Graham guardian., 1921-02-18
THE BROOK
BY IRENE BLUE.

noon | was sitting on the Veranda OF
a pretty little cottage well situated In
town of central New Hampshire.
Mrs. Dawson, my hostess, on COM
ing out, remarked: 'Here are George
and May comlng;" and looking up l
noticed a young couple.
"What IS the special interestT I
asked. well, If It isn't just like me
to forget that you do not know them
and probably have not heard their
story. In q town like this all news
Is meat and drink to us, and will tell
you the story about George and May,
II you care to listen.
"Now," said she, 81 mentioned that
George and May were coming, as It is
only lately that they have been seen
together This was not always So"
she continued. "Since their early days
they had lived side by side on farms
about three miles out from the vii
lage, and as a necessity for the COM
panionship of playmates they were
more rather than less together.
Back from the house about a mile
or so there is between the farms, equal
ly divided as to ownership, a piece OF
woodland tSat was the playground of
George and May until the time came
when the village school and academy
were unable TO teach them more,
George, graduating first, was to
leave for college: and while his en-
thuslasm ran high In his preparation
for new scenes, fear clutched at the
heart of May that George, while he
was away, might learn to care more
for the university city and It's young
people, and forget the home folk.
"Two years of waiting and lonali-
ness, waiting for George, had passed.
zone OF Mays favorite walks was
down through the woodland to the
meadow where, ran the little brook
that. an old Indian basket weaver had
told her, was called by his people the
wishing brook. He told her the In
dian legend, and he said that anyone
who drank of the water and breathed
wish at the same time, would have
the wish granted.
"And here on this afternoon, tired
from her exertions in the work of the
morning, taking book, she sought for
the last time, she said to herself, the
Wishing brook and its charm. Finally
! reaching the bank. she stopped over
the stream, and cupping her hands,
brought the water to the level of her
lips and unconsciousiy said aloud :
! Dear brook, let me have my wish,
| Send my love TO George, and let II
bring him home TO me safe
at was just as well for her peace
of mind that she had not seen two fine,
| looking young men who, when they
saw her approaching, stepped behind
trees where watching her, they could
| remain unseen.
"She was conscious only of dell
cious sense of rest; and as she sal
there II seemed strange that on the
other side Of the brook, which seemed
wider than usual, there were several
Indian tents that she had never no
ticed before, And the young people
and the children-surely she knew
them, but only in an indefinite way. II
was strange, also, that none of them
apparently noticed the brook-perhaps
| the children had been told to keer
away from It. But, see! Here comes ar
Indian maiden. Certainly said May
Il know her; perhaps she will come
and talk with me-. The Indian maid
approached the brook; dipping into
the water with cup made of birch
bark, she looked to the heavens and
cried aloud: oh, Great Spirit of the
Wish, send my love to my brave ant
bring him safely back to me-
MAY was all ready to call out, wher
the maiden and the tents slowly faded
from view, and in their place was the
house Of an early settler. Well, that
seems queer May thought, and just
as was going to speak to her. Now
I wonder who occupies that old-fash
lionel little house, and where they
came from. thought that knew al
the people that live near here. | an
sure that / do not know this girl who
is coming now, although her clothes
look like some that are in our attic
at home This was going through hel
mind as another girl came toward her
"She, too, came on, and as May
looked at her she smiled welcome
The girl was thinking deeply, so deep
ly that she never noticed May and hel
smile. Dipping a pewter mug into the
brook, she lifted 1t to her lips ant
cried aloud: Maker of the Universe
send my love to my man and bring hin
here to me-
"May could stand their indifference
no longer. Even this last girl, who
now was accompanied at the brool
side by the Indian maid and her brave
together with the colonial maid anC
her lover, also clad In the garb of az
early settler, did not notice her
"Only this last girl, the one who
looked like her, was alone, and shC
must be made to speak and tell whC
they all were and why she alone haC
her wish unanswered.
"As May called out, she heard al
unrestrained laugh, and opening hel
eyes she lost sight of the lovers, anC
there In their place stood George laugh
Ing and calling to her.
"The brook had resumed its norma
size, and as May stood up Georg,
leaped across the brook, and as in an
swer TO her wish, he came near ant
clasped her in his arms"