The Snowflake herald., 1921-12-02

had noted in his moments of abstrac
ton, deepened and often covered his
face with it's veil. That is another
way that Nature has of preparing the
| young. For these the roses have fallen
and only the thorns remain. They
are not lured; they seem to be driven
to their tasks, but for all, soon or
late, her method changes.
On a beautiful morning of June,
1884, John Mcneil left the village.
Abe Lincoln and Harry and Samson
and Sarah and Jack Kelso and his
wife stood with the Rutledges in the
| dOOryard of the tavern when he rode
away. He was going back to his
home In the East to return in the au-
tumn and make Ann his bride. The
| girl wept as if her heart would break
when he turned far down the road
and waved his hand to her.
"Oh, my pretty lass! Do you not
hear the birds singing in the mead
OwS" said Jack KelsO. Think of
the happiness all around you and of
the greater happiness that is coming
when he returns. Shame on your
"Im afraid he'll never come back"
Ann sobbed.
Nonsense Don't get a maggot in
your brain and let the crows go walk
ing over your face. Come, We'll take
a ride in the meadows and If l don't
bring you back laughing you may call
me no prophet"
| SO the event passed.
Harry travelled about with Abe q
| good deal that summer, "electioneer-
ing" as they called it, from farm to
| farm. Abe used to go into the fields,
with the men whose favor he sought,
and bend his long back over scythe
| or a cradle and race them playfully
| across the field of grain cutting a
wider swath than any other and al
ways holding the lead. Every man
was out of breath at the end Of his
swath and needed a few minutes for
recuperatiOn. That gave Abe a chance
| for his statement of the cOunty's needs
and his plan Of satisfying them. He
had met and talked with a majority
of the voters before the campaign
ended in his election in August
At odd times that summer he had
been surveying a new road with Har-
ry Needles for his helper In Sep
| tember they resumed their work upon
| it in the vicinity OF New Salem and
Abe began to carry the letters in his
hat again. Every day Ann was look
II: hn NV; IL
light of the early morning on his way
| to work.
Anything for me?" she would ask.
mo mail in since saw you, Ann"
was the usual answer
Often he would say: I'm afraid
not, but here-yOu take these letters
and look through 'em and make sure"
Ann would take them in her hands,
| trembling with eagerness, and run in
doors to the candlelight, and look them
over. Always she came back with the
| little bundle of letters very slowly
as if her disappointment were heavy
| burden.
"There'll be one next mail if have
| to write it myself" Abe said one
morning in October as he went on.
To Harry Needles, who was with
him that morning, he said:
81 wonder why that fellow don't
write to Ann. / couldn't believe that
he has been fOoling her, but now l
don't know what to think of him.
wonder what has happened to the
fellow"
The mail stage was late that eve
ming. AS it had not come at nine Mr.
Hill went home and left Abe in the
store to wait for his mail. The stage
arrived a few minutes later. Abe ex-
amined the little bundle of letters and
newspapers which the driver had left
with him. Then he took a paper and
sat down to read in the freight.
While he was thus engaged the door
opened softly and Ann Rutledge en-
tered. The postmaster was not aware
of her presence until she touched his
arm.
"Please give me a letter." she said
"Sit down, Ann" said he, very gent
| ly, as he placed chair in the fire.
glow.
She took it, turning toward him
with look of fear and hope. Then
he added:
"Pm sorry, but the truth is it didn't
come 1t is terrible, Ann, that have
to help in this breaking of your heart
that is going on. 1 seem to be the
head of the hammer that hits you so
hard, but the handle is In other hands.
Honestly, Ann, / wish l could do the
suffering for you-every bit of it-and
give your poor heart a rest Hasn't
he written you this summer?"
mot since July tenth," she an
swered. Then she confided to Abe
that her lover told her before he went
away that his name was not Mcneil
but McNamar; that he had changed
his name to keep clear of his family