she had forgotten
all about 1t. What was strange was
that she liked me deal better than
I did her, and she would never leave
me alone, but she was always watch.
ing me and running after me, and
then saying, "Oh, here you are!" as
II 1t were a surprise.
Jim Horscroft was away wher
Cousin Edie was with us, but he came
back the very week she went, and
mind how surprised was that he
should ask any questions or take any
interest in mere lassie. He asked
me If she were pretty; and when
said that 1 hadn't noticed he laughed
and called me a mole. and said my
eyes would be opened some day. But
very soon he came to be interested ir
something else. and never gave Edis
another thought until one day she just
took my life In her hands and twisted
it as I could twist this quill.
That was in 1913, after had left
school. when I was already eighteen
years of age. with a good forty hair
on my upper lip and every hope oi
more. had changed since I left
school. and was not SO keen on games
as 1 had been, but found myself in
stead lying about on the sunny side
of the braes, with my own lips parted
and my eyes staring just the same al
Cousin Edie's used to do. 1t had sat
isfied me, and filled my whole life, that
I could run faster and jump higher
than my neighbor, but now all that
seemed such a little thing. and ]
yearned and looked up at the big arch.
ing sky and down at the fiat blue sea
and felt that there was something
wanting, but could never lay my
tongue to what that something was
And I became quick Of temper, too
for my nerves seemed all Of a fret !
and when my mother would ask ms
what allied me, or my father would
speak of my turning my hand to work
would break into such sharp, bittei
answers as I have often grieved over
since. All, q man may have more than
one wife, and more than one child
and more than one friend, but he can
never have but one mother, SO let him
cherish her while he may.
One day, when came in from the
sheep, there was my father sitting
with letter in his hands, which was
a very rare thing with us, except when
the factor wrote for the rent. Then
when I came nearer to him saw that
he was crying, and I stood staring, for
had always thought that 1t was not
a thing that q man could do. My
mother sat beside him and stroked his
hand like she did the cats back when
she would soothe It.
AYE, Jeannie," said he, poor Will
lies gone. It's from the lawyer. and
1t was sudden, or they'd ha' sent word
Of 1t. Carbuncle, he says. and husb
o. blood to the head" t
'Ah. well, his troubles over" said
my mother. ss
My father rubbed his ears with the
tablecloth. "He's left a. his savings
to his lassie." said he, land. by gom.
II she's not changed from what she
promised to be she'll soon gar them
flee. He doesn't say how much. but
she'll have enough and to spare, he
saws. And she's to come and bide with